SOMEWHERE NEW TO GO FOR BREAKFAST AND HEARTY MEALS IN BRIGG

A relatively new venture, Pips Kitchen in Brigg is now offering breakfasts and other hearty meals at weekends.
Pips Kitchen is based at the Brigg Town Community Interest Club - the former Hawthorns football ground, now known as the EC Surfacing Ltd Stadium.
The clubhouse is open every Saturday and Sunday from 9am to noon for a range of breakfasts, including Full English for a fiver, Small Eater for £3.50p and Breakfast Bun for £2. Black Pudding is available on request.
Meals and snacks are then available between noon and 5.30pm over the weekend.
They include a Chip Butty for £2, Steak Pie & Peas for £3.50p and Jacket Potato with  Home-made Chilli & Cheese for £3.
Further details can be obtained from Pip by calling 07714 767820 or visit the Pips Kitchen Facebook page.

BRIGG NEEDS TO SUPPORT LINCOLNSHIRE DAY 2019

Lincolnshire Day 2019 is coming up tomorrow - Tuesday, October 1.
It's an opportunity for people across the historic county to celebrate all that's best about Linkinsheer, including our wide range of  top-class produce.
How about Lincolnshire sausages for tea night? Or a lunch-time sandwich made with Lincolnshire Poacher cheese? 
We'll be fishing out our green and yellow Lincolnshire County Cricket Club tie emblazoned with Lincoln Imp symbols, and some households in Brigg can be relied upon to run the Lincolnshire flag up the pole (see picture above).
Lincolnshire Dialect - not much heard these days - also has its place on Lincolnshire Day. Don't be frit or mardy. Get yer sen oot and doon and ower yonder fields - accompanied by yer bonny  bairns - and keep an eye out for shee-ap, sugar bee-at and the odd Peewit mekkin a skirl as it teks off.

BRIGG QUIZ OFFERS MAGNIFICENT FISH & CHIP SUPPER & LICENSED BAR

A Brigg quiz with what's described as a magnificent fish and chip supper is coming up this week.
The next St John's Church Quarterly Quiz will be held on Friday, October 4 in the Church Hall, Bigby Street (7.15pm start).
Tickets - including the 'one of each' - cost £8.50p.  Get yours now by calling 01652 652292, 652160 or 659560.
St John's quizzes are now well established; the organisers say they offer "a popular evening of fun and friendship."
A raffle will be held during Friday's event when a licensed bar will be operating.
Teams of up to four people will be taking part in the quiz.
Quizzes continue to prove popular in Brigg, particularly in pubs on various nights of the week.

BRIGG SEWING & UPHOLSTERY BUSINESS PLANS 'HOME OFFICE'

Planning permission is now being sought in Brigg for a home-based sewing & upholstery business.
North Lincolnshire Council, which is now considering the application, has been told: "After considering using one of the rooms within the house as a home office, it was decided that, due to limited space, an external office was to be a more practical option."
The planning statement submitted with the application adds: "The applicant is semi-retired and this is going to be more of a paid hobby so working hours won't be full time but [she] would like the flexibility of working hours between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday."
The detached 'home office' for the business is proposed for a side garden at 24 Central Square - opposite Woodbine Avenue.
As the first stage in the planning process, Brigg Town Council considered this application.
During its latest meeting, in the Angel Suite Lounge, the Planning & Environment Committee expressed its support for this small business.
The Town Council is not objecting to the application but wishes North Lincolnshire planners to consider the free flow of traffic along the road near No. 24 and on-street parking.
Various comments during the meeting made reference to vehicles visiting the business and parking on a road which sees plenty of traffic.
Chairing the meeting, Deputy Town Mayor Coun Brian Parker said a comment would be made to planners about vehicles. "Although we are in support of the business," added Town Mayor Coun Sharon Riggall.
"Whilst Brigg Town Council support the development of the business, concerns were raised regarding the possible increased traffic and parking in the area and felt this may become a problem near a bend on what is a narrow road," planners have since been told.
A drawing submitted to North Lincolnshire Council shows one existing off-road parking space and a 'stoned up' area currently used for parking a vehicle.
The planning authority will rule on this application at a later date.

FOOTBALL 'SIN BIN' IN USE AT BRIGG TOWN

Brigg Town Football Club suffered a disappointing 5-0 home defeat to Hallam in the Tool Station Northern Counties East First Division before a crowd of 118 yesterday (Saturday, September 28).
The game was pretty much over at half-time with the visitors already four goals to the good.
One interesting feature of this match was the use of the 'sin bin' which we gather is being trialled in the league this season. The referee sent  one of the players to the sidelines to serve a spell off the field before returning to the action.
This result sees the Zebras in fourth-from-bottom spot in the rankings after eight league fixtures.
Brigg had exited the League Cup on Wednesday (September 25) with a 2-1 first round defeat against Campion at the EC Surfacing Ltd Stadium (The Hawthorns). Tom Wilson scored the Brigg goal and the attendance was 105.
In the EC Surfacing Ltd Scunthorpe & District Football League yesterday, Barnetby United beat Briggenians 2-1 in the T.S.W. Printers Sporting Shield first round.
A strike from Cameron Hill and an own goal settled the tie in the villagers' favour, with Justin Walker on target for the Brigg team at Barnetby's Silver Street venue.

BRIGG LITTER PICK: CAN YOU SPARE A FEW HOURS?

Details of the next Brigg Town Litter Pick have been announced. Can you spare a few hours to help?
There's a session coming up on Saturday, October 19, starting at 9am.
Volunteers will meet at the Buttercross in the Market Place.
"Please bring any equipment if you already have it," the organisers say. "Otherwise, equipment will be provided."
PICTURED: Volunteers tidying the town during a previous clean up.

BRIGG GARDENERS TO HEAR FROM EXPERT

The next meeting of Brigg and District Gardening Club will take place on Thursday (October 3) in the Methodist Church Hall at 7.30pm.
The club's speaker for the evening will be Shaun D'Arcy Burt, from Mr D'Arcys Heritage Fruit Trees.
Entry is free to members, £2 for guests - refreshments included.
"Come along and learn more about caring for fruit trees and bushes with like-minded people," says the club.
For more information, contact Jill on 01652 656681.
The Methodist Church Hall is on the corner of Barnard Avenue (the A18) and Wesley Road.

BRIGG OFFICE BLOCK 'REFURB' ON SITE WITH AN INTERESTING HISTORY

North Lincolnshire Council is currently carrying out "refurbishment works" in Brigg to its main Hewson House office block within the town centre.
A spokesperson for the local authority told Brigg Blog this week: "Temporary signage is in place on Station Road directing visitors to an alternative entrance whilst work is carried out."



 

Signs showing the way through the alternative entrance.

 The refurb set us thinking about the history of local government at this location which stretches back a very long way.
That might surprise many local folk as the current Hewson House looks, and is, of modern design.
However, back in the 1930s the old Brigg Rural District Council acquired a detached house directly opposite the Post Office for use by its small staff.
Part of it can still be seen from Bigby Street, with many additions built to the sides and behind down the decades.

Brigg RDC added major extensions in the mid-1960s, and a black and white picture here - taken from our archive - shows a plaque being unveiled to mark that project's completion.
Coun Reg Harrison, from Hibaldstow, as chairman of the RDC, is seen 'doing the honours'.
On the right is his Chaplain, village vicar the Rev David Evans, who also taught religious education at Brigg Grammar School for some years.
Fourth from left is Robert Crosby, clerk to the RDC, who later became the first clerk and chief executive of Glanford Borough Council when it was created in 1974.
Glanford took over these offices as its HQ and added further extensions in the early 1980s.
However, when this second-tier authority was declared surplus to requirements in 1996 following yet another review of local government, the Bigby Street office block passed to the newly-formed North Lincolnshire Council - a unitary authority providing a complete range of services to the public.
Recognising the contribution made to local government by Brigg's Coun George Hewson over many decades, North Lincolnshire Council named its Brigg HQ in his honour, with some members of his family being present at the ceremony.
In Brigg today we have a housing development/court named after Joe Magrath, who was clerk to Brigg Urban District Council and later Brigg Town Council, but as yet nothing similar has been done, as yet, to remember the work done by Robert Crosby for Brigg RDC and the later Glanford Borough Council.

SPECIAL BRANCH OPERATION IN BRIGG

A special branch operation has been carried out in Brigg near the town's police station
It was undertaken on fenced off grassland to which the public does not have access.
A mature ash tree - subject to a Tree Preservation Order - has been trimmed back on Cary Lane following an application submitted to North Lincolnshire Council seeking approval.
This explained that "falling debris" was affecting an adjoining parking area near the station.
Our pictures show the tree (above) following  the work  and (below) how it looked a few months ago.
The tree is close to the police station (just off our pictures to the left), its surfaced car parking extension and an office building on Cary Lane used by the force.

BRIGG HAULAGE ON THE RIGHT ROAD

Brigg Haulage, on Europa Way, has been granted permission to erect a storage building.
It is located near the Atherton Way industrial estate, and North Lincolnshire Council has approved the application.
Meanwhile, planning approval is being sought by a different applicant for change of use to storage and the sale of vehicles at The Woodlands, Brook Lane, Scawby Brook.
The applicant has told the council he uses the internet to advertise vehicles available for sale. All customer visits are appointment only and there is "no passing trade as such."
Meanwhile, outline planning consent is being sought to erect two dwellings onland adjacent to Wolds View, Station Road, Sturton.
The council is now considering these applications.
In North Kelsey, planning permission is being sought to extend from the rear into existing outbuildings, and extend from outbuildings, at Charnwood Grange, High Street. West Lindsey District Council will decide this application.

BRIGG & DISTRICT FOOD HYGIENE RATINGS

North Lincolnshire Council continues to carry out routine food hygiene inspections at premises across the district, including some in Brigg and surrounding towns and villages.
The highest possible rating - Five Stars, Very Good - was awarded to the following local businesses in recent inspections:
Sciolti Chocolates Black Cat Fudge, Brigg.
The Red Lion, 45 High Street, Broughton.
Mad As A Potter, Elsham Park, Elsham.

CHILDREN FLYING THE FLAG IN BRIGG

Does anyone in Brigg today recognise the children seen here flying the flag for British Rail in the town decades ago?
The pictures are thought to date back to the late 1980s or perhaps the early 1990s and were taken on Old Courts Road and Island Carr Road.
It appears to be some kind of promotion for the nationalised transport network.
The trailer attached to the Bedford van has a Class 37 diesel painted on the side, while a blue Russian-built Lada car can be seen passing Earnshaw's Woodyard.
Brigg Blog discovered these pictures recently among a pile of others relating to various topics.

SIX FOOTBALL MATCHES TO WATCH IN THE BRIGG AREA

There's plenty of local football to watch in the area this weekend in addition to Brigg Town's Toolstation Northern Counties East Division One home game with Hallam on Saturday (September 28) kicking off at 3pm.
In the EC Surfacing Ltd Scunthorpe & District League on the same day there's an interesting local derby.
Barnetby United will be hosting Brigg-based Briggensians in the T.S.W. Printers Sporting Shield first round at the village's Silver Street Ground (2.30pm).
There's a Scunthorpe & District Sunday League derby on Sunday (September 29) when AFC Brigg (from Division One) will be meeting Scawby Rovers (Division Three) in a Challenge Cup tie at Scawby Playing Fields.
Barnetby United are at home to Harrys Bar in the same competition, while Broughton WMC host Crowle Keys, and Hibaldstow FC are at home to AFC Berkeley.

BRIGG EVENTS GUIDE FOR A BUSY WEEKEND

There's a varied programme of events coming up in Brigg on Saturday - September 28, 2019.
The monthly farmers' market is being held in the town centre, from 9am to 3.30pm.
North Lincolnshire Council is organising this event, with stalls offering an opportunity to buy direct from the producers. It's a chance to stock up on jam, cheese, bread, meat and other items.
Saturday will also see the general market (pictured) operating in the Market Place and on Wrawby Street, while Ancholme Artists are hosting an exhibition in nearby St John's Church Hall with refreshments available.
Shoppers arriving by car in Brigg on Saturday - and there will be many of them - can take advantage of free parking, courtesy of a North Lincolnshire Council concession.
Dates of the remaining Brigg Farmers' Markets for 2019 are October 26, November 23 and December 21. Note the date of the last one in the run-up to Christmas.
The Freemasons of Brigg are opening their Cary Lane HQ to the public on Saturday, September 28, from 10am to 2pm, to allow locals to see inside.
"We are also sharing information about the charitable work of the Freemasons and about the institution in general," they tell us. "We are also offering guided tours of the Temple."
Brigg Town Football Club is at home to Hallam (3pm kick-off) if you want to watch some football and perhaps enjoy a pint or two in the clubhouse.
Brigg Hockey Club teams will be in action on the all-weather pitch at the nearby Recreation Ground during the afternoon.
Saturday night sees a choice of live music in the town centre.
Johnny And The Rocket will be playing at the Woolpack Hotel, Market Place, from 9pm. Free admission.
It's also free to enjoy The Gas Band performing at Brigg Servicemen's Club, Coney Court, from 8.30pm.
Brigg horse racing fans will be interested in the Lincolnshire meeting coming up this weekend.
Market Rasen Racecourse specialist Earlofthecotswolds goes for the biggest prize of his career when he tackles Saturday’s feature race at the Lincolnshire track.
The Listed £35,000 Ferry Ales Brewery Prelude Handicap Hurdle is the target for the horse - trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by his son Sam – with three victories at the racecourse in the last 12 months.
A first win in a National Hunt Flat race at the corresponding fixture in 2018 was followed up in the winter and spring with triumphs in handicap hurdles. Now Earlofthecotswolds steps into Listed company.
Among the 16 entries for the extended two-mile hurdle contest are three other horses with Market Rasen wins to their names – A Little Chaos, Definitelyanoscar and Mohaayed. The last of those, who is trained by Dan Skelton, is particularly noteworthy as he won the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2018.
More Buck’s, the winner of the 2018 Summer Plate which is the most prestigious race of the year at Market Rasen, goes for Saturday’s major supporting contest, the £24,500 Ferry Hill Tipi Weddings Handicap Chase.
Saturday marks the finale to British summer jumping and the start of the autumn and winter season - the Ferry Ales Brewery Prelude Raceday & Beer Festival. The total prize fund across the seven races is £100,000.
Off the track, there will be pub games and musical entertainment from the Moonshiners ceilidh and folk band during and after racing.
Admission for adults is from £10.80 in advance and from £12 on the day. Accompanied under 18s are admitted free of charge. Visitors can take advantage of a pint-sized offer for a Tattersalls admission ticket, race-day programme and a pint of beer, glass of wine or soft drink – all for an inclusive price of £22.
The hugely popular ‘Best of British Experience’ will be running in the Brocklesby Suite Restaurant offering County Enclosure admission, a race-day programme, reserved table, a betting facility and a two-course set meal, all for £68 for adults and £20 for under 12s. There is also the even more exclusive ‘FAB Experience’ in a private hospitality suite for a minimum of 12 adults at £118 each.
Nadia Powell, General Manager, Market Rasen Racecourse, said: “Spectators at the racecourse on Ferry Ales Brewery Prelude Raceday get the best of both worlds. There is an exciting jump racing card and we are also once again delighted to have our partnership with Lincolnshire’s Ferry Ales Brewery for our annual beer festival. It’s a great way to say goodbye to the summer jumping season as we look forward to the sporting delights of the months ahead.”
Further details are at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/marketrasen where tickets can be bought in advance.
The first race is at 1.40pm - two hours after gates open. The finale is at 5.10pm.

DEAN WINDASS: BRIGG TOWN TO MEET TEAM NOW MANAGED BY FOOTBALL LEGEND

When Brigg Town Football Club visit East Hull later this year, the Zebras will take on a side now being managed by a legendary player.
Former Hull City top-flight striker Dean Windass, now 50 - pictured above, has taken charge of a club currently at the foot of Toolstation Northern Counties East Division One.
Brigg Town inflicted a heavy 6-2 defeat on East Hull in this season's opening game at the EC Surfacing Ltd Ground (Hawthorns).
Hoping to secure a welcome 'double' the Zebras will visit East Hull for a festive period fixture on Saturday, December 28.
Dean's new managerial appointment has generated plenty of welcome publicity for a league which Brigg Town's first team rejoined this season after gaining promotion from the Balcan Lighting Supplies Lincolnshire League Premier.
At either end of his career he played non-league for North Ferriby and Barton Town Old Boys. But he's best remembered for his spells with Hull City. During a league career spanning well over 600 games, he scored almost 200 goals.
As a friend of the then landlord of the Whistle & Flute pub in Barnetby, Dean played a couple of charity matches in the railway village not many years ago.
These pictures - courtesy of Barnetby United FC's Lee Fielden - relate to that period.
On the team picture below - showing players in Whistle & Flute sponsored shirts - Dean is third from left on the back row.
 

HISTORIC AFTERNOON AT BRIGG BUTTERCROSS

Brigg has been chosen to host the annual meeting of a regional campaigning group, prior to which there will be an interesting talk by a well-known speaker that is open to interested members of the public.
The Northern Lincolnshire Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) will be holding its AGM at Brigg Buttercross on Saturday, October 19, from 3.30pm.
Before the meeting, at 2pm, Dr Kevin Leahy will give a talk entitled The Lost Kingdom - Anglo-Saxon Lindsey.
Dr Leahy is an archaeologist, historian and author whose close connections with North Lincolnshire Museum are widely known.
Tickets cost £5 in advance from Brigg Tourist Information and The Rabbit Hole Bookshop and should be available shortly. Or you can pay on the door on the day. Refreshments will be provided.
Our picture shows Dr Leahy, left, with CPRE members when he visited Brigg Heritage Centre to give a previous talk about Bronze Age Boats. Image courtesy of Ken Harrison.

BRIGG DOES BLOOMING WELL IN REGIONAL COMPETITION

Hearty congratulations are due to all the people in Brigg who played a part in the town doing very well in a regional competition.
Our town finished runner-up and gained a silver award in East Midlands in Bloom 2019's small town category.
Brigg in Bloom group chairman Coun Sharon Riggall, the current Town Mayor, says she is proud of this achievement.
She mentioned the result of the competition when Brigg Town Council's Planning & Enviroment Committee convened for its latest meeting, held on Monday night (September 23) in the Angel Suite Lounge.
Other councillors expressed their pleasure at Brigg's silver award.
It was only the third time the town had entered this prestigious competition, and Brigg had previously been 'commended'.
Feedback from the 2019 judges included reference to community groups' contribution and those made by Brigg Primary School and individual gardeners.
"Eye-catching displays" from the Brigg and District Veterans' Group were mentioned in despatches.
Brigg Blog afforded extensive coverage to the one it created at the end of Wrawby Street (near Wetherspoon's White Horse pub), featuring a miniature landing craft, to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in northern France during June 1944.
This display is still in place and is expected to remain until after Remembrance Sunday in November.
"The judges mentioned the excellent partnership between all community groups who have a shared interest in helping Brigg improve," the Town Mayor says.
She thanks everyone involved for "a fantastic team effort."
Brigg is certainly not resting on its laurels; the spadework has already started for next year's floral displays.
Brigg in Bloom is run by volunteers and receives welcome support from Brigg Town Council and North Lincolnshire Council.
If you want to find out more and perhaps contribute some of your time to the cause, visit the Brigg in Bloom page on Facebook.
Our pictures show the Women's Institute display alongside Bigby Road and the veterans' D-Day garden.

NEW BRIGG SPORTS CENTRE/GYM APPROVED

Plans for a new sports centre/gym in Brigg have been approved.
The location is a buifding behind one of the town's former pubs.
Permission for change of use from offices to assembly/leisure has now been granted for Unit 2, Nelthorpe Business Court, Bridge Street, by North Lincolnshire Council.
That's behind the former Nelthorpe Arms pub which closed last year and has now been turned over to purely residential use.
The application submitted by Brigg Kickboxing & Fitness explains this small family-run martial arts business has been operating at Ancholme Leisure Centre, the Phil Grundy Sports Centre in Broughton and at Barton's Baysgarth Leisure Centre.
The business says it has taken the opportunity to lease Unit 2 at the Nelthorpe Arms Business Court "currently being used as an office" and "previously used as a function room."
The applicant told the council: "We have 100 students of all ages who take part in our classes and we believe it is an asset to the area.
"We are currently experiencing problems with having classes at the leisure centres as we do not have sole use of the sports hall and are limited to certain date and times."
A report about the application, prepared by North Lincolnshire Council planning staff, said: "There is limited parking within the site. However, given the location of the building in Brigg town centre and that numerous public car parks are within easy walking distance of the site, it is considered that additional off-street parking provision is not required in this case."
In granting permission, the council has set out 'permitted hours' for what it calls the kickboxing gym. These are Monday to Friday, 5pm to 8pm, with no sessions held at weekends or on bank holidays.

TWO OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST FOOTBALL CLUBS TO PLAY IN BRIGG

Two of the oldest football clubs in the world will be going head to head in Brigg on Saturday (September 28, 2019). That's a reference to when they were founded, not the age of the current squads!
Brigg Town will be hosting Hallam at the EC Surfacing Ltd Stadium (The Hawthorns) in Toolstation Northern Counties East Division One (3pm KO).
Hallam are just three places above Brigg in the table so a close encounter might be expected, based on form so far this season.
Brigg Town were founded in 1864 - four years after Hallam, known as The Countrymen, were established.
Hallam fans can take a train from Sheffield's main station all the way through to Brigg.
Many people in Sheffield will be unaware of the Northern company's Saturdays-only passenger train service that runs to Cleethorpes via Brigg and Barnetby.
Those Hallam fans fancying the train trip are advised to view our special 2019 guide for football supporters coming to Brigg. Follow this link...
Taking the train means Hallam fans can leave the car at home and have a few pints while they are over here.
They should note that the monthly farmers' market is coming up on Saturday in the town centre (near the tall clock tower), which they may wish to visit.
The Northern company train they want leaves Sheffield at 11.54am, arriving in Brigg at 1.20pm.
The first train back leaves Brigg from Platform One at 5.24pm - change at Barnetby (not much wait) to a TransPennine service to arrive back in Sheffield at 7.09pm.
However, if Hallam fans wish to linger longer in Brigg they can catch the 7.48pm direct Northern train to Sheffield (arriving at 9.15pm). This will leave from Platform Two, over the footbridge.
We are informed that the off-peak return fare is £15.60p, which offers good value.

BRIGG PRESENTATION TO LONG-SERVING LOL

We were pleased to see town street cleaner Lol Hartmann getting a mention in the latest issue of Brigg Matters magazine. Having retired after 35 years, a presentation was made to thank Lol for his services to the town over many years.
After getting wind of a collection being made within the community for Lol some time ago, we asked the powers-that-be to keep us informed about his retirement so we could post a piece, but word failed to reach us.
So our apologies for being a little slow off the mark on this occasion. We still think his retirement should be reported.
Ken Harrison's pictures here - taken a few years ago - show Lol doing his rounds.
We thought of Lol's efforts the other day while walking along Queen Street, where early autumn leaves had started to accumulate on the pavement.
Following heavy showers, leaf mulch can sometimes lead to slippery conditions underfoot.
We are sure that arrangements are in hand to sweep up fallen leaves in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, Brigg Town Council is negotiating the purchase of a second-hand street cleaning device.
If a deal is struck, it will be used to pick up litter from local pavements.
Brigg Town Council's next meeting might hear an update on this possible purchase.
Community-minded volunteers carry out periodic litter-picking sessions on Brigg streets to supplement the tidy-ups carried out by Brigg Town Council and the North Lincolnshire authority.
Additional litter bins are also in the pipeline at various locations, together with bins for cigarette-ends outside some licensed premises.
On and after the Christmas Lights switch-on and fair on Friday, November 29, additional litter-picks will take place within the town centre.
During previous switch-on evenings some bins have rapidly become full to overflowing, so this is a welcome development in terms of keeping Brigg tidy with more than 1,000 people visiting the Market Place and Wrawby Street. That adds up to a lot of litter, including fast food containers!
View more about the 2019 Christmas lights switch on and fair through this link...
Lol's 'Sweeping into Retirement' illustrated story appears on page 35 of the Autumn 2019 issue of Brigg Matters if you want to take a look. Brigg Matters is free and produced by a team of local volunteers, including Ken Harrison.

 

BRIGG WOOL: ONLINE THREAD PROMPTS MEMORIES OF TOWN SHOPS

The launch of Brigg Wool Shop in the Market Place - view details through this link - set us thinking about similar ventures in the past.
We have a vague childhood memory from the 1960s of being taken on a shopping trip that included calling at a small shop on Cross Street that sold wool and other items.
We think it may have been located in premises, long since demolished, that occupied part of the land behind what's now Curiosities (see picture above).
Some senior followers of Brigg Blog may recall the old Cross Street shop in question and be able to confirm our recollection.
This set us thinking about other shops of the past.
Who remembers Cordock's? Selling sweets, ice cream and other items, it was near the Monument roundabout, next to Sass's garage. However, the shop premises were knocked down many years ago.
We've also lost what for years was Ernie Robinson's Grammar School Road convenience store, next to the chippie on the corner of Preston Drive (thankfully the takeaway is still trading today).
Also on Grammar School Road, two well-known shops were converted to dwellings.
Jack Clark's tuck shop and newsagency was later run by Phil Hughes - 'Hughes for News' - Maud's and Paper Lincs at various times.
Bowen's shop and bakery sold fresh bread - including small 'penny' loaves made for schoolchildren - plus cream cakes and pies, and stocked bottles of locally-made pop in crates, sweets, milk and a selection of groceries. It was very busy on Saturday mornings when people called in to collect their bread orders. There was a larger Bowen's shop on Wrawby Street.
Midway along Glebe Road, the Co-op once had a shop. This notable retailer has opened a number of stores across North Lincolnshire in recent years - including Hibaldstow, Scawby and Broughton - but has yet to return to Brigg as a retailer. The former Glebe Road store is now occupied by a pre-school.
Button's convenience shop, on Bridge Street, is now a domestic residence, and the same goes for Gwen's Bargain Shop, whose name speaks for itself in terms of what it offered.
It's also some years now since Alan and Carl Capp repaired the last TV in their shop on Albert Street. In the early 1980s they were quick to meet growing local demand for video recorders. Wise folk opted for VHS format rather than Betamax!

The newly-opened Brigg Wool Shop (centre).

RAISING A GLASS OR TWO IN SUPPORT OF THE BRIGG LINE TRAIN SERVICE

Brigg Line passenger train use should be boosted by a forthcoming event.
Local folk can leave the car at home and take a train from our railway station to visit the annual Gainsborough Beer Festival on Saturday, October 12, which offers FREE entry and opens at noon.
It's being held in the town's historic Old Hall - well worth a visit itself - on Parnell Street, DN21 2NB. The venue is only 10 minutes' walk from Gainsborough Central station.
Board the train in Brigg at 11.48am to arrive in Gainsborough at 12.10pm.
The return train leaves Gainsborough Central at 4.58pm.
An adult return fare is £9.60.
That gives visitors from Brigg and Kirton Lindsey, whose station is also served by trains on the iconic line, ample time to sample some of the 56 beers on offer at the festival, together with 15 ciders/perries, white wines and red.
Informative lealets about the 2019 Gainsborough Beer Festival can be found at Brigg's Yarborough Hunt pub, on Bridge Street. That's how we found out about this spectator event.
The leaflet includes a useful map showing the way from the station to the Old Hall.
Brigg Blog, and others, continue to do what we can to promote the Saturdays-only passenger train service between Sheffield, Retford, Gainsborough, Kirton, Brigg and Cleethorpes (via Barnetby) along the now little used former Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway mainline.
Our station's Victorian era booking office having been closed and demolished many years ago, tender your fare to the conductor/guard once you've boarded the train in Brigg.
Trains bound for Gainsborough and Sheffield leave from Platform 2 - meaning that you'll need to cross the footbridge to await the arrival of the diesel unit which makes three journeys each Saturday along the entire length of the Brigg Line.
PICTURED: A Saturday train calling at Brigg railway station.

DECISIONS TO BE MADE ON BRIGG & WOLDS HOUSING PLANS

Decisions are expected to be made this week on two housing schemes proposed for sites within North Lincolnshire Council's Brigg & Wolds Ward.

One involves land formerly occupied by a well-known pub, now demolished.
SCAWBY: Erect three linked dwellings and associated works, including demolition, land west of Home Farm, Main Street, Sturton.
BARNETBY: Erect four pairs of semi-detached dwellings - site of the former Railway Inn, Kings Road.
The council's decision-making Planning Committee will consider both applications during a meeting in Scunthorpe on Wednesday afternoon (September 25).

BRIGG BLOG PAYS TRIBUTE TO SPORTING STALWART

Brigg Blog was very sorry to hear of the death of one of the best-known figures in Lincolnshire football.
Ken Stones served the Scunthorpe and District League as referee and fixture secretary for FIFTY YEARS, which is remarkable.
These pictures show a respectful minute's silence being observed in memory of Ken prior to Saturday's league game at Barnetby United's Silver Street Ground where Barnetby Reserves were playing Limestone Rangers Reserves.
Ken's funeral will be held on Friday 4th October at Woodlands Crematorium, Scunthorpe, at noon.
We got to know Ken well in the 1980s while on the Scunthorpe Telegraph's sports desk.
One of our sub-editing duties involved putting his round-up of league games onto a page in Wednesday editions throughout the season.
The Saturday League had far more teams in those days - Brigg Amateurs having three for a brief period.
Ken's columns were very popular, with local players always hoping to merit a mention.
Helpful as ever, he loaned me an FA book from the 1950s which included charts outling how league fixtures could be set up very quickly and efficiently in the era before computers.
I used this method to generate fixtures for cricket leagues over many seasons.
Ken attended a host of end-of-season football cup finals on behalf of the league, including some in Brigg.
If you signed a paper registration form to play Scunthorpe League football at any time during Ken's era he would have checked it to ensure all was in order, along with hundreds of others.
He compiled weekly league tables and spent hours on Saturday evenings talking to club officials to gain information for his press reports.
All the results and the forthcoming weekend's fixtures were at Telegraph House first thing on Monday morning, without fail.

BRIGG TOWN ON THE CUP TRAIL

Brigg Town Football Club will welcome local support at a cup-tie on Wednesday evening (September 25).
Brigg will be hosting Campion at the EC Surfacing Stadium (Hawthorns) in the first round of the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Cup (7.45pm kick off).
Campion, from Bradford, are currently sixth in Division One - ten places above Brigg.
The clubhouse bar will be open for those fans fancying a pint - hopefully to celebrate a win by the Zebras!
Picture above by Neil Stapleton.

GOOD AWAY POINT FOR BRIGG TOWN BUT DEFEATS FOR OTHER LOCAL TEAMS

Brigg Town Football Club gained a welcome away point with a 1-1 draw at Dronfield yesterday (Saturday, September 21).
Dronfield Town took an early lead but Tom Wilson soon levelled the scores.
Brigg are 16th in the 20-strong Toolstation Northern Counties East Division One, having taken six points from seven games.
It was not a good day for local sides belonging to the EC Surfacing Scunthorpe and District League.
Briggensians lost 8-0 when hosting College Wanderers in the first round of the Challenge Cup.
Barnetby United Reserves went down 3-2 in their Division Two home game against Limestone Rangers Reserves. See the match report below and action pictures from Lee Fielden.

RANGERS EDGE TIGHT CONTEST BY THE ODD GOAL IN FIVE

Barnetby Reserves' unbeaten start to the season was ended at Silver Street as Chris Thornton's 86th minute winner saw Limestone Rangers Reserves edge a tight encounter.
Limestone were the quickest to settle and had already had a good chance when Thornton got his first of the afternoon as he latched onto a through ball and rounded keeper Buckley to roll the ball home in only the 3rd minute.
Barnetby gradually started to get a foothold in the game and after Newell and Klawinski squandered great opportunities Dawid Kotwica played a great 1-2 with player manager Ben Clark to level matters up.
They then shot themselves in the foot as woeful marking from a corner allowed James Hewitt the freedom of the box and he smashed it home to restore Limestones lead.
The second half followed a similar pattern as both sides traded blows. Limestone had a goal disallowed for offside before Chris Bradley cut in from the left to drift a shot into the bottom right hand corner to level things for a second time.
The contest looked to be heading to a draw when a misjudgment by the Barnetby backline allowed Thornton to leave them in his wake and his confident finish sealed  3 points for the men from Willoughton.

MILESTONE YEAR FOR BRIGG LANDMARK

This is a milestone year for one of the main landmarks in Brigg - our Monument war memorial, erected and dedicated 100 years ago.
Donated to the town by Alderman Harry Stamp, it was unveiled in 1919 - one of the first memorials to appear after World War One.
Most across the UK came in the 1920s, often as a result of local fundraising over a number of years.
Brigg's 2019 Remembrance Sunday commemorations on November 10 will include two minutes' silence at the Monument at 11am.
The landmark - now grade two listed - has been well maintained, the most recent refurbishment being undertaken by Brigg Town Council with assistance from the North Lincolnshire authority.

NEW NAME IN BRIGG FAST FOOD TAKEAWAYS

There's a new name in Brigg fast food takeaways.
Pizza Jim can be found in the premises formerly known as Kebabish on the corner of Bigby Street and Princes Street.
We saw the new signs going up and thought local folk would appreciate an update.
Hungry types are being recommended to try Pizza Jim's square pizzas, plus kebabs, burgers and wraps.
Early in 2017 we reported that Kebabish had launched in the former Bella Pizza premises which had been closed for many months.

NEW LANDLADY PLANS TO PUT OLD FAVOURITE ON PUB MENU

The newest landlady in Brigg is keen to put a popular and traditional old favourite on the menu in due course.
Alia Harris, who has taken over at the Britannia on Wrawby Street, is looking to put food back on the menu at the Wrawby Street hostelry in the next few months.
And stew will be among her range of pub grub and bar meals, along with burger and a pint, pizza and a pint, and other good value dishes.
Alia's aim it to have winter warmers like stew on offer before the cold weather takes hold.
On the same timescale she is also reintroducing Sunday dinners - not only a roast of the day but also options like home-made steak pie and bangers and mash.
Having succeeded Shane Garrett, Alia is continuing the popular karaoke/discos on Friday and Saturday nights, supplemented by a live act once a month.
There's a free jukebox and free pool on offer every Monday, with a team from the pub taking part in a local quiz league from Monday, September 16.
Two pool teams operate on Tuesdays, with a darts side entered in one of the local leagues.
Alia, who used to live in Somerby, was educated at Caistor Yarborough School.
She came here six years ago and worked behind the bar at Brigg Town Football Club's Hawthorns venue.
She started bar work at the Britannia in May 2018 and recently took sole charge of licensed premises for the first time.

BRIGG MEMORIES OF GLEBE ROAD SCHOOL LIVE ON

Hundreds of people living in Brigg today attended the old County Primary School on Glebe Road, which educated youngsters from 1929 until 12 years ago when it was replaced by the 'new build' on Atherton Way.
Those of us who are ex-pupils still have many memories of the old school.
The other day we found our copy of the book that long-serving teacher John Holland wrote some years ago, covering the period 1963-1996 when he was on the staff.
John was the official school photographer and used many images he took to illustrate this impressive and locally important book.
We reviewed it on Brigg Blog in autumn 2010.
John still lives in Brigg - not far from us - and among his achievements was introducing many youngsters to the game of cricket down at The Rec. Many thanks for that!
We are uploading this post on a Saturday because John's book recalls it was a Saturday when Glebe Road School opened its doors for the final time.
That was on January 20, 2007 so former pupils could take a last look and reminisce. The new school opened that month.
John went to Brigg County Primary himself, moved on to Brigg Grammar, left to do his college training and returned as a teacher at Glebe Road in 1963.
In our review in 2010 we said John's keen interest in taking pictures down the years  made possible this delightful book, which reads like a Who’s Who of Brigg people and families.
"Turn page after page and you see the young faces of today’s adults," we stressed.
"There are pictures of pupils in class, on school trips, taking part in sports and enjoying the swimming pool."
Glebe Road School had only three headmasters - Reg Stocks, Brian Wass and Steve Pearce - over a 50-year period.
We belonged to Reg's era in the 1960s.
John concluded his book by mentioning the demolition of the school buildings and the creation of a housing development on the site.

BRIGG TOWN COUNCIL TO HOLD EXTRAORDINARY MEETING

Brigg Town Council's Planning and Environment Committee will be considering the latest local applications at a meeting on Monday (September 23).
It takes place in the Angel Suite Lounge from 6.45pm and is open to interested members of the public. The Lounge is on the ground floor - use the stairs or the lift in the entrance.
Following the planning session there will be an extraordinary meeting of Brigg Town Council, starting at 7.15pm, in the Lounge.
There is only one item on the agenda and the press and public are likely to be excluded while councillors consider it.
The item is: To determine the requirements for the future location of the Brigg Town Council Office.
PICTURED: Brigg Town Council 2019 - elected members and staff. Coun Nigel Sherwood was unable to be present for our photo; he was elsewhere at the time.

BRIGG BASH GROUP ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF TALKS AND GHOST WALK 2019

Brigg Amateur Social Historians have now held their 2019 annual meeting.
Founder member Josie Webb tells us it has been a good year for this very active group.
It is now 16 years since BASH first started out  at the White Horse pub. How time flies!
A certain Brigg journalist presented a talk at that initial meeting about The Lincolnshire Times Newspaper and some 60 people attended.
The new committee is - Chairman, Pat Parkinson; Secretary, Shirley Finney; Vice- Chairman, Brian Denison; Treasurer, Denise Torpey; Social Media, Josie Webb;  Buffet,  Jean Neall, recently made a Freeman of Brigg;  other committee members, Chris Witty and Malcom Scott. 
Future evening meetings at Brigg Servicemen's Club  are:
"Fokker Fodder" - an Illustrated talk by Paul Hare. The story of unarmed aeroplanes that were easy prey for those built by  Anthony Fokker in 1915/16.---Tuesday, October 1st.
Tuesday, November 5th. "Women in Geology" - an illustrated talk by Paul Hildreth. Investigatating the struggle for women to gain recognition in male-
dominated science.
Tuesday December 3rd. "All in a Day"s Work" -  an illustrated talk by Josie Webb. The history of the women's land army - including her mum Katleen Webb "s memories of her time in the land army, including  photos taken of her.
The Halloween Ghost Walk will be on Sunday evening, November 3rd  - with a 7pm start from outside The White Horse pub. Tickets available from Brigg Tourist Information at the Buttercross - £3 each.
Pictured above - a 2010 BASH talk about Brigg as it was decades ago.

BRIGG SUPPORTS SPORTING COMEBACK AND REUNION

People from Brigg and district were among those who visited Scunthorpe's Quibell Park to watch the first game of American football (gridiron) played in North Lincolnshire for 29 years - since the demise of the Scunthorpe Steelers.
The new Scunthorpe Alphas lost 40-7 to Nothants Knights but of greater significance was the 400-plus attendance - an impressive total applauded and warmly welcomed by the Alphas.
Brigg Jets became the initial North Lincolnshire gridiron team as prospective players answered the call made in a launch poster displayed at the town's Lord Nelson Hotel in January 1984.
While visiting various licensed premises in Brigg last Saturday, we engaged in several conversations about the return of American football the following day.
A number of people from the Brigg area played for the Steelers in the late 1980s, and the Alphas are making Sunday, October 6's clash with Hereford Stampede a Scunthorpe Steelers Reunion Game.
Current players are keen to meet as many ex-Steelers as possible that afternoon.
So if you are a former player, or know anyone who is, touchdown at Quibell Park for the reunion. There's an open invitation to attend.

CHANCE TO RAISE ISSUES WITH BRIGG POLICE

Brigg police will be holding a drop-in session when interested members of the public can go along to meet officers and raise any issues of concern or inquire about crime prevention.
Humberside Police representatives will be in the Angel Suite Lounge on Thursday, October 3, between 10am and noon.
There's no need to make appointments in advance, just call in for a chat.
The Lounge is located on the ground floor of the Angel Suite. Enter through the Rotunda building off the rear car park, then take the stairs or use the lift. The Lounge is situated beyond the bar area.

COUNCIL SOON TWIGS BRIGG PROBLEM ON MAIN ROAD

There was a very quick response to a damaged tree in Brigg after part of it toppled into the carriageway on one of the town's busiest roads.
Branches were encroaching on the A1084, very close to the Monument roundabout.
Some passers-by, on foot, paused on Bigby Road to take a look.
However, North Lincolnshire Council was soon alerted to the problem, although we can't confirm this was done was by way of a TRUNK call!
The tree was then chopped off at the stump and the remains removed.
We noted the stricken tree at 6pm last Friday and by the next morning there was just the stump to be seen on the grass verge (pictured above).
A few days later, council workers were also in action midway along Albert Street, removing another tree.
North Lincolnshire Council has a policy of planting new trees to replace those lost.
Not only that, Brigg's Coun Rob Waltham (the authority's Leader) tells us. Five are planted somewhere in the district to replace each one that's gone.
Many Brigg residents will welcome this root and branch approach.
Avenues of mature trees have been much-admired features of Brigg for decades - Bigby Road, Wrawby Road and Cadney Road being prime examples.