So Independently Special

Lincolnshire is blessed with beauty and diversity. From the ancient, rolling hills of the Wolds to quaint honey-coloured, stone-built, towns and villages, you’ll be spoilt for choice of where to explore next.

It’s not just the landscape and its buildings that make the county so special. The area is home to many independent businesses that all add personality, character, expertise and greater choice to shopping experiences.

As the weather grows colder many of us will be turning our focus to the Christmas hunt for that perfect gift and the most delicious treats. Independent businesses are the go-to place.

They’re the perfect solution for creating the most special and unique festivities. These little gems are also the lifeblood of our local economy. It may surprise you that according to research, for every £10 spent with a local independent, up to £50 extra could go back to the local community as that business invests in employment, infrastructure, local supply chains and more.

Some of these artisans have been trading for over a hundred years like Stokes Tea & Coffee in the heart of Lincoln. This family business puts 120 years of know-how into sourcing, roasting and blending coffee and tea as well as running destination cafés in Lincoln, one at its headquarters at the Lawn building, the iconic High Bridge café on the High street and the new Stokes To Go takeaway is next door – all are a favourite haunts for visitors and locals alike.

To say the people at Stokes are passionate about what they do would be an understatement, and it shows. From the far-flung farms to their roastery, the team carefully sources and roasts every coffee bean and blends every tea leaf to perfection.

International coffee chains may have been serving the masses with big volumes of cuppas across the globe, but for those who want to experience true speciality coffees, exceptionally fresh roasted beans and blends, or products that simply cannot be found anywhere else – then Stokes is heaven sent.

For more than a century, Christmas at Stokes has been a highlight for generations of shoppers and diners and this year’s seasonal line-up aims to help you tick off gifts from your list in style.

Choose from favourites like Stokes’ tea and coffee selection boxes, special Christmas Coffee and Tea, as well as gift vouchers for afternoon tea and home barista experiences or book a virtual experience online or an onsite tour and tasting session with one of the Stokes Master Roasters.

Items online are available with free postage to UK addresses on orders over £35, with a click and collect option also available from Stokes’ Lawn-based warehouse in Lincoln.

There’s a vast array of products available online and instore at Stokes cafés and some exciting new arrivals that will help to tick off those gifts on your Christmas list including the Stokes Coffee Club subscription service. It’s perfect for those who want to experience and learn more about the finest single origin and speciality coffees out there.

There’s so much on offer from local businesses and like the landmarks of Lincolnshire, they are a very special part of our landscape and it wouldn’t be the same without them. So, let’s not lose our independents – let’s shop local!

Shop our Christmas range here.