Forgotten heritage features are being uncovered and buildings restored thanks to funding aimed at preserving historic shopfronts in Sleaford town centre.
North Kesteven District Council is working closely with commercial property and business owners to turn back the clock by repairing and reinstating historic features, using funding through the Council’s Sleaford Shopfront Grant Scheme.
More than £380,000 of UKSPF funding from the scheme has been allocated across 12 projects, with up to 90% of the total cost of works awarded as a grant.
By the end of the scheme in March 2025, the town centre will be transformed, with 15 different shopfronts in Eastgate, Westgate, Southgate, Northgate and Boston Road being restored or having existing features repaired. The properties all fall within the town centre conservation area.
Only the first few projects are complete, with more work due to start in the coming weeks and months; however, the transformations are already revealing beautiful features and restoring historic details.
Property owners and businesses are funding the remaining costs of their respective projects and working together with the Council and Heritage Lincolnshire in partnership through the scheme. In many cases, the funding has enabled them to go beyond what they had originally planned.
Sarah Graves, owner of the popular Appetites Sandwich Bar & Coffee Lounge in Sleaford, located next to Bristol Arcade, has seen the white render on the Appetites building carefully removed, revealing the red brickwork underneath. An arched feature within this brickwork has also been uncovered as part of this process. Additionally, wooden windows have been replaced, and new leadwork has been added above the shopfront. In total, the building has benefited from £30,000 in grant funding.
Sarah said: “We were so excited when we saw the brickwork appear from under the render, and the arch in the brickwork is such a beautiful feature. I think it’s very important to do this from a historical point of view, and the history in this building is just amazing. There is a horse’s yard, and we know there were maid’s quarters on the third floor. We also have a ghost, although I’ve not seen her!
“There’s so much history in Sleaford, and we’ve had some great comments from customers since the works. I hope that it demonstrates what can be done to help preserve our historic buildings in Sleaford. We also used local companies to do the work, so it’s giving back to the community.”
Nathan Bradford, owner of a heritage property at 12 Westgate containing two flats and a ground-floor commercial unit home to Dog Grooming by Agnes, has received a grant of £39,694 from the scheme. This has helped to replace all the windows with traditional wooden frames, repaint and re-render the exterior, add new entrance tiles, and create a hand-painted sign.
He said: “A friend texted me about the grant, and I followed it up with the Council the same day—you could say the rest is history! I’d always wanted to do the work, and the grant meant we could more or less start to restore the building straightaway. It’s taken 18 months with the grant, rather than the five years it might have been without it.
“I just loved the character of the building. On the ground floor, there are original exposed wooden beams, three safes that must be over 100 years old, along with some very quirky features in the flats. I have a full 300-year history of the building. My grandad was a builder who built many properties in and around Sleaford, including some on Westbanks. My uncle built a house on Ancaster Drive, so it’s nice that I can do something for Sleaford too.”
Bristol Arcade is owned by Lucinda Newton’s family, having originally been bought as the Bristol Hotel from Lord Bristol by her grandfather. The coat of arms on the Southgate entrance has been restored with funding through the scheme, and properties on the Market Place elevation have also been restored and redecorated.
Lucinda, who also runs Beautifully Handmade Gift Shop inside Bristol Arcade, said: “The scheme has really been worth doing, and I am so pleased I did it. It’s been great for us, as we’ve had another two shops done in the meantime too. There has been lots of support from the Council and Heritage Lincolnshire throughout—the only thing I found challenging was going to tender and asking for quotes for the work.
“This is one of the oldest buildings in Sleaford. We have the old paperwork from when it was sold, with pictures of the cocktail bar and rooms from when my Grandpa bought it from Lord Bristol. The roof of the arcade is actually the original hotel’s orangery, which some people don’t realise, and there are bits we can’t remove as they are listed. My dad loves history and has worked to bring things back, like the coat of arms, which he found and is now fully restored through the scheme.
“We are a community here in Bristol Arcade. We have lovely shop owners and a fantastic range of businesses. There’s a menswear shop now open, and there’s been a sweet shop in the same spot ever since the arcade first opened. We’ve had really positive comments from customers about the works, and I hope people will continue to come in and enjoy all the businesses here.”
Other improvements through the Sleaford Shopfront Scheme include:
10 Market Place
A Grade II listed building that will have exterior repainting and repairs, including to the guttering, followed by a mural commemorating its history as the old post house.
17-18 Market Place
Repairs to the first-floor windows of this Grade II listed building, shopfront repainting, and hand-painted signage.
Gurkha 19 and The Italian Connection, 19 and 19A Market Place
New shopfronts to better connect with the historic buildings on either side. The brickwork above will be painted, and new hand-painted signage will be added, along with a plaque commemorating the old Corn Exchange building.
Big Dan’s Bikes, 5 Northgate
This Grade II listed building has had shopfront glazing repaired, with four panes of specially curved glass fitted. Historic lettering on the shopfront’s glass has been preserved.
Duncan & Toplis, 18 Northgate
Repairs on two pillars, steps, and the quoining (masonry blocks often found at wall corners for decoration). A hand-painted fascia board and signage will also be added.
Moore and Scrupps Jewellers, 3 Southgate
The shopfront will be redecorated to create a more traditional façade, with repairs to the roof and first and second-floor windows. Traditional signage will also be installed.
Salvatore Barbers, 5 Southgate
Works on this Grade II listed building include brickwork repointing and replacement of upper-floor windows, plus repairs to the traditional shopfront.
Jennings Bet, Southgate
Scaffolding is up for a full wraparound scheme, with concrete rendering replaced by traditional lime render, new ground-floor windows, and repairs to traditional shopfronts. The scheme has provided a £75,000 grant towards these works.
Former Blanchards building, 10 Boston Road
Repainting, window replacement, and preparation of the side of this Grade II listed building for a potential new mural.
Council Leader Cllr Richard Wright said: “The Sleaford Shopfront Grant Scheme has been very popular. Originally, it was a fund of £150,000, which we have since more than doubled to help restore as many shopfronts as possible. The fund has now been fully allocated, with all works due to complete by March 2025.
“I’d like to applaud all the building owners and businesses taking part. Many are not only using the scheme for important repairs and preservation but are also going above and beyond to reveal more of our shared heritage. I’d also like to thank Heritage Lincolnshire, which is working closely with our team and all participants. Together, we will assist each project through to completion.
“It’s also positive that the majority of the works – around £285,000 or 75% of the total grant funding – are being undertaken by local contractors based within North Kesteven, following a thorough tender process. This keeps the money within our local economy, supporting specialist skills.”
The scheme is supported by Heritage Lincolnshire, which, along with the Council’s Planning team and Conservation Officer, has been advising businesses and building owners on reinstating or repairing historic features. The works often require specialist heritage skills for tasks such as replacing leadwork, repointing historic brickwork, replacing windows, and hand-painting signs.
Tracy Stringfellow, CEO of Heritage Lincolnshire, said: “It’s amazing to partner with North Kesteven District Council to improve Sleaford’s town centre. These improvements are pivotal for the local economy, historic buildings, and small businesses and will build momentum for the future growth of Sleaford’s historic town centre.”
The Sleaford Shopfront Grant Scheme is funded by the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It’s now fully allocated; however, grant assistance of between £1,200 and £3,000 is still available for works on historic buildings through the District Council’s North Kesteven Heritage Grant Scheme. This scheme provides funding for both residential and commercial buildings, helping owners preserve North Kesteven’s built heritage.
Grants cover 80% of eligible works for Listed Buildings (up to £3,000), 60% for buildings in Conservation Areas (up to £1,800), and 50% for properties on the Council’s ‘local list’ of non-designated heritage assets (up to £1,200). For more information, call 01529 414155 or email planning@n-kesteven.gov.uk with ‘North Kesteven Heritage Grant Scheme’ in the header.