£1.18m was secured from E. Midlands Tourism to restore the paving in the Bailgate and improve the interpretation and landscaping of St. Paul in the Bail and the Roman Well.
The Bailgate will be repaved in York stone flags and a new landscaping interpretation scheme will be created for the St. Paul in the Bail area. Work started in January 09 and will be completed by the autumn. On completion the public realm of the historic core will be on a par with the newly restored Cultural Quarter.
Before
Work in progress
As I live near the Bailgate, I think the recent refurbishment of the Bail has been very tastefully carried out and it is a pleasure to walk around the area and hear the positive comments from locals and visitors alike.
I have to say I’m disappointed with the Bailgate changes. Yes, the stone looks nice – but cars and parking are still far too dominant in this historic street, and, while the footpaths have been slightly widened, still not enough space has been made for pedestrians.
Is there any real reason why Bailgate couldn’t have been pedestrianised? There are plenty of alternative routes traffic could use (Chapel Lane, Rasen Lane, Union Road etc), and during peak tourism months, people are packed onto the narrow footpaths. As for parking – there are plenty of pay and display car parks only a few metres away – so why do we need on-street parking?
The traffic and parked vehicles really spoil this beautiful streetscape and make it clear that the car is still king in Lincoln.