A short visitor's guide to Wainfleet All Saints, Lincolnshire: things to do, places to eat and drink, and what's on through the year.
Wainfleet All Saints is a small market town on the east Lincolnshire coast, five miles south-west of Skegness and fourteen miles north-east of Boston, standing where the River Steeping and the Lymn meet to form Wainfleet Haven. It is an ancient port town with a medieval street plan, set between the flat marshland of the Lincolnshire coast and the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.
The town is best known today as the home of Batemans Brewery, a family-owned brewery established in 1874 whose Salem Bridge site on Mill Lane draws visitors for tours and events. The local dog-friendly holiday cottages in Wainfleet All Saints make it a good base for exploring the marshes, the nearby Wolds and the Lincolnshire coast.
Wainfleet's principal visitor attraction is Magdalen College Museum on St John Street, a small museum housed in the former Magdalen College School, a medieval brick building founded in 1484. The museum covers the local history of the town and its surroundings and is well regarded for its size.
For a wet-day activity in the area, Croft Spa near Wainfleet offers private, pre-booked sessions in an indoor heated swimming pool kept at a constant 33°C. Sessions are available in 1-hour, 90-minute and 2-hour slots for up to six or twelve people depending on session length, and include use of a changing room with shower. Booking is through their website. Wainfleet Library on St John Street is the other indoor option in the village centre.
Wainfleet's standout drinking destination is Batemans Brewery on Mill Lane, a family brewery founded in 1874 that runs guided tours of its Salem Bridge site during the week and hosts several public events through the year (the Visitors Centre is open for tours, events and pre-booked parties). The brewery's pub estate covers around fifty pubs across Lincolnshire, so Batemans ales are widely available in the county. In the village centre, The Angel Inn & Peacock Lounge on the High Street is a recently refurbished pub with entertainment in the Peacock Lounge every Saturday evening and Sunday carveries in the kitchen.
Wainfleet's eating options are all on the High Street, covering the key takeaway and casual-dining bases for a small market town.
Suttons Fish & Chip Shop & Restaurant at number 45 is the most-reviewed and is the main sit-in option; it serves as both a traditional chippy and a casual restaurant. For evenings, Wainfleet Kebab House and Canton House (Chinese takeaway) at numbers 34 and 30 respectively cover the other main takeaway options.
The Filling Station at 40 High Street is Wainfleet's cafe, a small and highly rated spot on the main street suited for a coffee or light bite during the day.