Plans to revamp what is now one of the best-known courtyards in Brigg were announced in the early 1980s.
We remember reporting that new shop units were planned for College Yard, connecting Wrawby Street with Old Courts Road and its extensive car park.
We didn't have to walk far from the Lincolnshire & South Humberside Times office at 57 Wrawby Street to interview Winter Jackson, who ran the family jewellery business.
It was based in a shop on the corner of Wrawby Street and College Yard, now occupied by Newton Fallowell estate agents.
We think some properties in the adjoining courtyard must have being owned by Jackson's.
Back then, College Yard still had a number of unused buildings in need of redevelopment, and work followed to create something really worthwhile.
Brigg Blog was reminded of the 1980s project by an article in the latest issue of Brigg Matters Magazine (Spring 2019).
Committee member Paul Hildreth, who penned the feature about College Yard and its niche shops, makes reference to current "footfall" being pleasingly high.
That's good to hear, and will be enhanced by an ambitious plan to add steel archway signs at the entrances to various Brigg courtyards goes ahead.
Aimed at drawing shoppers along the courtyards, it is currently going through the planning process at North Lincolnshire Council. View full details here...
Brigg Blog took these colour pictures of College Yard on Sunday afternoon (March 10) - hence the absence of shoppers.
Below we see part of College Yard circa 1920. It once had a mix of commercial and domestic properties. The yard's name is linked to Clare College, which owned land in Brigg.
Brigg Matters Magazine is produced by volunteers - under the chairmanship of Ken Harrison - as a service to communities in Brigg and district.
Copies of the latest issue, edited by Becky Reynolds, are now being distributed.
It contains much of interest, including Brigg Town Council's quarterly supplement.
Brigg Matters will be holding its annual general meeting on Wednesday, April 17 at the Lord Nelson Hotel, in the Market Place (7pm).
Anyone is welcome to join, the magazine says. To find out more, email briggmatters@yahoo.co.uk
May I add, Nige, we, the committee are all unpaid volunteers and house-to-housd distribution relies on another 70 fantastic volunteers
ReplyDeleteWe have steadily increased our print run to 5000 copies and now distribute house-to-house (including businesses) in Cadney, Howsham and Wrawby.
Recently, several people have emailed Brigg Matters if we could deliver to Scawby.
This is potentially possibly, but we need to create an infrastructure of volunteers to undertake distribution in the village...no easy task as one has to establish distribution route to suit Scawby's geography of roads.
At the moment it costs £2k, or thereaboutd for the 5000 copies and this is funded by our income from advertisers.
We are non-profit making and it is our policy not to overwhelm Brigg Matters with advertising..we attempt to keep it to a ratio of 50:50..ads to articles.
Once our quarterly house-to-house deliveries are essentially complete, we supply Briggs Tourist Information Office with about 200 copies..the delay is deliberate as TIC staff inform us that Brigg Matters is in great demand and thus ameliorated the opportunity of obtaining their initial copy before their home copy arrives.
TIC also tell us that folks from other outlying villages and even further afield are eager to obtain the latest issue of Brigg Matters.
Some copies are left in Tesco, Brigg Garden Centre, a shops in Scawby and Hibaldstow and within the church porch in Barnetby.
As a magazine, we have to fulfil our legal obligation by dispatching 2 copies to the British Library, which is a depository for all official publications.
Brigg Matters is not the product of any one person, or small group, it is the epitome of partnership, folks willing to deliver, people and groups willing to contribute interesting articles and teamwork to produce a magazine in which the community can detect inclusiveness insomuch as in the variety and range of articles, it reflects the personality and idiosyncrasies that make Brigg and its environs unique.