Pupils have buried a time capsule in the grounds of Gainsborough's new Travelodge

The topping out ceremony of the new Travelodge development in Gainsborough. Pupils from The Gainsborough Parish Church School helped to bury a time capsule.

A special topping out ceremony was held in Gainsborough today to mark the completion of the steelwork on the development.

The new 56 room Travelodge hotel and Ponti’s Italian Kitchen restaurant is being developed on the former Sun Inn site and is on schedule for completion in September.

The main contractors PDR Construction have now completed the building’s steel frame and the development team marked the milestone with a topping out ceremony.

A time capsule filled by the children of The Gainsborough Parish Church of England Primary School was also buried as part of the celebrations.

Dransfield Properties and West Lindsey District Council are working in partnership to transform the Market Street, Market Place, Church Street and North Street area of the town – which also involves upgrading Roseways Car Park and refurbishing run down shops to create a new independent quarter in the town.

The overall development will transform this run down site and deliver the physical and economic regeneration of the town centre, as well as creating 72 new jobs.

The youngsters filled the capsule with items including a fidget spinner, Little Mix posters, their favourite book by David Walliams and photos of school life. They also wrote letters about school life in 2018.

Lukus Hurst, seven, was really looking forward to sitting in the digger at the building site where the new hotel is being built.

He said: “It has been fun. I liked putting the dirt over the time capsule because it felt like I was being a real builder.”

And Amber Currie, seven, was happy to be involved in the event.

She said: “It has been brilliant because we have never done anything like this before. It is something I will remember in years to come.”

Coun Jeff Summers, Leader of the Council said: “I look forward with excitement to see the finished article and see the future growth and benefits to our local community being realised.

“Residents should brace themselves for the stream of positive announcements for Gainsborough and district which we will be making over the next few years.”