Lincoln clearly has a taste for Nottingham coffee, because 200 Degrees is about to open a second café in the city centre.

The rebel city’s coffee roaster will swing open the doors to its new 1,690 sq ft High Street spot at 9am on Saturday, October 17 – and there’s a pretty decent reason to get there early.

The first 200 customers through the doors will get a free drink, while the speediest 50 will also walk away with goody bags.

And 200 Degrees isn’t messing around with the prizes either. Up for grabs will be a Sage Bambino coffee machine and Baratza grinder, an Opal One pod machine, barista class vouchers and even free coffee for an entire year.

The new café at 294 High Street will have room for 82 coffee drinkers and becomes the brand’s second Lincoln location, following its arrival in the Cornhill Quarter in 2019.

That first Lincoln outpost certainly appears to have found its crowd, with more than 100,000 customers visiting during the past six months.

The latest opening will take 200 Degrees to 26 coffee shops across the UK, continuing a period of expansion since the company was snapped up by Caffè Nero owner The Nero Group in October 2024.

Founded in Nottingham in 2012 by Rob Darby and Tom Vincent, 200 Degrees had 21 coffee shops when it was acquired. It has since added another five to its caffeinated empire.

The Nero Group, which also owns Coffee#1, Harris+Hoole and Aroma alongside Caffè Nero, said at the time of the takeover that 200 Degrees would continue operating as a standalone business, with plans to take the Nottingham brand to more parts of the UK.

Before the acquisition, investment manager Foresight had backed the business from 2017, when 200 Degrees had just six shops. By the time Foresight exited in 2024, the chain had grown to 21 locations and more than 270 employees.

And Lincoln evidently remains firmly on its hit list.

Will Kenney, commercial director at 200 Degrees, said: “Opening a second shop in Lincoln says everything about how welcoming the city has been to us.

“Setting up on the High Street, with all its history, is a real privilege, and we can’t wait to welcome some familiar faces, as well as meeting our new regulars – and learning their orders.”

Despite its growing collection of coffee shops, 200 Degrees hasn’t forgotten its Nottingham roots. The company still operates its roastery in the city, alongside its wholesale and online businesses and barista schools.

So, if you’re in Lincoln on Saturday morning and fancy starting your weekend with a coffee that costs precisely £0, you know where to go.

You can find more info about 200 Degrees stores and products on their website: www.200degs.com