Photographers say farewell to 'irreplaceable' view

"This is, for photographers, a unique place," says Grahame Dunkin. He is standing on a footbridge over a busy dual carriageway which runs through the centre of Lincoln.

Grahame is joined by fellow members of the Dunholme Camera Club, who agree with him that the view from the bridge is "irreplaceable".

Scott's Bridge, on Melville Street, is due to be demolished in May as part of the redevelopment of the former City Square shopping centre. Lincolnshire Co-op is planning to build a new hotel and residential scheme.

Grahame remembers the bridge as far back as the 1960s. "There isn't anywhere else we can go to get this altitude," he says.

"It's a great position to be able to get different photographs. You get a different perspective from here."

Graham Halliday, a member of Dunholme camera club and a keen photographer since childhood, says he understands that redeveloping the area is important.

However, he argues that the bridge is an "iconic place", as it offers a direct view up to Lincoln cathedral.

"The cathedral isn't going anywhere, but once the bridge has gone we've lost this viewpoint forever," he says.

"You can see the cathedral straight on. We can try to go on the roofs of some of the buildings nearby, but trees and buildings will be in the way.

"There are thousands of photos of the cathedral from all over the area. But this spot, we're going to lose."

The City Square site has been vacant since 2019 and the shopping centre was demolished last year.

The bridge is due to be closed to the public from 5 May before it is taken down between 16 and 19 May.

The Co-op has previously said it is looking forward to bringing new services to the area, "which will support tourism in Lincoln and create more housing".

For the photographers, however, the change will mean the loss of a cherished place.

Jill Guest, another member of the camera club, says it is not just the sight of the cathedral she loves, but the view the bridge provides of the River Witham, as well as the possibilities it offers for experimenting with photography.

'We do long exposure: you get light trails coming down and the cathedral is lit up at the back. It's very good.

"For a lot of new members, who haven't done a lot of long exposure, this is ideal to stand up here. You're not in anyone's way.

"Our camera club come every June normally. We'll have to find somewhere else to go in future.

"Is this bridge irreplaceable? I think so. Some might disagree but I think so."

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