Lincoln House of Fraser Closing Leaves Future of Site Uncertain

House of Fraser will soon leave Lincoln High Street. The store is closing in May and is selling off their stock right now. What happens next is uncertain as a hotel plan for the site fell through.

Radisson got approval in 2020 and planned a hotel with 150 beds, shops, a restaurant, a gym, bar, and garden. The project promised 190 jobs and would help Lincoln’s economy. However, the hotel was never built, and Covid might be the cause. The permission expired in 2023, and no new plans replaced it.

Reporters contacted House of Fraser and Radisson and asked about the future of the site, but neither company responded.

The hotel plan had ground floor shops and a restaurant, with a gym planned for Mint Lane in a separate building nearby.

People welcomed the plan five years ago. A council leader looked forward to relaxing there and enjoying the courtyard in the sun. An applicant representative saw an opportunity and thought it would aid economic recovery.

Some people had concerns as demolition in a busy area worried them. Hotel guests had to use other car parks because there was no parking at the hotel.

The planning permission ended last year. No one explained why the project failed, but construction and energy costs rose. The pandemic caused problems, and the cost of living crisis added to it.