LINCOLNSHIRE FINISH A CLOSE SECOND

Brigg Blog has been following Lincolnshire's bid to become Minor Counties cricket champions this season.
Sadly, we have to report that Lincs, winners of the Eastern Division, lost the championship play-off against Berkshire, winners of the Western Division.
Lincs were all-out for 257 in their second innings this afternoon (Wednesday), losing by 28 runs.
However, it's still been a great season for Lincolnshire, who Brigg Blog went to watch at Cleethorpes (pictured) in the only home game played in the northern part of the old county during the 2016 campaign.

WHEN WILL AUTUMN COME TO BRIGG?

Yorkshire TV weatherman Jon Mitchell, whose forecasts are watched by ITV viewers in the Brigg area, says that "meteorologically speaking, this is the last day of summer."

In an informative article, Jon explains that the Met Office divides the year into 3-monthly slots.
Read the full article here...
However, those Brigg Blog followers who were taught geography at Brigg Grammar School by the very long-serving 'Shoddy' Jarvis will regard the autumnal equinox (around Sept 22) as the starting point for autumn. Just as the winter and summer solstaces in December and June, and the March equinox (March 21/22) marked the beginning of winter, summer and spring respectively.
We've looked it up and the autumnal equinox for 2016 will be on September 22 at 14:21 GMT.
Equal measures of day and night. That's when autumn will start... in this tiny corner of the internet, anyway! 
There's a lot to be said for tradition. So would the Met Office please consider sticking to the old yardstick of solstices and equinoxes.
Read what summer 2016 was like statisfically - courtesy of the Met Office....

Post Brexit vote, there's already growing support for a campaign to ditch metric weights and measures and let retailers use just pounds and ounces again, if they prefer  imperial measures  not to be found on the continent of Europe.
Now to decimalisation, which came our way in the early 1970s.
The consumer today would certainly benefit from having 240 pennies to the pound, with farthings and halfpennies.
Today the smallest rise the coinage allows of 1p equates to 2.4 old pence.
In the old days you'd have had nearly 5 halfpennies and almost 10 farthings to use for small increases.
Only petrol stations in the current era make an effort with prices like 104.1p. 
Elsewhere it's a fully penny rise - at the very least!
We still think of temperatures in F rather than C but can manage to convert the latter to the former without too much difficulty.
However, we've never got to grips with hectares instead of acres and we still think of distances in miles.
PICTURED: An October picture we took some years ago to shown autumn in Brigg.

BRIGG REMEMBERS DIANA, THE PRINCESS OF WALES

It is 19 years today (August 31) since the death of Lady Diana, The Princess of Wales, in 1997, aged only 36.
Lady Diana came to Brigg in 1988 and unveiled this plaque (above) at the Buttercross  to mark the launch of the town's Rejeneration Project to improve many of our old buildings.
She planted this tree (below) which you can see at the side of the Spring's Parade car park. A plaque marking the occasion is within the flower bed near the trunk.
Lady Diana also visited the Falcon Cycles factory, off Bridge Street, meeting a number of staff. Management presented her with bikes for her sons, the then young princes.
Thousands of people are posting comments today on social media in memory of her.

The tree (centre right) planted by the Princess in Brigg, with the County Bridge in the distance.

Two views of the plaque under the tree planted by Lady Diana in Brigg

 

The riverside tree planted in Brigg by Lady Diana, The Princess of Wales.

A Scunthorpe Telegraph newsagent's billboard in Brigg three years ago, marking the 25th anniversary of The Day The Princess Came to Town.

NEW BRIGG SIGNS TO HELP IN CAMPAIGN AGAINST FLY-TIPPING

Signs like this are destined to go up on the area of land adjoining Brigg railway station, which only sees passenger trains on Saturdays..
The aim is to combat fly-tipping - an anti-social practice that's been reported over many months.
Brigg rail line campaigner Paul Johnson tells us the new signs will be erected this coming weekend.
Paul, who is Station Portfolio Manager for the Gainsborough, Retford & Brigg Bus and Rail Group (GRaB), says that last Saturday (August 27) rail customers using Brigg line trains saw large piles of fly-tipped items in the station area site, together with broken glass and rubbish. 
He says details were reported to train company Arriva Northern, North Lincolnshire Council, Humberside Police and British Transport Police. 

BRIGG PUB CUSTOMER WINS £40 IN BEER TOKENS WITH 25p TICKET

The new beer raffle at a Brigg pub has proved a real winner for one lucky customer.
"John Smith Number 25" won £40 in beer tokens "and it only cost him 25p" at the Britannia Inn, on Wrawby Street. The numbers go from 1p to 99p.
From the raffle, £9.50 was donated to the Help For Heroes charity.
Due to special circumstances, there will no longer be food on at lunch-time at The Brit, unless booked in advance for four or more people.  
Food is served Thursday & Friday from 6pm until 9pm, Saturdays 5pm until 8pm, and Sundays between 12 noon and 8pm.
This Saturday (September 3) will see fantastic male artist/entertainer Ric Owen providing the music, starting at 9pm.
This Sunday there will be a  quiz, the winner receiving a gallon of ale or two bottles of wine.
Wednesday 7th September will see the Riddles quiz, 8.30pm start, offering the same prize.
Current mine hosts at the Brit, Nigel & Sarah (pictured below), who have been running the premises on a short-term basis, are leaving shortly to take up the reigns at a hostelry on the north bank.
Saturday, 10th September will see their leaving "do" marked with entertainment from live band Undecided, who play a mix of rock/chart music.
Note that food will still be available to Brit customers on Sunday, 11th September.

FORTHCOMING ROAD CLOSURE NEAR BRIGG - CHANGE OF DATES

Alterations have been made to the dates when a road near Brigg will be closed over FOUR DAYS.
We posted details about the roadworks recently, but now there's been an amendement issued.
The A1084 between Grasby and Clixby - on the main Brigg to Caistor route - will now be  resurfaced from September 5 to September 9.
That means the roadworks have been brought forward from the original dates, which were September 9 to 12.
Lincolnshire County Council, the highway authority, tells us that three sections of the road, totalling 1173m, will be resurfaced using nearly 700 tonnes of Tarmac.
Highways manager Steve Wiles said: "We are taking this opportunity to resurface a large section of the road, rather than simply filling individual potholes. This will ensure the road remains in good condition for many more years and is a more cost-effective option. During the work we will have to close the road, but we will ensure access is maintained for residents who live along this stretch."
A diversion will be in place directing traffic via the A1084 Brigg Road, Bigby Hill, Bugby High Road, B1434 Howsam Road, Brigg Road, B1205 Station Road, Moortown Road, A46 Caistor Road, Nettleton Road, Caistor Bypass, Grimsby Road, A1173, A1084, High Street, Brigg Road.

BECOME A CHAMPION AT BRIGG CENTRE

The Koku-Ryu Martial Arts Centre in Brigg has spaces available on its Children's Martial Arts Classes for ages 4+ 
Andrew Banks says: "With school starting next week, we want to help your children to become champions in life as well as in Martial Arts. One of our Instructor Team will be more than happy to get in touch and ensure we help you as much as we can." 
For more information, call 01652 653560, email info@krma.co.uk check out the website www.krma.co.uk or  message them at Koku-Ryu Martial Arts Centre on Facebook.
The centre is at Unit 22 Island Carr Road, off Bridge Street, DN20 8PD.

NEW TO BRIGG MARKET PLACE & WRAWBY STREET

Super Nails has opened in Brigg Market Place, while The Tech Box has relocated from College Yard to Wrawby Street (opposite Oxfam).

NEW BRIGG HOME SEEKING GO-AHEAD

Planning permission to erect a detached dwelling at Berwyn, 14 Wrawby Road, Brigg, is being sought.
This is described by North Lincolnshire Council as a re-submission of application PA/2016/560.
The applicant is Joe Mullen, who wants to put a new detached dwelling in the grounds of No 14.
the site is mainly grassed with various shrubs and small tress planted within the verges, planners have been told.
Tomorrow, September 1, is the closing date for any comments to be submitted to planners. Email planning@northlincs.gov.uk
North Lincolnshire Council will decide the application in due course.

MEMORABLE DAY AT THE RACES AFTER RETURNING TO BRIGG ON LEAVE

Cliff Turner, now 91 and living in New Zealand, continues his memories of the 1940s...

It was late February or early March when we arrived at Portsmouth where the band of the army's Sussex Regiment was playing Sussex by the Sea and wives and children of crew members were waiting to greet their husbands and fathers. 
I was whisked off to the Royal Naval Hospital at nearby Gosport to see a psychiatrist who had the rank of Surgeon Commander. We had a long talk; the only thing I remember is me telling him how I sometimes used to go to the Barnetby cattle market with my Dad and that the biscuits in the canteen at the market were always damp. 
I was able to telephone the Queen's Arms pub in Brigg to tell my Dad where I was. The Commander decided that I could not be invalided out of the navy on medical grounds.
My stay in the hospital was short and then it was off to Brigg for some leave. Only one memory of the leave remains - I went to Market Rasen races on Easter Monday, my first experience of horse racing over hurdles and fences. In the first race I backed a horse called Aces High ridden by Irishman and champion jumping jockey Tim Moloney. It won.
After my leave I returned to the barracks at Portsmouth fully expecting to be soon discharged but after a day or two was told I was to go to HMS Starling. I told the drafting Master at Arms that I thought I was about to get my "ticket". He said "You're going to the Starling." I went. 
The Starling was a frigate that had been adapted as a training ship attached to a shore establishment, HMS Dryad, a navigation training school on the outskirts of Portsmouth. 
We went to sea most days but returned to harbour almost every night. We also used to take parties of Sea Cadets for a day at sea. They were brought to the ship by a Petty Officer who had his mid-day meal in our mess, and by adding a little water to the rum allocated to the mess, we were able to give him a tot. He told us he used to tell his colleagues at the Dryad that it was a horrible job so that none of them wanted to take his place.
Because we were in harbour most nights, I took a room at the Salvation Army for a very small payment and slept there most nights. We were allowed to take 20 duty free cigarettes ashore per day so I was able to build up quite a pile in my room for my Dad on my next visit home. 
Soon after I joined the Starling the captain sent for me and handed me a form. It was headed Application for Discharge and had two options, Free Discharge or Discharge by Purchase. Naturally I went for the free option. I do not recall how long it took for the wheels to go round but in June I was sent to HMS Collingwood, the navy's electrical school near Portsmouth and from there I was ejected into civvy street. I was given the kit of civilian clothes that people who had been conscripted into the armed forces were given when they finished their time.
Dad and step-mother were on holiday in London so I stayed there for the rest of the week. Still in uniform when I got to London, I was able to get a room at the Union Jack services club adjoining Waterloo Station. Then I took off my uniform for the last time and went to meet Dad and stepmother in my new clothes.
It was Royal Ascot week, perhaps the biggest event in British horse racing, which always takes place in mid-June. Thursday is Ascot Gold Cup day and we decided to go there by Greenline bus. Royal Ascot lasts for four days, Tuesday to Friday inclusive, and the Royal Family always entertains a large party at nearby Windsor Castle for the racing. There is a straight course of almost a mile at Ascot and after travelling from the castle by car the royal party transfers into horse drawn carriages and drives down the straight mile, past the grandstands into the Royal Enclosure. So we saw George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth with husband Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Margaret and other lesser royals. My royalist Dad loved it.
The Gold Cup was won by Lord Derby's Alycidon. Lord Derby had three other runners in the race to act as pacemakers as so often races over two and a half miles were run at a dawdle for most of the trip with a sprint at the end. The pacemakers were there to ensure a truly run race. We had a good day betting-wise but I only remember the name of one of the winners I backed, Swallowtail, which had been second or third in the Derby in his previous race.  
Back in London we had a meal at the Strand Corner House. Stepmother was feeling so pleased with herself she gave the waiter a tip of half a crown which was a useful amount back then. Half a crown is two shillings and sixpence; Britain also had another coin, the florin, which was two shillings. I never understood why it was thought necessary to have two coins of such close value, or why we had half a crown but did not have a crown. After enjoying Gold Cup day we decided to go to Ascot again on the following day.
We then returned to Brigg. Soon afterwards I received a letter from the Admiralty addressed to Electrical Artificer C.R. Turner with a cheque for money due to me. As I did not have a bank account I could not cash the cheque so I sent it back asking for cash and saying I was now Mr Turner. The money came in a more negotiable form in a correctly addressed envelope.
I had always enjoyed any stays I had in London and after a few days in Brigg I went back to London to look for work. But putting pleasure before business I was at Sandown Park race course within an hour of arriving at King's Cross. The Eclipse Stakes is one of the big events in the British racing year and I saw it won by Amour Drake from France. 
The Victory Club for ex-servicemen had been recently opened close to the Marble Arch end of Tottenham Court Road. I joined this, took a room there and studied the Situations Vacant columns in the newspapers. 
Further memories to come from Cliff on Brigg Blog.

MAJOR INTEREST IN NEW ALDI STORE FOR BRIGG

A graphic sent to us by Aldi showing its planned new store near the A18 in Brigg

We were asked at the weekend to give someone an update on the plan to bring a new Aldi store to Brigg - about which little has been heard of late.

This is a proposal of major interest to many people living in our town and the surrounding area.
The well-known discount retailer has submitted a planning application to erect a store, with car parking, on Bridge Street, not far from Cake Mills bridge, and with access off the A18.
This was given a "valid date" of July 6 by North Lincolnshire Council, which today categorieses the application as "not yet determined."
The closing date for comments to be submitted to planners was August 4 - and many were received from members of the public.
The question now is whether this application will be decided by the council's own planning staff, which most are these days, or whether it will be placed before a monthly meeting of the planning committee for a ruling.
We can confirm that Aldi's plans will NOT be considered at the committee's August meeting, which is to be held tomorrow (Wednesday, August 31) at Scunthorpe Civic Centre.
However, there will be two Brigg applications going before elected members in the council chamber, off Ashby Road, from 2pm:

• Thomas Bell & Sons Ltd, Bigby Road: Seeking permission to retain five storage containers on a permanent basis.
• Melanie Glentworth, Treetops, 2 Nicolgate Lane, off Wrawby Road: Seeking permission to carry out alterations and sub-divide an existing dwelling to form two dwellings and erect a new detached dwelling.

BRIGG MAN CAMPAIGNS OVER NAVY SIGNING UP BOYS FOR 14 YEARS

Cliff Turner - raised and educated in Brigg - today offers more memories from his time in the navy. Cliff is now 91 and lives in New Zealand.


Towards the end of 1948 we went into Singapore Dockyard for a refit and what became a turning point in my life.
Normally most of the crew would have been put into barracks while we were in dry dock but for some reason which was never explained the crew of the Norfolk remained in barracks after she had been refloated so we had to endure the heat, and our sanitary arrangements on the side of the dock were totally inadequate for a full crew. For obvious reasons the ship's bathrooms and toilet facilities could not be used while in dry dock.
When in Trincomalee I used to visit a library attached to the shore station there and took to reading Hansard, the record of Parliamentary proceedings in London. One day I read of a Scottish M.P. called Willis who said in a debate that boys should not be allowed to sign on in the navy as I had done. I wrote to Mr Willis and learned that in his youth he too had joined the navy as an artificer apprentice, served until he was 30 and then had gone into politics. I then started writing to M.P.'s using an alphabetical list and had got through about 150 before going to Singapore. My letters all had the same theme; that it was unethical to allow a boy not yet 16 to sign away 14 years of his life.
Many of the MPs I wrote to referred my letter to a minister in the government, the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whose name I have forgotten. He had so many letters from MPs that he used a duplicate letter to reply and so I had many of these letters sent on to me. They explained that the training of artificer apprentices was so expensive that it was necessary for us to serve many years in recompense.
The situation in Singapore put me onto a different tack. There were more than 100 Chief and Petty Officers in the Birmingham and the number of W.C.s and washbasins in the ablution facilities at the dry dock were totally inadequate so I wrote to about 12 MPs about this. Sometime later I went ashore and bought a copy of the Singapore newspaper The Straits Times. I learned that one of them had raised the matter in Parliament and had been told that the conditions were indeed as I had described them.
Next day I was summoned to appear before Captain Pakenham and several other officers on the quarter deck. The captain opened the proceedings by saying "You will notice that you still have your cap on." By this he meant that I was not being dealt with as a defaulter on some kind of charge. 
He asked me why I had written the letters instead of making a complaint to him as regulations permitted. I replied that I had no faith in the complaints system. After a while I told him that I did not wish to continue as I thought I might lose my self-control and say something I could regret.
At this he said "Come with me" and took me to his cabin. He offered me a cigarette (declined) and told me to speak freely. He also remarked that I had been in the ship for three years, longer than any other man, with an unblemished record and that my immediate superiors were highly satisfied with my work performance. 
I told him I hated the way we lived; no peace, no privacy. I also told him the stokers' mess-deck was a disgrace to a civilised country. 
After a while he told me that he could see that I was very unhappy in the navy and would try to get me out of it.
Eventually we did get into the barracks and it was while we were there that Prince Charles was born and the King ordered "Splice the mainbrace" so we all had an extra tot of rum. 
I remember the blacksmith saying "May she have another one soon". But by the time Princess Anne was born I was a civilian.
I was still in the ship at Christmas 1948 but soon afterwards was sent to the sick quarters ashore at Trincomalee. Looking back I think I should have not taken that without protest - there was nothing wrong with me - but I was so keen to get out of the navy that I accepted this. 
I forget how long I was in the sick quarters before embarking in HMS Sussex which was on its way home after a long spell on the Far East station based at Hong Kong. 
In the Sussex I carried out normal duties but as she was going home to be scrapped there was not a lot of work done. Strangely, I cannot remember the name of any person I came into contact with in the ship. 
We called at Aden and I went ashore long enough to buy 1,000 duty free cigarettes but I cannot recall if we stopped at Malta or Gibraltar. 
More memories from Cliff to come on Brigg Blog...

SAD THAT IT'S A CASE OF NO SHOW IN BRIGG

Brigg Blog has received a Tweet from Messingham to tells us that its Horticultural Show will be held in the Village Hall on Saturday (September 3).
We also saw a poster in  Brigg town centre  recently publicising Barnetby Horticultural Show.
Sadly, Brigg's  finished some years ago.
Perhaps you remember paying a visit to the Corn Exchange, when that was the venue, to look at all the lovely produce laid out ready for the judges' inspection.
Full winners of all cups and classes were faithfully recorded in the Lincolnshire Times weekly paper, as a matter of record.
Not that the reporting staff particularly enjoyed loading up their typewriters with sheet after sheet of paper to input the data - long before computers came on the scene.
The other issue was  the same few leading growers winning time and again at a number of local shows within the space of a few weeks.
Among them was Councillor Dick Long, from Wrawby, who rose to become leader of Brigg-based Glanford Borough Council. Dick knew his onions!

BRIGG LANDMARK BUILDING ON THE MARKET

Joe Mullen's Exchange Coach House, within Brigg town centre, is up for sale and attracting interest.
The Scunthorpe Telegraph has posted a story about the availability of one of the town's best-known historic buildings, which can be accessed from Wrawby Street and Bigby Street.
Its bar is open to the general public, not just guests.
Read the Telegraph's through this link...

PIMM'S OR A PINT? THE BANK HOLIDAY BEER GARDEN CHOICE IS YOURS IN BRIGG TODAY

We received an interesting Twitter message from J D Wetherspoon, the owner and operator of the White Horse pub/restaurant on Wrawby Street, Brigg, at lunch-time today.
The pub giant said: "If you've got glorious sunshine where you are for the Bank Holiday today, why not grab a Pimm's in one of our pub gardens?"
Well, despite clouds rolling in several times this morning, the weather has stayed fine so far, with sunny intervals. And one forecast we saw put the chance of rain at well below 10 per cent.
Just a reminder that in addition to "Spoons" there are bank holiday beer gardens, of varying sizes, to be enjoyed across town at the Yarborough Hunt, the Nelthorpe Arms, the White Hart, the Lord Nelson, the Dying Gladiator, the Woolpack and the Britannia.
Dexter's more extensive facilities out back include the renowned cabanas (beach huts) and even a palm tree or two!
Maybe we'll see you out and about at one of these venues later  today.

NAIL & BEAUTY SALON MAY BE COMING TO BRIGG

A new nail and beauty salon could be coming to Brigg town centre.
Planning permission for change of use is being sought at 8 Bigby Street, which has previously housed an hairdressing salon.
The application is now under consideration by North Lincolnshire Council.
Any comments people wish to make can be sent to planning@northlincs.gov.uk
The council says this application is for planning permission "to change the use from Class A1 to A1 & Suis Generis."
The use of the Latin phrase, as we've said several times before on Brigg Blog, is hardly helpful to the public when it comes to understanding what's being proposed. But to be fair to the council, this is a nationally-defined planning term. 
Certain uses do not fall within any "use class" for planning and are therefore considered to be Sui Generis (in a class of their/its own).
However, a statement sent to the council in support of this  application says: "The proposed use will see the building used as a nail and beauty salon."
Elsewhere, the statement says the proposed change of use class from A1 to A1 & Suis Generis will have no impact on the surrounding area other than the benefit of bringing an unused commercial premise into use by offering wider scope for use. No external work to the building is proposed. 
In case you were also left in the dark by reference to "A1" - this planning class covers shops, retail warehouses, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, pet shops, sandwich bars, showrooms, domestic hire shops, dry cleaners, funeral directors and internet cafes. So now you know!

SIGNAL FAILURE CAUSES MAJOR DELAYS ON BRIGG LINE

BY PAUL JOHNSON, STATION PORTFOLIO MANAGER, GAINSBOROUGH, RETFORD & BRIGG BUS AND RAIL GROUP (GRaB), pictured above at Brigg station


Our friends at BBC Weather got the forecast slightly wrong for Northern Lincolnshire but the 0803 Sheffield to Cleethorpes service and 1520 Cleethorpes to Sheffield Midland were around 90% full. 
Sadly, a major signalling failure at Gainsborough Trent Signal Box led to major delays.
The 1114 Cleethorpes to Sheffield Midland left Gainsborough Central 5 mins late, ran around the corner and then was stuck for 55 minutes!
The 1203 Sheffield Midland to Cleethorpes was held at Worksop and Retford because of the delays and ended up at Gainsborough Central 63 minutes late 
Praise to the guard on this service who from Gainsborough Central to Cleethorpes dealt with each customer and filled out a delay form for them to claim back part of the ticket cost. 
Due to arriving in Cleethorpes 58 minutes late, the crew needed a registered break, so the 1520 Cleethorpes to Sheffield Midland service left at 1550. Most of the passengers understood why but, with a number of families on board, children were becoming very restless.
The 1832 Cleethorpes to Sheffield Midland gained an 18 minute delay in the Habrough area, but there are no details yet as to why.
The case for real time information on parts of the Brigg line get stronger each week as the delays pile up this year.

STAGE COACH ERA TO BE RECALLED IN BRIGG

The next meeting of Brigg Amateur Social Historians (BASH) will be held on Tuesday, September 6 at Brigg Servicemen's Club, Coney Court (adjoining the town's main Old Courts Road car park).
An illustrated talk, Coaching Memories, will be given by Eric Houlder, starting at 8pm.
It will recreate the era of the stage coach and the coaching inn.
A raffle will be held to help towards costs and light refreshments will be provided.
Just turn up on the night - all welcome.
Visit www.briggbash.org.uk to find out more about BASH.

2 JOB VACANCIES IN BRIGG TOWN CENTRE

The Steel Rooms, on the corner of Spring's Parade and the Market Place in Brigg town centre, has two job vacancies.
The closing date for applications, in both cases, is September 2.
The  business has vacancies for a part-time cook/barista and a part-time retail/admin assistant.
Call in at the shop for further details or visit www.thesteelrooms.com

LIVE MUSIC POPULAR AT BRIGG PUBS

Female vocalist Dawn Farrell is performing at the Woolpack pub in Brigg Market Place from 4pm today (Sunday),  offering songs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
There was a good live band on at the White Hart, on Bridge Street, last night, playing some great hits from the past.
You can see how much their efforts were being enjoyed in the above picture.
Live music also continues to be offered across the road at the Nelthorpe Arms (Scanlon's).
And it's not long since we reported a singer entertaining Saturday night customers at the Britannia Inn, on Wrawby Street.
There's bank holiday karaoke coming up at the Woopack tomorrow (Monday) from 3pm.
Mine hosts at local bars who want forthcoming 'turns' mentioned on Brigg Blog should email scoopfisher@aol.com
All these pictures were taken last night at the White Hart.

 Friendly service on offer behind the bar at the White Hart.

ENJOYING THE MUSIC AT THE DYING GLADIATOR PUB IN BRIGG

Some good music was enjoyed during the Saturday night disco at the Dying Gladiator pub on Bigby Street, Brigg, with many folk taking to the dance floor. Here were see a few of the customers, mine host and members of his bar staff.

BRIGG TOWN GO TOP OF THE LEAGUE

Brigg Town Cricket Club yesterday regained the leadership of Lincolnshire County Cricket League Division Four (sponsored by Readers).

They did so by winning their home game against third-placed Marshalls on a day when wet weather resulted in many Lincs League games across the five divisions being abandoned.

Batting first at Brocklesby Park, Brigg were bowled out for only 68, of which Dave Baggott contributed 27 in the middle order.

However, Town's bowlers rose to the challenge, dismissing the Gainsborough side for only 53, with Tom Brock and Nick Beacock both taking four wickets.

That result brought Town the maximum 20 points on offer and leaves them four clear of second-placed Lindum 3rds with just two games remaining in the season.

Next Saturday (September 3) Brigg play Old Lincolnians 2nds at Brocklesby Park (1pm start).

I'LL GO TO THE FOOT OF OUR STAIRS! FURNITURE DUMPED IN BRIGG AT VERY UNLIKELY LOCATION

Are you sitting comfortably?Then we'll begin...
Passengers arriving by train in Brigg yesterday (Saturday) were very surprised to be greeted by an addition to the seating provision at our railway station.
For someone had placed this sofa on platform one - at the foot of the stairs leading up to the footbridge.
It appears that whoever put it there went to some trouble to carefully position the settee. 
Brigg LIne rail campaigner Paul Johnson kindly supplied the picture, but he's not the only one to mention the settee to us.

BRIGG ROAD CLOSURE

The A1084 Bigby Road, Brigg, is closed to vehicles today (Sunday) at the level crossing until 2pm because of repair work being undertaken. 
Diversion signs are in place to advise approaching motorists.
Network Rail has apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Thomas Bell Country Store, on Bigby Road, is open today as normal and can still be accessed from the Monument.

BAD BANK HOLIDAY WEATHER HITS BRIGG

The first clap of thunder heard in Brigg at 5.50pm tonight, accompanied by heavy rain, is bound to hit takings at town centre pubs.
August bank holiday beer garden weather it is not!
Some folk will be putting off from venturing out all all. But more hardy souls will make an effort, us included.
It might prove a case of moving quickly from pub to pub, or even staying put in one spot.
Many will be hoping for a brief break in the bad weather before venturing out.
We shall make our way to the Yarborough Hunt, in Bridge Street, and take it from there.
Hope to see you later, when the weather has hopefully improved somewhat!

BRIGG TOWN FC BEATEN ON DAY OF HIGH SCORES

Brigg Town FC lost 4-3 at Eccleshill United on a goal-packed day in the Toolstation Northern Counties East Football League division one.
There were some incredible scorelines, including a 6-2 away win and a 9-5 home victory!
Read all the scores through this link and see where Brigg stand in the table...

BRIGG LIVE ARTS - THE NEXT PROJECT

FROM ROBERTA FULFORD, CHAIR - BRIGG LIVE ARTS

Folk Round 'Ere is a celebration of the seasons through the music, dance & song of the Brigg area.
A group of local musicians, singers and folk enthusiasts are embarking on a project to celebrate the lives of working people over the centuries through the songs they sang to entertain themselves.
Folk Round 'Ere will draw on the talents of local people of all ages and backgrounds to create a musical entertainment that will be become part of the second Brigg Live Arts Fest in May next year. 
Brigg Live Arts were very interested in supporting a longer term community project and will now be joining forces with enthusiast Julia Pollock who performed in a similar production known as ‘Maypoles to Mistletoe’. 
This was originally written to feature the folk traditions of the Sussex area and since 1971 this show has delighted audiences around the country.  
It then sparked a number of other productions which use folk songs, dances and tunes together with narration and projected images to tell the story of the seasons. 
Julia says: “The British Isles have many traditions that mark the changing of the seasons and the lives of those people who work the land and live off its produce. North Lincolnshire is particularly rich in local songs and tunes that have been passed down from father to son, mother to daughter, including the well know song of love Brigg Fair. The songs tell of love, lust, friendship, food, drink and festivities to celebrate the coming of spring, the harvest and the year starting again after the cold winter months”.
Julia Pollock and Roberta Fulford, Chair of Brigg Live Arts, would like to involve local schools, musicians, singers, dancers, artists, folklorists and technical experts in staging the show. 
They are holding an open meeting at The Nelthorpe Arms, Bridge Street, Brigg, on Monday, 5th September at 7pm. 
Anyone who would like to be involved, either as performer or in a technical or support capacity should come along to find out more. 
Alternatively you can contact Julia by emailing julia1pollock2@btinternet.com or ring 07704 666916.

BRIGG BLOG PLEASED TO BE BACK WITH YOU

We were without internet access from late yesterday morning (Friday) until this afternoon and think other Brigg households may also have been affected by a fault. 
We reported the problem to BT and were told efforts would be made to sort it by Tuesday, this being a bank holiday. They said it could be rectified earlier than that - and it was. So thanks for that.
Good to be back and apologies for the absence of posts earlier today!

BRIGG TEAM TO KICK OFF NEW SEASON

Brigg amateur football team, Briggensians FC, will be in action on the opening day of the season in the TSW Printers Scunthorpe & District Football League next Saturday (September 3), kicking off at 3pm.
Briggensians will again be playing in division three. There will be cup-ties in addition to the league games.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
Division One                                     
Barnetby United v Epworth Town                                    
Scunthonians v Bottesford Town Reserves                         

Division Two                                     
Crosby Colts  v The Butchers Arms 
Epworth Town Reserves v Scotter United                                  
New Holland Villa  v Epworth Town Colts                              

Division Three                                   
Epworth Town Colts Blues v Briggensians   (referee J Bramhill).                                 
Santon v Crosby Colts Reserves         
Scotter United Reserves v Shape Changers                                  

With continuing and valued assistance from helpful league official Paul Birkitt, Brigg Blog will endeavour to provide scores and tables throughout the 2016/2017 season.

BRIGG FARMERS' MARKET & GENERAL MARKET - AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY 2016

The best of the weather for August Bank Holiday Saturday shoppers in Brigg town centre came early on this morning, when we took these pictures.
They feature the monthly farmers' market and the adjoining Saturday general market.
Both are managed by North Lincolnshire Council.

REVEALED - THE 30+ PUBS OF OLD BRIGG

 

FROM JOSIE WEBB, CHAIRMAN, BRIGG AMATEUR SOCIAL HISTORIANS (BASH)

Just read your Brigg Blog re. The Lost Pubs of Brigg. There has been a slow decline over the last 130 years. In the mid-1800s, we had over 30.

Starting in Bridge Street...
The Brocklesby Ox
The Yarborough Hunt
The Bricklayers Arms
The Nelthorpe Arms [formely The Greyhound]
The White Hart

Into the Market Place...
The Ancholme Tavern
The Woolpack
The Hope Inn, 
The Moon and Stars
Bacchus and Tun
The Ship Inn
The Lion
The Angel
The Lord Nelson 
Hammer in Hand [Elwes Street]

Now onto Bigby Street...
The Dying Gladiator
Coach and Horses
The Lamb Inn
King William IV
The Railway Inn [Albert Street]

Along Wrawby Street...
The Britannia Inn
The Queen's Arms
The White Horse
The Rose and Crown
The Butchers Arms
The Red Lion
The Black Bull
The Cross Keys [in Little Butchery].

And also temperance watering holes...
The Waverly
Stringers
Hunters 

Plus three breweries...
Tadcaster Tower
Sergeants
Britannia [Sutton Bean]

Brigg Blog's thanks are extended to Josie for taking the time and trouble to compile such an interesting list. More than 30 watering holes and three breweries of our own. Wow!

PICTURED ABOVE: How Brigg town centre looked in the 1830s.

BRIGG SHOP SUPPORTING DEMENTIA BUDDIES

A well-known Brigg business will be holding a special in-store event tomorrow to raise awareness of dementia buddies.
Design Orchard, pictured above, which faces the town's main Old Courts Road car park, will be donating soft toys with heartbeats, bringing comfort to sufferers.
This initiative has the support of the Alzheimers Society, the Carers' Association, care homes, carers and their loved ones.
Twelve people have been nominated to benefit so far. And  donations from visitors to the shop will not only help the charities but make it possible to buy more dementia buddies for other sufferers.
Visit Design Orchard tomorrow (Saturday, August 27) between 10am and 1pm and offer your support.

A-ROAD CLOSURE OVER 3 DAYS NEAR BRIGG

Drivers using the main Brigg to Caistor road should note that major roadworks are coming up.
The contract will involve closing a section of the A1084 over three days, with diversions in place.
The A1084 between Grasby and Clixby will be closed for resurfacing from September 9 to 12, says Lincolnshire County Council.
Three sections of the road, totalling 1173m, will be resurfaced with nearly 700 tonnes of Tarmac.
Highways manager Steve Wiles said: "We are taking this opportunity to resurface a large section of the road, rather than simply filling individual potholes. This will ensure the road remains in good condition for many more years and is a more cost-effective option. During the work we will have to close the road, but we will ensure access is maintained for residents who live along this stretch."
The highway authority adds: "A diversion will be in place directing traffic via the A1084 Brigg Road, Bigby Hill, Bigby High Road, B1434 Howhsam Road, Brigg Road, B1205 Station Road, Moortown Road, A46 Caistor Road, Nettleton Road, Caistor Bypass, Grimsby Road, A1173, A1084, High Street, Brigg Road and vice versa."