Pub researcher wanted for Lincolnshire council job

The Kings Head in Theddlethorpe was built in the 16th Century

A council is looking for a lover of pubs and history as part of its efforts to preserve coastal inns.

The £28,000 job seeks a researcher to visit seaside hostelries along a 50-mile (80km) stretch of the Lincolnshire coast.

Lincolnshire County Council says the one year post would focus on recording the "architectural and social history" of pubs from Grimsby to Boston.

Historic England has donated £70,000 to the Inns on the Edge scheme.

According to the job advert , the research will be used to update the county's historical records as well as "raise awareness in response to the threat of pub closures, and help the hospitality sector recover from the pandemic".

The work will also be featured in an exhibition and be used to promote tourism.

The Signal Box Inn in Cleethorpes claims to be the smallest pub on the planet

Ian George, from the council, said the successful candidate would need to be studious as well as sociable, with an understanding of "historic buildings", as well an ability to interact with people.

"They want to be someone who can interview people and get stories from them, but also collect photographs, historic photographs of the pubs and the activities that used to go on in and around and associated with the pub," he said.

As well as photographing the buildings, Mr George said, the archive wanted to collect stories attached to the pubs before they disappeared.

"Even before the pandemic crisis hit us pubs were closing at an alarming rate," he said.

"And many of those pubs are very historic buildings and we became aware of the fact that our records of historic pubs are not as good as they ought to be and so we're doing something about it.

"If you think about it, in many villages across Lincolnshire the pub is probably one of the oldest buildings in the village and they are a valuable part of of cultural landscape."

The Stump and Candle sits next to the historic Boston Stump