Where to get press coverage in Lincoln: a Lincolnshire media guide
Kay runs Burrow Escape, an Airbnb in Lincolnshire. When she got her first ever bad review, she posted about it, and spotted something odd: the person complaining had left their ChatGPT prompt in.
I saved that post. Over the next year, I saved a few more like it. Then I asked a BBC radio producer whether we could do a feature on ChatGPT fuelling complaints culture. She said yes within two hours, and four local businesses ended up telling their stories on air.
There's plenty of press opportunities in Lincolnshire, and they quickly travel outside our counties borders too. You just need to know where and how to create these opportunities.
I'm a PR consultant based in Lincoln (and a Lincolnshire 30 Under 30 winner in 2021), and these are the outlets I pitch, read and recommend.
The quick answer: the best places to get press coverage in Lincoln are BBC Radio Lincolnshire, the Lincolnshire Echo and its website Lincolnshire Live, Lincolnshire Life magazine, the Bailgate Independent, and community radio stations like Siren FM and LCR FM. Local business groups, such as Lincoln BIG and Lincs Small Biz, are good for sharing your news too. Pitch with a clear local angle, good photos and a short email to the right person.
Which newspapers cover Lincoln?
Two names to know first.
The Lincolnshire Echo and Lincolnshire Live. The Echo is Lincoln's daily paper, and Lincolnshire Live is its news website. Between them they cover news, business, food and drink, and what's on across the city and county.
LincolnshireWorld. A county-wide news website covering towns across Lincolnshire, from Louth to Market Rasen.
Local coverage doesn't stay local for long. A story in Lincolnshire Live can be the one a national journalist spots next.
If you remember The Lincolnite, it closed, so older articles still turn up in searches but it no longer takes stories.
News sites move fast and want a clear hook: something new, something local and something happening now. A business opening, a local milestone or a strong opinion on a Lincoln news story all work well.
Which radio stations should you pitch in Lincoln?
BBC Radio Lincolnshire first, then the community stations.
BBC Radio Lincolnshire is where some of my favourite stories have started. Producers need local voices with something to say, often on the same day, so a quick, clear reply goes a long way.
Siren FM is Lincoln's community radio station, run from the University of Lincoln.
LCR FM (103.6 FM) is a volunteer-run community station covering the city and nearby villages. It works with Lincoln BIG to invite local businesses into the studio to share their news.
Hits Radio Lincolnshire and Greatest Hits Radio Lincolnshire run local news bulletins too.
Radio producers want people who can talk. If you can explain your story clearly in a minute, you're halfway there.
Which Lincoln magazines feature local businesses?
These are the ones I'd start with.
Lincolnshire Life. The county's longest-running magazine, published monthly since the 1960s, with more than 50,000 readers. It covers arts, heritage, food, homes, gardens and events. Monthly magazines plan ahead, so pitch seasonal stories two or three months early.
The Bailgate Independent. A free monthly glossy magazine delivered to homes and businesses in Lincoln, covering local news, food, interiors and culture. Its sister title, the Hello Lincoln What's On Guide, comes out twice a year.
Moments. A seasonal magazine, in print and digital, from SELF, the independent boutique with shops in Lincoln and Woodhall Spa. Worth knowing if your story has a style, home or lifestyle angle.
Magazines want great photos more than almost anything. A story with a beautiful local backdrop, like the Bailgate, the cathedral or Steep Hill, is much easier for them to say yes to.
Where else can Lincoln businesses get featured?
Community channels, local blogs and business groups.
Lincs Small Biz. The Lincolnshire small business community I co-founded. It's a good place to share your news with other local business owners, and to meet them at our socials and workshops.
Lincoln BIG. Lincoln's business improvement district, which shares news and events from businesses in the city centre.
Follie's local events guide. Follie, the shop on the Bailgate, runs a monthly round-up of markets, fairs and what's on around Lincoln on its blog. If you're running an event, it's worth getting on their radar.
Lincoln creators. A few accounts that Lincoln people follow for where to go and what to try:
Charlotte Jacklin (@charlottejacklin), who splits her time between Lincoln and London and posts about seasonal living, home, food, hosting and style to more than 100,000 followers.
Lincoln Bloggers UK (@lincolnbloggersuk), a community connecting creators and brands in Lincolnshire, run by Daisy Cartlidge-Brown.
Lincoln Roams (@lincolnroams), sharing hidden gems in Lincoln, with reviews and monthly dinners.
Creators aren't journalists, so the approach is different. Follow them, get to know what they post, and if you invite them to try something, be clear about whether it's a gift or a paid collaboration.
Lincoln Free Walking Tour. Local guides who take visitors around the city's history, and partner with Lincoln businesses along the way. A reminder that a good local partnership can get you seen too.
Visit Lincoln and Visit Lincolnshire. The official tourism sites for the city and the county, run by the city and county councils. Both have what's on listings you can submit events to. Visit Lincoln publishes Lincoln stories by local writers, and Visit Lincolnshire has a page explaining how tourism businesses can get listed.
Local Facebook groups and Nextdoor. Not press, but where plenty of Lincoln people find out what's happening. Follow each group's rules.
These channels help in another way too. Every place that mentions your business online gives Google and AI tools another reason to recommend you when someone searches for a business like yours in Lincoln.
Which Lincoln businesses have I helped get featured?
A few Lincolnshire stories that started close to home and travelled.
Burrow Escape. Kay's bad review, with a ChatGPT prompt left in, became a BBC radio feature on complaints culture, with four local businesses on air.
Follie. When a TikTok trend sold out Josie's velvet ribbon, one short piece on BBC local radio set it travelling, to BBC News and then The Guardian.
Red Carpet Ready. Featured in Lincolnshire Live, as well as The Sun, The Independent and Raconteur.
Visit Lincoln. Lincolnshire in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, The Sun, Countryfile, iNews and MailOnline.
The Wild Cherry Hideaway. Sally went on BBC Radio 5 Live to talk about starting her business so she could put family life first.
Number75 Design. A long-form feature in The Independent on wedding fonts and calligraphy.
None of them started with a national paper. They started with a good local story and the right person to send it to.
How do you pitch Lincoln media?
Find the local hook. Local people, a local place, a benefit to the community or a link to something happening in Lincoln right now.
Pick one outlet and one person. The reporter or producer who covers your topic, not the general inbox if you can help it.
Send a short email. A subject line that tells the story, a few lines on why Lincoln readers or listeners will care, and what you can offer: an interview, photos or a visit.
Have photos ready. Portrait and landscape, with a recognisable Lincoln backdrop if you can.
Follow up once, after about three days. Then try the next outlet.
My post on how to pitch to local press goes into each step in more detail.
Questions people ask
What are the best places to get press coverage in Lincoln?
BBC Radio Lincolnshire, the Lincolnshire Echo and Lincolnshire Live, Lincolnshire Life magazine and the Bailgate Independent are the main outlets. Community radio stations Siren FM and LCR FM, local business groups such as Lincoln BIG and Lincs Small Biz, and the Visit Lincoln and Visit Lincolnshire events listings, are good places to start too.
How do I get my business on BBC Radio Lincolnshire?
Find the show that fits your story, then email its producer with a short pitch explaining the story, why it matters to Lincolnshire listeners now and who would talk about it. Radio producers want people who can explain a story clearly and are free at short notice.
How do I connect with journalists in Lincoln?
Read and listen to the local outlets, note the reporters who cover your topic and follow them on social media. Local business events, such as Lincs Small Biz socials, are also a good place to meet people who work in local media.
Is there a PR consultant in Lincoln?
Yes. Becky Newmarch is a PR consultant based in Lincoln, working with founders and brands across Lincolnshire and the UK, and a winner in the Lincolnshire 30 Under 30 Awards 2021. She helps businesses find the stories journalists want, and runs workshops on pitching local press.
How can a Lincoln business improve its visibility with PR?
Start with local press. A feature in a Lincoln paper, magazine or radio show reaches local customers, builds trust and gives Google and AI tools a trusted source to mention you. Local stories are also often picked up by national journalists.
Want help pitching Lincoln's media?
How to pitch to local press is one of my workshops, online or in person in Lincolnshire. You'll leave with a pitch the editor of your local paper will want to open.
See the workshops →
Or book a free 20-minute call and tell me your story. I'll tell you which Lincoln outlet I'd send it to first.
Book a call →
Becky here, running on flat whites and a non-negotiable 3pm Diet Coke. I'm Becky Newmarch, a PR consultant based in Lincoln, working with founders and brands across the UK, and co-founder of Lincs Small Biz. I find the stories hiding in your business and get them to the journalists who'll run them.
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