It's destination Grimsby for Peppa Pig and family. The show based on the animated TV characters is coming to the auditorium on March 3 and March 4 as part of a UK tour which began last night in Llandudno and ends in Tunbridge Wells on May 4. More details from peppapiglivecom
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| A much valued service - binmen on the go |
AN update on recycling in North East Lincolnshire has revealed that residents have recycled 24,050 tonnes of plastic, cans, cardboard, paper and glass over the past 12 months
This is almost 4,000 tonnes more than last year and weighs the same as around 8 million bricks!
Throughout 2025, bottles, cans, glass, cardboard and paper were recycled in the blue and grey bins.
From empty bottles at New Year’s Eve parties to the mayhem of wrapping paper at Christmas, everything adds up.
Additionally, 42,000 tonnes of waste was collected in the green bins throughout the year – the equivalent weight of around 400 blue whales.
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| Enough land to accommodate a village - but is that desirable? |
CRUNCH time looms for the controversial proposal to create a new suburban village on farmland outside Grimsby.
A planning application has now been submitted to build up to 3,500 homes on land between the A1136 and A46 roads to the west of the town.
Agents for the project state: "The site is a relatively modest area within the extensive Lincolnshire Coast and Marshes.
"The scheme has the potential to bring benefits to this overall area including increased biodiversity, a softer edge to the development edge to Grimsby with large woodland blocks and creation of a country park along the Freshney Valley.
"Creation of a mosaic of different landscape types including woodland, grassland and wetland are part of overall green infrastructure proposals."
A tree survey has identified 113 individual trees and 44 groups/hedges.
Of these, just sixteen trees/groups were identified as for retention - one of them being a mature elm which is acknowledged as having "elevated arboricultural value".
The survey has also identified a large mature ash tree as being of "great value to the site".
Of the birds recorded in surveys carried out in summer, autumn and winter, the most interesting were Little Owl, Barn Owl, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Curlew (up to 27) and Golden Plover (up to 203).
There is a recommendation that areas of open grassland could be managed to allow a taller sward to create nesting habitat for Skylarks and Meadow Pipits.
It is thought that the grassland areas would also provide foraging areas for Starling, Curlew, Golden Plover, Carrion Crow and Kestrel.
The report goes on: "Installing Swift nest-boxes externally at high level under eaves of new buildings on site will encourage this declining summer migrant species to nest.
"As well as for Swifts, these boxes are known to also be used by other cavity nesting species such as starling and house sparrow.
"Installing specific nest-cups for use by house martin at a high level, under the eaves of new buildings on site will encourage this red-listed species to use the buildings for nesting."
There are likely to be numerous objections to the proposal, and the applicants, Harworth Estates, will also have to demonstrate that they have addressed not just biodiversity and landscape concerns, but also those of flood risk and potential pollution to the River Freshney.
It is unlikely that the application will be determined until this summer at the earliest.
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| Is there a risk that the River Freshney and its wildlife might be put in jeopardy? |
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12/11/2025
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| The signage as it is now |
Lloyds Bank has unveiled the external facelift proposed for its premises on Victoria Street in Grimsby.
The intended replacement will be internally illuminated with the word 'bank' removed.
Before going ahead, it will need North East Lincolnshire Council planners to give the (racing) green light.
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| The signage as it might be soon |
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| Contractors will seek to save at least some of the sculptures |
EFFORTS will be made to save some of the sculptural panels that have been put at risk by ongoing demolition of Grimsby's Abbey Walk car park.
North East Lincolonshire Council had come under fire for not having done more to safeguard the panels which are part of the post-war heritage of the town.
Although he has not made a fuss, the sculptor, Harold Gosney, is known to have been disapppointed that all his creative andf time-consuming work risked ending up as rubble.
Following talks between NELC and the contractors, GBM, it has emerged that efforts will be made to save at least some of the panels.
Says NELC cabinet member Cllr Stewart Swinburn: "The sculptures weigh between one and two tonnes each, so manual removal is not an option - removal will have to be attempted mechanically."
However, he cautions: "There are several risks, and they may be damaged in the process."
Assuming they can be saved, it is not clear where the panels might be relocated.
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| The property at the centre of the rumpus |
A PROPOSAL to change the use of a former bicycle shop in Cleethorpes seems to have sparked a bit of a brouhaha.
Opposition to the plan to convert 21 High Street to a restaurant and hot food takeaway has largely been along the lines that this part of town already has sufficient similar premises.
But a resident of Brooklands Avenue maintains that objectors are generally those who have interests in other takeaways and thus do not want further competition.
In a forthright submission to North East Lincolnshire Council, she writes: "I give my full and unequivocal support to this application.
"This unit has been left empty for years, serving no purpose whatsoever.
"An empty shop does nothing for the High Street except signal decline, neglect and a lack of ambition.
"The objections raised are transparent and self-serving.
"It is common knowledge locally that the majority of takeaways along this stretch are owned or controlled by a very small number of individuals.
"This is about suppressing competition, pure and simple."
She continues: "The planning system should not be hijacked to protect monopolies or personal interests.
"Many of the existing operations offer extremely poor-quality food and service, contributing little to the reputation of the area.
"If operators are worried about competition, the answer is to raise standards, not attempt to block new entrants through questionable objections.
"Cleethorpes does not benefit from empty shops, cartel behaviour or scare tactics - it benefits from new businesses, fair competition, and progress."
The application is under consideration by NELC's planning department with a decision expected before Easter.
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| The first phase of Wigmore Park is now well established |
A FURTHER 41 homes could be in prospect for an existing housing estate in New Waltham.
Barratt Homes is seeking planning permission to extend its popular Wigmore Park development off Station Road in New Waltham.
The site identified is farmland, off Binbrook Drive, which has been allowed to lie fallow in recent years.
If approved, there would be an attenuation pond to assist site drainage, landscaping and associated works, including biodiversity enhancements.
The proposal is currently under consideration by North East Lincolnshire Council.
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| The new houses off Binbrook Drive would be of two-, three- and four- bedrooms |
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| The central library - will it ever re-open? |
DOUBTS over the future of the Grimsby Central Library have increased after it emerged that the total bill for repairs and renovation could be £13-million plus.
An even if the money could be found - and there was the political will to carry out the works - the library might not open until spring 2029 at the earliest.
Previously, North East Lincolnshire Council kept this information under wraps but now it has relented in recognition of its pledge to be transparent with the public.
NELC says work to remove asbestos from the plant room at the top of the library is "progressing well" and that the "next steps" for the building are now under consideration.
In a statement, it says: "Once the roof has been either repaired or replaced, other asbestos would need to be removed, as far as practicable, in order to bring the building back into use - a process thyat could take as long as a year.
"Thereafter, further external and internal works could also include replacement of windows as well as the internal works prior to bringing back into use the basement, ground floor and mezzanine floors.
"Ideally, the long-empty upper floors would also be brought back inmto use for office space and/or cultural / community use."
Then comes the bombshell sentence: "Depending on the fit-out options for the building, the total works could cost between £12.3million and £13.6-million with the earliest potential reopening date of around Spring 2029.
A select committee of the council has called for capital funding to be agreed "on an urgent basis" to protect the building from further ingress of rain which has been threatening the fabric of the building for many a moon.
Its chairman, Cllr Steve Holland (Ind) says: “This committee is still gathering evidence and wants to hear as many views as possible.
"This will be particularly important in deciding the future of Grimsby Central Library."
He continues: "We are confident at this stage that a solution can be found which preserves the heritage and unique architecture of the building but which will also make it fit-for-purpose on a practical level so that it can become a treasured community asset for decades to come.
"The barrier will be cost of course, and that is something that needs to be collectively addressed with the aim of trying to achieve a consensus."
In the meantime, a pop-up library is operating within the Freshney Place precinct.
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| Grimsby Town Hall - elections set to be held in May this year |
WORD is that local council elections will be held this spring in North East Lincolnshire.
If they do go ahead, as scheduled, in May, opinion polls indicate that there could be numerous gains for Reform UK.
It is understood that both the Conservative and Labour parties - and possibly the Liberal-Democrats - had considered seeking authority to cancel the elections to spare ballot box embarrassment.
Impending local government reorganisation would provide the required pretext.
However, at a meeting of group leaders and NELC officers, it is understood agreement was reached that the traditional democratic process should prevail.
Reform UK currently has just one representative on North East Lincolnshire Council - Oliver Freeston (Croft Baker) who defected from the Conservatives in 2024.
The current 42-seat political composition of the council is as follows:
Conservative – 18
Labour – 15
Liberal Democrat – 3
Independent for North East Lincolnshire – 5
Reform UK – 1
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| Winter landscape - but where is the location? |
THIS oil-on-canvas by former Grimsby Town footballer John Trickett yesterday sold for above the pre-sale estimate at an auction in Yorkshire.
Leyburn-based auction house Tennants had predicted it would sell for between £100 and £150, but bidding had reached £170 before the hammer fell.
The artist, who is 72, was born in Sheffield but spent his early life in Cleethorpes and Grimsby where he attended Wintringham School.
He subsequently trained to be an accountant, but his skills on the football field resulted in his being taken on first by The Mariners, then by Torquay United for whom he played professionally.
After his playing days ended, he returned to Grimsby, working as a forklift truck driver and supplemented his earnings with paintings of dogs (notably labradors) , birds and landscapes.
So much in demand was his art that he went on to make it the main source of his income.
The identity of the successful has not been revealed nor the location of the scene depicted in the painting.
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| The Comat - there is already a portable WC in the front garden for the use of workmen when the project gets underway |
NEIGHBOURS have lost their battle to prevent an empty Cleethorpes guesthouse - The Comat on Yarra Road - from being converted to two Houses in Multiple Occupation.
At Wednesday's NELC planning committee, members rubber-stamped the change-of-use proposal submitted by Suffolk entrepreneur Danny Bloomfield who bought the property at auction last year.
Among the conditions of consent is that he must not disturb any bats that may be roosting in the roof space.
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| The car park on High Street, Cleethorpes, near where a telecommunications mast could be installed |
ANOTHER telecommunications mast and base station could be installed in Cleethorpes - not many metres away from the near the junction of St Peter's Avenue and Isaac's Hill.
A Berkshire-based company, Cornerstone, is seeking the consent of North East Lincolnshire Council to set up the equipment on the footpath adjacent to the car park in High Street.
If approved, the project will consist of a 20-metre high mast with six antennae attached, plus three ground-based cabinets.
Cornerstone believes it has the endorsement of the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, because it has included in its application an article he submitted to The Times newspaper in December 2024.
This states: "Good homes need to be supported by good infrastructure.
"In the past 14 years, the Tories decided fewer than 60 infrastructure projects. We haven’t built a reservoir in 30 years, not least because the time it takes to secure planning permission for major infrastructure projects has almost doubled in the past decade.
"Every road, pylon and mast - which connect people with opportunity - must jump through endless hoops, only to be opposed, dragged out, before eventually, if lucky, approved."
However, there have been formal objections from some nearby residents who, contrary to the claims of telecommunications companies, fear that radiation from such installations poses a health risk.
Concerns have also been expressed about the potentially adverse visual impact on the street scene of such a conspicuous structure.
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| The design submitted with the applications gives a clue to the scale of the proposed mast |
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| The existing telecommunications equipment at the top of Isaac's Hill |
The words come from the 1802 poem Composed Upon Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth (1770-1850) but they could equally apply to Cleethorpes seafront at sunrise on some of the mornings earlier this week.
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| Grimsby Crematorium |
THE two gas-powered cremators at Grimsby Crematorium could soon be replaced with electric alternatives.
According to a report to North East Lincolnshire councillors, the existing gas cremators are both at the end of their mandated lifespan despite recent re-lining.
Maintenance issues and costs are increasing, and failure of one or both units would cause significant service disruption, including:
• Families having to travel to crematoria elsewhere.
• Loss of income for North East Lincolnshire Council.
• Reputational damage.
Advantages of electric cremators are that they are more efficient than gas which would provide significant longer term operating savings;
In addition, they could be installed while the gas ones are kept functioning.
On the downside, works would be required to the crematorium to accommodate the electric replacements.
The report notes that other local authorities, such as East Cambridgeshire, Worcester and Rushcliffe have installed electric cremators.
It states: "The Grimsby Crematorium team have visited the Rushcliffe facility to see how it operates and are satisfied electric cremators could be incorporated in Grimsby."
The capital cost of installing electric cremators is put at £4.7-million, but there could be a carbon-reduction grant of £1.5-million.
Replacing the current gas cremators with new gas ones would cost .£5.7-million but with no prospect of a grant.
The report concludes: "Replacing aging cremators with low-carbon alternative systems instead of like-for-like fossil fuel reliant systems would contribute to the council’s environmental priority of working towards a low carbon North East Lincolnshire that is prepared for and resilient to the impacts of climate change."
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| Uncertain future - the shop on the Meridien retail estate in Cleethorpes |
NEW owners are being sought for two retail chains which have hit trading difficulties.
These are The Original Factory Shop, which has a branch in Cleethorpes, and Claire's which has traded from a unit in Grimsby's Freshney Place.
It is understood that, this week, both chains have been put into administration by London-based Modella Capital, the restructuring firm that bought them from previous owners but has been unsuccessful in turning around their fortunes.
All retailers are under immense pressure because economic conditions are making potential customers more cautious about parting with their money
Last year's National Insurance increase and the minimum wage rise have added to the squeeze.
Modella Capital also owns TG Jones - the High Street wing of the bookseller and newsagents formerly known as W.H.Smith.
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| Buyer sought for the Claire's chain |
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| Cllr Freeston - unhappy with hotel conversion plan |
WARD councillor Oliver Freeston has voiced his opposition to a Suffolk developer's controversial application to convert the former Comat Hotel in Yarra Road, Cleethorpes, to two houses in multiple occupation.
In a memo to North East Lincolnshire Council planners, he says: "I strongly object to the proposed change of use.
"This area is a valued seaside tourist destination.
"Introducing a minimum of 14 full time residents (assuming single occupancy in each unit) will significantly alter the character and dynamic of the area.
"The road is already narrow and suffers from limited parking, a problem frequently raised by local residents.
"Increasing residential density in this manner will worsen congestion and create further issues for both locals and visitors."
Cllr Freeston (Reform UK, Croft Baker) continues: "Additionally, the property is in close proximity to a primary school, and without clear information about who will be housed in these HMOs, this raises understandable concerns about the suitability of the location for such a development.
"The risk of increased noise, antisocial behaviour and strain on local infrastructure is not acceptable in an area that should be preserved for tourism and family oriented community life.
"I oppose this application on the grounds of noise, inadequate parking, loss of tourism character and the unsuitability of this type of accommodation in such a sensitive and community-focused area."
The application by Danny Bloomfield, of DKB Homes, is due to be determined at the meeting of NELC planning committee tomorrow.
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| New use proposed for former hotel |
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| The illustration by S+SA Architects shows a pleasingly leafy developments with a wide road but the planning inspector thinks it would be out of character with the Humberston conservation area |
HUMBERSTON is not proving a happy hunting ground for Leeds-based property developer Cromsdale Estates.
Back in 2022, when it was known as NYC Estates, it sought planning consent to build 93 homes on agricultural land to the south of Church Lane in the village.
But its application was refused - first by North East Lincolnshire Council, then by an independent planning inspector.
Since April 2023, under its new name, the company has submitted a scaled-down proposal to build no more than 26 dwellings on the same land - but with the same outcome.
NELC again refused to grant consent - a decision which has again been upheld by an independent inspector.
At a meeting on Wednesday January 7, councillors will be presented with the report of the inspector, Paul Thompson, which outlines his reasons for dismissing the appeal.
It states: "The proposal would result in highway safety and living condition harm, resulting from additional traffic associated with the proposed dwellings."
The inspector states his further belief that such a development would be harmful to the wider conservation area which includes the Grade II Listed St Peter's Church.
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| The tower at St Peter's Church is believed to date back more than 700 years |
ENERGY giants Phillips 66 Ltd today announced that it acquired the assets of Lindsey Oil Refinery following the liquidation last year of the Prax Group.
Key facilities at the Killingholme-based refinery will be "integrated into the Humber Refinery rather than restarting standalone operations."
Due to the limitations of its scale, facilities, and capabilities,the refinery is not deemed to be viable in current form.
It its announcement, Phillips said: "Investment will strengthen the Humber Refinery, boost domestic energy security, ensure continued supply of quality fuels to the UK and help secure UK jobs.
"Once completed, the acquisition and strategic investment will increase the company’s ability to supply the UK market from the Humber Refinery, boost UK energy security and support hundreds of well-paid, high-quality jobs through site operations and future investment.
"When integrated with the Humber site, the storage and other infrastructure assets will enhance Humber Refinery operations, improve fuel supply to UK customers, and drive future growth opportunities for renewable and traditional fuels."
The statement continued:"We recognise and deeply sympathise with how difficult the closure of the site has been for the workforce and the local community.
"This sale is the best way forward to secure jobs, bolster the local economy, and encourage investment in the region."
Phillips 66 Ltd is part of a multinational company with its headquarters in Houston, Texas. Its portfolio includes Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, Marketing and Specialties, and Renewable Fuels businesses.
Locally, it also operates an oil storage complex at Tetney Lock, while UK-wide, it supports a network of more than 330 JET-branded independent dealer-owned and company-owned retail sites."
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| The storage terminal at Tetney Lock |
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| The country park |
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| Curlew on Signhills Academy playing field |
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| The golf course |
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| Redshank on the saltmarsh |
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| Drake Pochard on the boating lake |
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| The sea and the sky just before dusk |
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| A big energy user, the hospital is keen to power itself from renewable sources wherever possible |
A CAR park at Grimsby's Diana Princess of Wales could soon be home to an expansive solar 'canopy'.
The Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an assurance from North East Lincolnshire Council that it will have no planning objection to the installation which would be carried out by a Norwich-based firm, RenEnegy.
The Trust says energy generated would be for "consumption on site".
If successful, the project could lead in the not-too-distant future to further renewable energy schemes on the hospial estate as it seeks to make itself self-sufficient in energy.
It is not known whether how many, if any, any parking spaces will be lost by this initial scheme.
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| Councillors will be recommended to approve the proposed development when they meet next Wednesday |
IT may prove to be a disappointing start to 2026 for opponents of a proposed 42-housing development on the boundary of Waltham and Barnoldby-le-Beck.
A senior North East Lincolnshire Council planning officer is recommending that councillors give the green light to the scheme on a 2.26-hectare greenfield site off Waltham Road.
There is opposition from many nearby residents as well from the parish councils in both Barnoldby-le-Beck and Waltham.
Broadly their objections are based on concerns about:
* Traffic generation and impact on highway safety and amenity;
* Impact on the 'gap' between Waltham and Barnoldby le Beck;
* Lack of capacity within local services;
* The scale and amount of development in the local area;
* Impact on ecology and biodiversity;
* Increased risk of flooding
The application is due to be determined at the NELC planning committee next Wednesday January 7 with a recommendation that it should be approved.
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| Melanie Onn - seeking reassurance |
THE MP for Grimsby and Cleethorpes, Melanie Onn, has sounded words of caution on the Government's proposal to introduce identity cards.
She told an end-of-year Commons debate: "There is a great deal of angst and concern around the proposal, and it is imperative that the concern is addressed.
"While I welcome initiatives to stop illegal working and workforce exploitation, I share some of those legitimate concerns, particularly around the cost of roll-out, the necessity of the legislation, and data security.
"Trust is very fragile when it comes to digital systems.
"There needs to be certainty that any digital ID would come with the strongest safeguards, transparent oversight and guarantees that data cannot be misused or accessed without consent.
The MP continued: "However, I recognise that we are living in a digital age in which we all give up our personal data to corporations, both domestic and international, with barely a second thought, and without knowing what those who sit behind the corporations will do with our data or likeness."
The MP also sought "reassurance" that any scheme would present value for money?
She concluded: "The total cost of rolling out a national system would be significant.
"It is right that we understand how this compares with strengthening the forms of identification that we already have because they are plentiful."
