Lincoln Community Grocery Store is set to open at Beaumont Manor in the city centre.

New location of Lincoln Community Grocery Store, Beaumont Manor
New location of Lincoln Community Grocery Store, Beaumont Manor

With funding from the Government’s Be Lincoln Town Deal, Beaumont Manor has undergone a total makeover.

This will see the arrival of the Lincoln Community Grocery, opening to the public on the 1st February.

Internal renovations at Beaumont Manor have created a new grocery store and members’ cafe, a new disability toilet and improved access.

The building has also installed upgraded lighting and heating systems with complete redecoration throughout to create a warm and welcoming environment for its visitors.

Since 2021, Acts Trust in partnership with The Message Trust, has set up and run the Lincoln Community Grocery Store, which helps address food poverty, food wastage and supports health issues within the city. Providing affordable food to families who would otherwise go hungry, the store provides low cost, locally supplied waste and surplus food and other essential items, with members paying just £4 per visit, saving on average £20 - £25 per shop.

Grocery members also have access to a programme of advice, support, and training for a variety of topics such as budgeting, cooking and life skills.

The shop currently has over 1,500 members and while the location at Central Methodist Church was a great base for the store, it is hoped that the move to Beaumont Manor will provide a permanent home for the store in the heart of the city centre.

The store’s new location is due to open in the first week of February keep providing a supportive, community space for those who need it.

Once in its new home Lincoln Community Grocery will continue to be funded and run by The Message Trust in partnership with Acts Trust, but the move would have not been possible without £226,000 funding from the Be Lincoln Towns Deal, with further investment from Investors in Lincoln, Benefact Trust and Acts Trust and the work has been completed by Gelder Group.

Simon Hawking, Chief Executive of Acts Trust said:

“We are delighted with the renovation of this lovely heritage building in the heart of the city. This will be a building for local people. We are passionate about empowering people to end poverty and Lincoln Community Grocery along with our Restore Programme of courses will help us in this mission. We are grateful to the Towns Deal and all the match funders for helping us to realise this dream.”

Andy Hawthorne, Chief Executive of The Message Trust said: “We’ve loved getting to know our members at Lincoln Community Grocery and seeing the store helping to keep local families fed at a time when the cost of living crisis is making it harder than ever for many to afford some of life’s essential like heating and eating. The Community Grocery is about more than just food and all of our members get access to free wrap-around support courses as part of their membership too. We’re excited about the opportunities that the move to Beaumont Manor gives to offer even more courses, and we can’t wait to welcome all our current members plus new ones to the new store from Wednesday 1 February.”

Liam Scully, Chair of the Be Lincoln Town Deal Board added:

"It's great to see in the new year with the completion of an important project like Store of Stories. I'm very pleased to witness the plans over the past two years come into place to provide such a significant benefit to the Lincoln community."

Published on January 26th 2023