HISTORIC PUB’S CHANGING IDENTITY

Excellent progress is being made on transforming Lincoln’s historic Duke of Wellington pub into an eye-catching new home for a top city design business.

Today, Optima Graphic Design Consultants managing director Simon Shaw was pleased to report that regeneration work aimed at breathing new life into the former Broadgate watering hole is going well.

“I am delighted with the progress being made and that work to refurbish the building is currently ahead of schedule.  That means we are on course to relocate from our West Parade offices in February 2019"

“Optima currently employs 19 people. But the move will see us double our current workspace and we hope to increase our team. However, our move is designed to be a longer-term investment which will give us the capacity to employ up to 30 people in the years ahead.”

Simon’s update follows Lincoln agent Banks Long & Co completing the sale of the pub on behalf of its former owner, client Lincolnshire Co-op.

“We had been looking for new premises for some time and we were determined to find something which would both suit us as a business and be sustainable in the longer term,” said Simon.  

“We like to think of ourselves as being cool, funky and different.  As soon as I was shown around the old Duke of Wellington, it felt right for us".

“There are two aspects to the refurbishment.  We are creating superb working space on the ground floor for our account management and support teams. Then upstairs we are having a fully-functional, light and bright open-plan studio.  It is also great to have parking on site, which is a real plus for us".

“The building’s original layout is to be retained, but upgraded to improve its efficiency, through repainting, repointing and repairing or upgrading windows. The pub’s existing signage is also being re-used.”

The Duke of Wellington pub is an iconic Lincoln landmark, has stood empty since 2011 and was, at one stage, earmarked for demolition.

Once a thriving pub, it once boasted pool and darts teams, hosted upper floor functions and was a place known for its live music.  In the 1980s, The Bivouac Club was based on the first floor and had hosted Pulp, Saxon, Ten Pole Tudor and The Killers.

Banks Long & Co Director James Butcher said: “We are pleased to have acted for Lincolnshire Co-op in selling this distinctive building to Optima.  It is great to see such an iconic property being transformed to give it a new lease of life and we wish Simon and his team the best for the future.”