Written by Rebecca Marrow.
A local vegan and vegetarian shop has won a regional award after being anonymously nominated.
Yellowbelly is a shop situated in the Bailgate, which caters specifically for vegans and vegetarians. They sell everything from gluten-free cakes and buns and gelatin-free jelly to frozen and chilled food, as well as types of tea and cleaning products.
Owner Linda Wardales says she was “amazed” to receive the Viva! Award for “Best Food Shop for Vegetarians & Vegans” in the North East.
“Cakes sell the best – they are at the top of the list!” she said. “We do birthday cakes also, but apart from that, everything else sells at the same rate.”
Linda is still unaware of who nominated her for the award, but once she realized Yellowbelly had been selected she asked people to vote by handing out flyers to customers.
A Facebook appeal was also created by her daughter, encouraging people to vote.
Unfortunately, she could not travel to London for the awards evening. Since she heard nothing, she assumed that Yellowbelly had been unsuccessful.
When she received an envelope one morning, she was shocked to find a certificate inside.
Linda exclaims: “There was nobody with me when I found out. So, I rang my husband and gave the postman a hug!
“I think the reason we won was because it is an alternative shop that caters for different lifestyles. The products cater for people with allergies, as well as vegans and vegetarians.”
Linda can count students, tourists, restaurants, cafés and hotels as her customers.
She added: “The North East is a huge area so I’m proud to be the winner and hopefully this will help to put Lincoln on the map.”