Inns on the Edge
Engagement has concluded
The Inns on the Edge project focussed on historic pubs along the Lincolnshire coast. We aimed to improve our knowledge and understanding of these pubs. The project came about in response to the growing number of pub closures across the UK. It was a year-long pilot project funded by Historic England. The project has now completed.
The unique project looked at over 300 pubs between November 2021 and July 2022. We surveyed their status and condition and created a digital record for each one. These records will be added to the Lincolnshire Historic Environment Record. We have greatly increased the number of pubs available in the record. These records will better inform the planning process in future.
We found that most historic pubs have been demolished or converted to a different use. This includes uses such as converting to a shop or private residence. Only one third of surveyed pubs were still trading today.
The project had two further strands. Through Land on the Edge, we explored the history of the coast's landscape from the Mesolithic period to the modern era. Through Hospitality on the Edge, we looked at the economic viability of pub businesses. This helps us to better understand the challenges and opportunities they face. We are preparing reports on the findings of these different parts of the project. We will publish them and make them available to the public in 2023.
The Inns on the Edge team would like to thank everyone who made this project possible. In particular, Historic England for funding the project. We would also like to thank the people who followed and took part in the project online.
The links to the final project reports will be shared on this site when they are available.
In this project we asked what is so great about the British pub? The good company? The beer? The food? The old buildings? The good times and memories you share there?
Lincolnshire County Council's Inns on the Edge project celebrated the heritage of pubs along the much-loved Lincolnshire Coast.
Project Officer Marc Knighton visited pubs from Boston to Grimsby to uncover their stories and history. He also made a record of their current use and condition. Marc spoke to landlords and locals to encourage them to record their memories of these historic buildings. Pubs are rich in social history that may have never been written down.
You can read about the pubs in Marc's blog on our news feed below.
We asked you to share your memories, stories and photographs. We invited you to comment on posts and on our stories page. We want to know more about why these buildings matter to communities to help preserve them for the future.
Everything shared was read and recorded for posterity.
Thank you to everyone who attended our Pub History Workshops which were held in April 2022 to help communities discover the history of their 'local'.