Lincoln revitalised by attracting University of Lincoln

Lincoln in the 1980s faced a difficult question – how to stop people from “leaving in droves” and inject some new life into the city?

The answer that leaders settled on was to attract a university, bringing with it young people who could be encouraged to stay.

In October 1996, Queen Elizabeth II was on hand to officially open the University of Lincoln’s Brayford campus – once a derelict railway yard – and the rest was history.

The University of Lincoln has grown from a single building on the waterfront and 500 students to a sprawling campus and over 15,000 students.

Thirty years on, the Local Democracy Reporting Service is looking back at the pivotal decision and how it has transformed the city.

Councillor Neil Murray has represented the area around the university since it first opened, and has seen the university’s impact first-hand.

“In the 1980s, the city was losing thousands of jobs in engineering – Lincoln was on its knees. People were leaving in droves because there was no work,” he said.

“The Labour county council under Rob Parker worked very hard to get a university to Lincoln.

“We were realistic that Lincoln could do a lot better with higher education, and it would be better for the local economy.

“There was a suggestion that it could be built in Bracebridge Heath. Luckily, that didn’t happen – it was perfect in the heart of the city.”

The rundown area took two years to clear due to the contamination which had been left behind from its long history as a railway sidings.

Jacqueline Drury, who will celebrate her 29th anniversary working at the university next month, was immediately interested when the campus opened.

“It was a really exciting moment – it always felt like Lincoln should have a university,” she said.

“I didn’t think I would permanently stay in Lincoln at the time. The biggest employers were Siemens and Rustons, so options were limited.

“I went to an open day because I was curious, and there was a sense of awe when I stepped into the Minerva Building.

“I kept watching the job listings and managed to get a job the next year talking to schools about the benefits of university.”

There was just one building at the time, with the library on the top floor and teaching space below, and gradually, warehouses across the railway track were converted into the library and Engine Shed music venue.

While education thrived on the south bank of the Brayford, leisure took off on the north.

“Before the regeneration, the waterfront was disgusting and depressing – most of the buildings were derelict,” Cllr Murray said.

“It’s hard to imagine today when it’s such a vibrant area with hotels and restaurants. Once the university came, we managed to get the Odeon, and the others followed.

“The university has provided a huge amount of direct and indirect employment – literally thousands of new jobs.

“When you look at Lincoln’s High Street, it’s relatively lively, while many cities are half-dead. A young population is good not just for the night-time economy, but also shops.”

Today, the university has satellite campuses in Riseholme and Holbeach, and opened the Lincoln Medical School in 2021 and a dental institute earlier this year.

Jacqueline – now the Chief Student Experience Officer – said the university has brought “investment, employment and energy” to Lincoln.

“The city and university have grown together, hand in hand. It’s impossible to imagine Lincoln without it today.”