Cheers! Fine wine and fusion food on the way in Louth

Louth’s New Street is already home to a Spanish tapas restaurant and an Italian cafe, but the taste of slow-cooked Mongolian Beef and experimental ‘fusion foods’ from across the globe will be joining the cobbled street in May, subject to planning permission.

Much of the interior work has already been completed, and owner Mark Hinkins is confident that the new establishment - which will be named Red Nana’s - will fit in nicely and be a welcome addition to the town.

Mr Hinkins explained that the cafe’s name will be a tribute to his mum Pat Belton, whose nephew referred to her as Red Nana when he was a youngster.

Pat, who was a popular fundraiser in the town, sadly died in September after a battle with Motor Neurone Disease, and Mark intends to donate ‘constantly’ to the MND Association in memory of his mum.

Mr Hinkins said: “My mum was like a focal point for the family, and for family meals. I want to carry this on.

“Here, everything is going to be slow-cooked and served in small portions.

“You can have a nice bottle of wine and, if you don’t want a full meal you can select a tray of whatever you want to eat while you sit back and relax.

“During the daytime we’ll serve breakfasts to eat in or take away, and the same with the cooked meats.

“But, come the evening, it’ll become a little more sophisticated and you can sit down with a cheese board and wine.

“It’ll be a fusion of foods served in a tapas style, but it won’t specifically be Spanish or French or Greek or English.

“It will just be good food for you to choose and enjoy. I’m hoping people will come in to relax, have a conversation and chill out. It’s about sharing and enjoying your time with whoever you are with.”

He added: “What I serve will be high quality, and it won’t be overly expensive because everything will be in small portions - you can have as much or as little as you like.”

Mr Hinkins, who previously set up the Hunters chip shop in Newmarket, will have a permanent ‘hands on’ role at the new cafe/wine bar.

He also expects to employ between five and seven part time staff members.

A justification statement, submitted to East Lindsey District Council as part of the planning application earlier this month, states: “The proposals are to fully utilise the whole of the existing ground floor with necessary re-configuration of the spaces to provide for the requisite kitchen area, disabled toilet, servery/bar area and customer seating.”

The existing residential flat above the proposed wine bar and cafe will ‘remain unaffected’ by the plans.