'We depend on visitor income': Lincoln Cathedral to open doors to new cafe and shop after 'difficult' year

Lincoln Cathedral will open its doors for the first time to its new visitor cafe and shop as part of a revamp after a 'difficult' year.

Every year around a hundred thousand tourists normally pay to admire its vaulted halls and stunning stonework but it closed for the first time in its history because of the pandemic.

It stopped its income overnight.

Additionally, a third of its 115 staff also lost their jobs.

The Chapter clerk, Will Harrison, said the opening of the cafe and shop is a small but much-needed step.

''It's absolutely vital, we derive much of our income from the visitor experience, so as well as providing lovely food and drink, we also depend on people to support us in that way.''

The Cathedral has been standing proud in Lincoln since the 11th Century and its income is dependant on visitors.

The lottery-funded project is the first phase of a multi-million-pound scheme to conserve its west front - work which had to be delayed.