Plans to turn former TGI Fridays into new bar

Plans have been submitted to transform the former TGI Fridays restaurant on Lincoln High Street into a new bar, potentially creating 35 full-time jobs.

Blueprints, drawn up by ASP Services on behalf of Jonathan Codona, Managing Director of Innvest Leisure Group, detail how the vacant unit at 238-244 High Street would be repurposed into a new hospitality venue.

The site has remained empty since the closure of Lincoln’s TGI Fridays branch, which was one of 35 restaurants across the UK to shut after the company fell into administration in October 2024. While a rescue deal secured the future of 51 TGI Fridays outlets and safeguarded nearly 2,400 jobs, Lincoln’s branch was among those not included in the buyout, resulting in local job losses.

Now, the new plans aim to breathe life back into the space, creating new employment opportunities and expanding Lincoln’s nightlife offering. If approved, the transformation would see the site reopened as a bar, though further details about the concept and branding have yet to be announced.

The building has previously been home to Carluccio’s restaurant and Edward’s wine bar.

The planning application is currently under consideration by City of Lincoln Council.