Our Story

A breath of fresh air and £3 million in secured funding will be transforming 2-4 Market Place over the coming seasons. A highly anticipated project, The Caistor and District Community Trust (CDCT), alongside all funders involved in this significant project, were thrilled to break ground at the beginning of Summer 2024; a key milestone in a journey that will see this historic Wold-edge market town revitalised.

The CDCT and Caistor’s community itself are committed to preserving and enhancing its unique heritage, a goal that is embodied in the 2-4 Market Place project. As all parties continue to work to bring our shared vision – creating a nationally renowned, award-winning heritage hub – to life, the support of our core funders remains vital.

Heritage Meets Innovation

Having been a local food store for many years, including a Spa, Costcutter and most recently the Lincolnshire Co-operative Ltd over the years – still known to many as ‘The Old Co-op’ – this complex set of five interlinked listed buildings presented an incredible opportunity for the market town.

Set over three floors with numerous corridors and staircases, as time went on The Co-op moved premises and the buildings were left vacant. Concern over their future grew and the buildings fell into disrepair, and the impact they were having on the town and the community grew.

In 2016, discussions with the community and key stakeholders began. With the help of Heritage Lincolnshire, a local charity that supports the county’s heritage, a series of public consultation events were delivered and with the community’s help a vision for the buildings, with a broad mixed-use, began to be formed.

A Future For Our Past

Fast-forward to June 2024 and following a £500,000 grant from the Community Ownership Fund initiative, in addition to satisfying the requirements of the National Lottery Heritage Fund with a revised scope of work, the project began in earnest.

Now moving forward at full speed, with Messenger (principal contractor from the BCR Group, known for their expertise in conservation), Greenwood Projects (which recently completed conservation work at Lincoln Medieval Bishops’ Palace), and AnotherKind Architects bringing the vision for 2-4 Market Place to life alongside the CDCT.

The renovation will transform the historic buildings at 2-4 Market Place into a vibrant mixed-use development that the entire community can embrace.