WHERE TO FIND LIVE MUSIC IN BRIGG TONIGHT

Singer Sophie Moss will be performing at the Black Bull pub, on Wrawby Street, Brigg, from 9pm tonight (Saturday, February 29). Karaoke will follow her gig.
The Peacekeeperz band - billed as live and loud - will be performing at the Woolpack, in the Market Place, from 9pm tonight.
Entry to both these events is free - pop in and take a look.

STORM JORGE: BRIGG TOWN FC MATCH POSTPONED

Storm Jorge claimed a sporting victim in Brigg today (Saturday, February 29).
Brigg Town Football Club's scheduled home game with Worsborough Bridge Athletic at the EC Surfacing Stadium (Hawthorns) this afternoon was called off following a morning pitch inspection.
Further strong winds and rain can be expected later today and tomorrow across North Lincolnshire.

BRIGG SHOP: ONE SHOULD STOP, CALL IN AND TAKE A LOOK

A Brigg shop is being given a new look - inside and out.
The One Stop Shop - Atkinson Avenue Stores - is on the Springbank housing estate.
An application having been submitted for advertisement consent to erect various new signs on the front of the premises, Brigg Blog paid an afternoon visit earlier this week to take a look and a picture or two.
Workmen were present outside. And when we decided to venture inside to make a purchase or two, shop fitting work was also proceeding.
We were told the shop was then closed. However a subsequent new media post has informed customers: "Your fresh new store will be open on Saturday, February 29th. Work in progress - please bear with us."
The application for new signs was submitted by One Stop Stores Ltd.
Brigg Town Council was consulted about the proposals, which were discussed at a meeting of the Planning & Environment Committee, with North Lincolnshire planners, as ever, having the final say.
Advert consent was requested to replace existing signage with one facia sign, one aluminium composite panel sign, one push/pull & window manifestation (the descriptive term used) and one lockable poster case.
After our family moved from a Woodbine Grove prefab to Central Square (early in 1963) we used to visit what was then known as a general store on Atkinson Avenue over many years.
The Lilley family operated it for a considerable time and we sometimes called in before, or after, footballing kick-a-bouts or summer games of makeshift cricket on the narrow grassy area between South View Avenue and the Rec Ground.
This play zone was then bordered by a high metal fence with barbed wire on top to deter kids from climbing over to retrieve 'lost' balls. The fence was erected by Brigg Urban District Council.
It was still there in the Glanford area but is no longer evident today (the North Lincolnshire authority now manages the Rec).
If Bonzo, a notorious and very large dog which lived on the Springbank estate, showed up while football was being played in the 1960s, the kids climbed the fence to try and keep a safe distance from the pooch. So the barbed wire on the top actually impinged on our health and safety!
These pictures show the One Stop Shop on Tuesday afternoon (February 25) while refurbishment work was underway.
Can anyone say, with any certainty, when a shop was first established at this location on the Springbank estate?
UPDATE, 12.20pm SATURDAY: After this post had been shared on Facebook, a comment was kindly posted saying the initial Atkinson Avenue shop was operating in 1958 with a Mrs Haynes and her son in charge.

TREE-MENDOUS BRIGG INTEREST IN CHOOSING A NAME FOR OUR NEWEST ROAD

Brigg Town Council has discussed the continuation of an old tradition stretching back many decades.
Five streets on the Newlands estate, when created in the 1930s, were named after tree species with ash, almond, birch, elm and cherry saplings being planted on grass verges outside various properties built for the Urban District Council.
A new road and small housing development is now taking shape off Almond Grove, occupying a site near the Donkey Field children's play area and the Town Council allotments. And the question is: What should it be called?
Higgins Builders have consulted the council, submitting a suggest shortlist - Chestnut Close, Willow Walk and Larch Lane.
The shortlist prompted a lengthy discussion at the latest meeting of the Planning & Environment Committee.
It was explained that councillors could choose any of the three names suggested or perhaps come up with their own alternative.
Coun Ann Eardley said: "I was thinking about Poplar Close, or something like that."
Coun Jane Gibbons thought this might cause confusion - the town already having a Poplar Drive - while Town Mayor Coun Sharon Riggall pointed out that poplar trees were no longer present on the site.
Deputy Town Mayor Coun Brian Parker, chairing the meeting, then suggested Silver Birch Close.
Coun Jane Gibbons felt "if time permitted" this issue might be put to local people attending the Annual Brigg Town Meeting in March - a suggestion also mentioned by the Town Mayor.
However, Town Clerk Dinah Lilley said it was unclear what timescale the developers had for the naming.
The council will be liaising with the builders to clarify the position.

BRIGG IS A MAGNET FOR ALL TYPES OF FISHERS!

Magnet fishing is proving popular on the River Ancholme in Brigg.
Rather than rods being cast in search of fish, this type of angling involves lowering a magnet into the water to see if anything of interest (made of metal) takes the bait.
Ken Harrison, of Brigg Matters magazine, recently 'caught' up with one magnet angling fan, but Brigg Blog has since heard of others visiting the river, particularly at weekends.

BY KEN HARRISON

Sauntering over the County Bridge in Brigg just before 2pm, I spied David McNiece, magnet fishing (pictured here).
He showed me the assortment of metal objects that he had retrieved from the River Ancholme.
He uses a very powerful magnet (cost £60) attached to a length of rope, and the rope itself it attached to a bridge railing to avoid the opportunity of the rope itself ending in the water.
David said that, the other week, he threw his magnet into the river of the towpath behind the B&M store and pulled out a newish and expensive looking sports-bike.
Leaving the bike leaning against the railings, he reported his find on a local Brigg website and he hopes somebody noticed his posting.
While I was with him, David again threw in his magnet....and pulled it out with a sock on the end.
Not a bad fishing-find; the sock contained a stash of coins.....so if anyone has lost a sock, please supply the dates on the coins!

NF adds: We've checked with the Environment Agency, which manages the River Ancholme. Although the Agency does not regulate magnet fishing, it suggests that those engaging in this activity should get permission from the landowner and anyone with fishing rights in the area before participating.

MEMORIES OF A BRIGG NEWSPAPER REPORTER - PART TWO

 

Following the closure of the Lincolnshire & South Humberside Times weekly newspaper in 1985, staff held summer reunions in Brigg for a number of years. And there was a further get-together one Saturday afternoon in 2010 when North Lincolnshire Council's Museum, on Oswald Road, Scunthorpe, staged an exhibition about the history of the paper.
It latterly had offices at 57 Wrawby Street, Brigg, having relocated from the Market Place in the early 1950s when the entrance to Cary Lane was widened.
On display at the museum were some of the bound copies containing a full year's editions which had been preserved for safe-keeping at Baysgarth Museum, Barton, following the paper's demise on economic grounds.
Among ex-staff to attend this exhibition 10 years ago was David Stephens, the final editor, based at 'head office' - the Hull Daily Mail. Prior to promotion, he had been the news editor at Brigg.
Some former staff also met up for a pint or three, back in Brigg, at the Black Bull, on Wrawby Street, to chat about Times past.
For years, Times employees received a very welcome Christmas bonus in the form of an extra week's salary - paid in cash rather than by cheque - and accompanied by a festive note from the management thanking them for their efforts over the previous 12 months.
As you can imagine, the cash came in very handy!
Expenses then formed an important part of reporters' wages, with meal allowances paid for working through lunch hours and at tea time/early evening - a frequent occurrence.
'Incidentals' were added to cover the post of phone calls made from kiosks (no mobile phones in those days!) and the odd pint or two bought for helpful contacts encountered on licensed premises.
Brigg-based editorial staff also received a special weekly payment for compiling the town's  market prices (potatoes, corn, cattle, etc) as these lists also appeared in the Hull Daily Mail, the Grimsby Telegraph and the Scunthorpe Telegraph.
Young reporters were sent to a college in Sheffield on lengthy residential 'block release' training courses.
Course tutors and young journalists from other papers across the North and Midlands who attended were very surprised to be told that Lincs Times reporters were still required to attend funerals and take down the names of mourners as they entered the church or chapel to pay their last respects. These would be appended to the deceased's obituary in the following Friday's edition.
Some course colleagues from much larger newspapers thought this old-fashioned practice had died out at the time when Queen Victoria received her lavish send-off!
Although retired from his role as news editor, veteran journalist Edward (Ted) Dodd, of St Helens Road, Brigg, often helped out at funerals in the early 1980s, as his wide knowledge of local 'faces' was invaluable. Indeed, some funeral directors made personal requests for Ted to attend.
He expected to see young journalists reporting for funeral mourner duty wearing proper attire - shirt, tie and black jacket or top coat (depending on the time of year).
However, there was no chance of claiming the cost of a new Crombie from Wallhead's or Shaw's on expenses!
PICTURED ABOVE: Former Lincolnshire Times staff members Mike Hills, Penny Smith and David Stephens (right) during the museum exhibition in 2010. David was the paper's final editor.

Councillor Penny Smith, of Brigg, in 2010 - pointing to a surviving copy of the very last issue of the Lincolnshire and South Humberside Times weekly newspaper, printed in July 1985.

 

 

Mike Hills in 2010, looking through back issues of the Lincolnshire Times from the mid-1960s.

FOUR BANDS PLAY LIVE ON THE SAME NIGHT IN BRIGG

Brigg Blog was expecting to hear some comments made about the provision of live music in the town last weekend. And this proved to be the case.
We had The Dirty Pitchers at Brigg Town Football Club's Hawthorns clubhouse, Ian Cawsey's Moggies at Brigg & District Servicemen's Club, The Steve Everett Band at the Lord Nelson and The Reason at the Woolpack.
So four live music gigs on the same night. And as was pointed out to us at the weekend, some Saturdays there's only the Market Place's Woolpack offering a 'turn'.
Tomorrow (Saturday, February 29) The Peacekeeperz rock band will be performing at The Woolie, from, 9pm. Free admission - all welcome.
Clearly, bands and singers generally need to be booked well in advance. But is four 'turns' one week and only one on certain Saturdays an ideal situation?
On do you believe it's a case of 'he more, the merrier?

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE EVENT COMING TO THE BRIGG AREA

The Brigg area is to see an environment and climate change day.
This event is being organised for Friday, May 15 at Scawby Village Hall, on West Street in the centre of the village (9.30am to 3.15pm).
Details have been revealed through the Lincolnshire Humber Federation of WIs (Women's Institutes) which has an office in Brigg.
The organisers of this spring event say: "Come and listen to people who are already working towards making changes to protect our planet. They will let you know what, as individuals, we can do."
The day will include talks on food waste, pollinators, recycling clothes, and cars of the future. People are being invited to wear recycled outfits in which they can have their pictures taken in a photo booth on the day.
Admission to this event costs £14 for WI members and £17 for non-members. This includes a light lunch - "showcasing a special soup." The closing date for applications is April 23.
For details, call 07902 297890, email karinclarke50@yahoo.com or inquire at the WI Office, Queen Street, Brigg.

VITAL HOME GAME FOR BRIGG TOWN FC THIS WEEKEND

Brigg Town Football Club have a vital first team game coming up this weekend.
The Zebras will be hosting Worsborough Bridge Athletic at the EC Surfacing Stadium (Hawthorns) on Saturday, February 29 (3pm kick-off).
Brigg are fourth from bottom in ToolStation Northern Counties East Division One, with Worsborough a place and one point below them.
However, Worsborough have four games in hand on the Zebras - a fact that highlights the importance of Saturday's clash for our local team.
Brigg have only won twice at home this season in 14 outings, but have four 'on the road' victories to their credit.
Town are 11 points clear of second-from-bottom Harrogate Railway Athletic but the Yorkshire side have played seven fewer games.
East Hull - propping up the table - have gained a solitary point from 24 fixtures.
Perhaps some Worsborough fans will take advantage of the cheap £12.50p return ticket available to them this Saturday and take a train to and from Brigg station for the match.
Brigg Town Reserves visit bottom side Nettleham on Saturday in the Balcan Lighting Supplies Lincolnshire League Premier.
In the EC Surfacing Ltd Scunthorpe & District Football League, Division One leaders Barnetby United entertain bottom-placed AFC Honest Lawyer at the village's Silver Street ground.
In Division Two, mid-table Briggensians host unbeaten leaders Ashby Bowl at Brigg Recreation Ground, while second-placed Barnetby United Reserves visit New Holland Villa. These three local fixtures kick off at 2pm.

BRIGG SEES FIRST SNOW OF THE WINTER

Apart from the occasional flurry from time to time, today's snow in Brigg is the first the town has seen this winter.
The above picture was taken at 7.30am on Thursday, February 27 with large flakes falling but no wind to make conditions testing.
Mind how you go on the paths.
At 8.15am one market stall remained empty but the others were setting out their stock.
Hornsbys buses serving Brigg running to time.
Light snow in Wressle and Broughton but all roads are fine - even hilly sections.
Scunthorpe received a bit more overnight snow than Brigg but there are no resulting delays on the A18.

WHO SHOULD BE HONOURED IN FUTURE BRIGG STREET NAMES?

With Brigg being a popular place to live and hundreds of new homes being planned on various sites, many new street names are going to be required in the years ahead.
Perhaps the developers can be asked to consider honouring local people who contributed to the community in Brigg in various ways.
In addition, we have award-winning actress Joan Plowright - seen by some as the most famous person ever born in the town.
Now aged 90 and retired from her many stage and screen roles, Dame Joan (Lady Olivier - widow of Sir Laurence) was born on Central Square in 1929 and lived in Brigg until the family moved to Scunthorpe. 
Some reference sources and newspaper reports - over many decades - have incorrectly suggested she was born in the steel town.
Plowright Place as a Brigg street name has a nice ring to it!
There's been some debate on a local social media site in recent weeks about whether Joan's family lived at No. 32 or No. 1 Central Square. Our money is on the latter.
One contributor has even suggested one of those circular blue 'famous person live here' plaques might be affixed to the correct property. That, of course, would require the current owner(s) written permission.
Some of our older followers may be able to settle a point about Chapel Way - the cul-de-sac off Churchill Avenue.
We heard it suggested long ago that this cul-de-sac was intended to be named after Canon Roger Chappell, a former Vicar of Brigg.
However, the street is not too far from the small chapel in the cemetery. So perhaps Chapel was always the intended spelling - for this reason.
Former Brigg clergymen Canon Burgess and Father O'Hanlon have been honoured in street names.
With some early signs of spring evident in Brigg, including Purple4Polio crocuses appearing on many grass verges, now seems as good a time as any to reflect on flower-related street names within the town.
Would you be able to help if a delivery man/woman, or car-driving member of the public, stopped you and asked for directions to Foxglove Close (pictured), Poppyfield Way, Clover Court or Bluebell Road?
These streets are on a relatively recent housing development that adjoins the 1930s-built Newlands estate. Direct vehicular access is along Almond Grove, and adjoining the entrance is Bramble Way.
The other streets on Newlands are named after tree species (apart from Kingsway - presumably George VI), as are those on the other side of town on the Tollbar estate - Willowbrook Drive, Oakfield Close, Maple Close and Ashdown Close.
Some of the first council-built properties in Brigg were on Woodbine Avenue (taking its name from the farm nearby) in the early 1920s; Woodbine Grove prefabs helped to meet a housing shortage after WW2 but had all been demolished by the early 1970s.
Hawthorn Avenue dates from the early 1930s as does Hedgerow Lane, while Poplar Drive was a 1950s creation. There's also The Copse, off Bigby High Road.
The Urban District Council showed little imagination with West Square, East Parade and Central Square between the world conflicts.
Post-Second World War it soon added Northern Avenue, South View Avenue and (a little later) Western Avenue on the Springbank development.
West Terrace (off Bridge Street) had been a much earlier creation.
Historic open fields (pre-enclosure of agricultural land circa 1800) are recalled by Westrum Lane, Springfield Road and Springfield Rise, Glebe Road, St Helens Road, Eastfield Road, Highfield Grove and Redcombe Lane.
Past industries/businesses are recalled by Kiln Lane, Engine Street, Springs Way, The Bottlings and Mill Lane.
Brigg 'worthy citizens' from centuries past are honoured in many street names, including Magrath Court, Preston Drive, Barnard Avenue and Street, Horstead Avenue, Davy Crescent, O'Hanlon Avenue, Burgess Road, Foxton Way, Springs Way, Kings Avenue, Elwes Street, Holme Close, Cary Lane, Morleys Yard and Yarborough Road.
Atherton Way was named after Kirton Lindsey's Coun Terry Atherton, reflecting the work he did for Brigg in terms of economic development while leader of Glanford Borough Council in the 1980s and the fact he was a driving force behind pedestrianisation and town centre regeneration.
On the other side of the New River Ancholme, in Broughton parish, the Waters Edge housing development received some bird-related street names - Swift Drive, Mallard Way and Kingfisher Drive. This was a nice touch, as these species can be spotted locally.
PICTURED ABOVE: Where Bramble Way meets Foxglove Close (top) and adjoining properties on Central Square. Famous actress Joan Plowright was born in one of them. We believe in the one on the right.

BRIGG TOILETS BACK IN BUSINESS FROM TODAY

Lead was stripped from the roof of the East Park public conveniences in Brigg last September, allowing rain to pour in and forcing North Lincolnshire Council to close the facility on health and safety grounds, with Out of Order signs being displayed on the building,
Repairs were sanctioned and carried out at various times over several months, including providing a new roof, interior electrical work and repainting.
Now, with all the refurbishment completed, the WCs are back in business.
Coun Carl Sherwood announced at Brigg Town Council's latest meeting, held earlier this week in the Angel, that the toilets would reopen from Thursday, February 27. He's a member of the cabinet at the North Lincolnshire authority.
The other set of public WCs in Brigg, on Cary Lane, has remained open while those near the Tintab shelter and the Monument have been out of action.
The East Park toilets, being beside the busy A18, are used by motorists passing through the town, as well as local people.

ESTIMATED AGES OF FAMILIAR BRIGG TREES INCLUDE A FEW SURPRISES

Estimated ages of trees lining various streets in the town have been received from Ken Harrison, of Brigg Matters Magazine. He soon responded to a recent Brigg Blog post on this topic. View details here. Ken's suggestions are set out below...

The lime trees along Wrawby and Bigby Roads should be fairly easy to date. They were planted on the initiative of John Hett from circa 1861...so assuming the trees, when planted, were already 10-year saplings, this would age the trees reasonably accurately to be about 165 years old.
During the same period a Joseph Hopkins and H.H. Cave, the agent for the Elwes estate, volunteered to fund tree plant in other parts of the town. HH Cave concentrated upon East Park (area near the public toilets), but the Brigg Board reported several times on vandalism between circa 1875 to 1890 and Cave's trees needed replacing.  Therefore, the trees in the area of East Park appear to from about 165 years to about 145 years old.
Lime trees are fairly long-lived, from 200 to 300 years; so, on average, they have another 80 odd years before they start to curl up the roots.
In contrast, Birch trees are comparatively short-lived - 50 to 70 years. Therefore, assuming that the tree that toppled over in Birch Avenue (during Storm Ciara) was a 10-year sapling when planted, it would have been planted about 1960/70.
Birch trees are one of the unfortunate species of trees that is more likely than other types to succumb to high winds.
Overall, few trees appear to have a natural death....with age, they become prone to being smothered by other species, victims of bacterial/disease and insect infestations.
Methinks the older trees will be found in areas of the town where they have not been disturbed for hundreds of years, i.e. old Elwes land ...previously their parks and gardens...and there are old mature trees on the periphery of the town's secondary school sites.
At the time of the Brigg Bronze Age boats, there is strong evidence that area was a dense deciduous forest of oak, hazel and other species.

HETT CUP FOOTBALL AT BRIGG TOWN TONIGHT

There's Hett Cup football to watch in Brigg tonight (Wednesday, February 26).
Brigg Town Under-18s will be playing Limestone Rangers in the last of this season's quarter-finals. Kick off at the EC Surfacing Stadium (Hawthorns) is 7pm.
Admission is free, programmes cost £1, and there will be a raffle.
Pips Kitchen will be open, selling food and drinks.
The Hett Cup raises money for local charities every season.
Already through to the semi-finals are Brigg Town, Brigg Town Reserves and Broughton WMC. The draw for the next round will be made after the conclusion of tonight's tie.
 

BRIGG STILL NOT BACK TO NORMAL AFTER FEBRUARY STORMS

February 2020 will be remembered in Brigg for Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis and other spells of wet and often windy weather, with damage to fences, properties and trees.
The month has also seen the level of the River Ancholme rise considerably at times.
There was still evidence of rough weather to be seen in the town yesterday (Tuesday, February 25). These pictures were taken on the Springbank housing estate.
Above we see broken branches near the storm overflow drain at the bottom end of Grammar School Road. Below - a sizeable area of standing water between South View Avenue and the all-weather sports pitch at the Recreation Ground.

BRIGG ROAD CLOSURE COMING UP

A Brigg street is to be closed to through traffic during a 10-day period, motorists should note.
A road closure has been approved for Garden Street, within the town centre, from Monday, March 2 to Thursday, March 12 inclusive.
This is while gas network company Cadent is carrying out works near one of the properties.
Drivers will need to follow a short diversion while Garden Street is closed - along Cross Street, the eastern section of Wrawby Street and the top end of Queen Street.
Delays are said to be 'possible' for motorists using the A18 Scawby Road, Scawby Brook, between Thursday, February 27 and Wednesday March 4 while Northern Powergrid installs a new electricity connection.

NEW HOMES PLANNED IN VILLAGES NEAR BRIGG

North Lincolnshire Council is now considering a planning application seeking permission to erect a dwelling at 17 Victoria Road, Barnetby.
West Lindsey District Council has yet to decide applications recently received to erect two detached dwellings on Station Road, Grasby, and one dwelling at White House, Main Street, Bigby.
The West Lindsey authority has now granted approval to rebuild the fire-damaged garage and carry out various internal and external alterations to the existing chauffeur's accommodation, for use as annexe accommodation, at The Old Rectory, Main Street, Bigby.

DOZENS OF BRIGG BOOKS DELIVERED NORTH OF THE BORDER

Edward Dodd's famous book about Brigg has been read north of the border and is familiar to a number of Scots.
Brigg Blog's post about the Oxfam shop's recent special local history book sale mentioned Ted's landmark 1974 publication - copies of which were circulated to households across our town.
Andrew 'Sass' Markham has now contacted us to say: "It reminded me of where a number of books went. You may remember (more likely not) that in 1982 I visited all of the Scottish Football League grounds in a season.
"As a thank you for some of the hospitality I received (ground-hopping, especially the way I did it, was seen as unusual then) I gave each of the 36 clubs a copy of Ted Dodd's book. I would imagine most were not kept ...but I often wonder."
Yes, Andrew, Brigg Blog does recall your 1982 marathon and also your trip around the world, which was serialised, as it progressed, in the Scunthorpe Telegraph, including the highspots and low points.

SPEED CAMERAS OPERATING IN BRIGG AREA TODAY

Safer Roads Humber says safety cameras are used across the region as part of its overall strategy to make local roads safer. And a road in the Brigg area is being included today.
Mobile and fixed speed cameras detect speeding vehicles "at sites of risk." They are able to deploy the cameras at a range of locations.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020: Daily enforcement will be carried out on the B1206 Redbourne Road, Hibaldstow.
Brigg Blog's advice to drivers is: Slow down and stick to the speed limit in place on local roads at all times.

BLUEPRINT FOR FUTURE HOUSING DISCUSSED IN BRIGG

Brigg people were given an opportunity to have their say on how our town and the district will be developed up to the year 2036. But if you missed it, there's still time to let the local authority know your views on the blueprint.
North Lincolnshire Council hosted a public consultation in the Angel Suite on market day (Thursday, February 20) with an open invitation to attend between 3pm and 6pm.
There was an opportunity to make personal views known about the council's 'preferred options' for inclusion in the latest Local Plan - setting out how things are going to take shape. Future housing developments form a key part of this.
Present with council staff was Brigg & Wolds Ward's Coun Nigel Sherwood, chairman of North Lincolnshire Council's Planning Committee.
Staff showed us a map on which land earmarked for housing in Brigg was indicated - some already having planning approval and some yet to progress to the application stage.
The largest sites indicated were the so-called Brigg North development stretching from Wrawby Road to behind the Springbank estate, and two sizeable areas off Bridge Street.
We inquired about the long-approved apartments earmarked for land in the former railway station yard but as yet there's no indication when building will commence (by a developer - not the council).
We wondered whether the council had considered designating housing land on the other side of the railway line, close to Candley Beck, with access possible off Elwes Street/Cadney Road.
It was pointed out to us that this is beyond the Development Boundary and in neighbouring West Lindsey. The area is also low-lying and close to the Old River Ancholme, to which it is connected by the beck.
We noted that York Road 'field' was without land definition on the Local Plan draft map being displayed to the public.
This site was earmarked by Humberside County Council in the late 1970s as the eventual site for Brigg's new primary school (replacing the one on Glebe Road). But some 20 years later, during North Lincolnshire Council's tenure as the education authority, the new school was erected instead on Atherton Way. So this sizeable portion of land has been left untouched as a grassy area of public open space.
Many people living on the St Helens housing estate will be pleased that York Road 'field' is not earmarked for future housing or other change of use, in the latest Local Plan.
Brigg Blog would not have been surprised if the vacant land had been suggested as a site for new Brigg allotments, to replace those off Grammar School Road. But part of Woodbine Park, off Woodbine Avenue, is now the chosen location for these plots and they will start to take shape later this year..
To find out more about land allocations, visit https://localplan.northlincs.gov.uk
People who were unable to make it to the Angel Suite consultation can also view the Local Plan and leave comments online at https://localplan.northlincs.gov.uk up to 5pm on March 27.

CHAMPAGNE MOMENT AS BRIGG BLOG BRINGS YOU A TASTE OF SPRING'S FACTORY HISTORY

Many people living in Brigg today know that the famous Spring's Delights factory, overlooking the Old River Ancholme, made marmalade, jam and lemon cheese (curd).
However, a price list from 1934 that has somehow survived down the decades and reached our archives shows there were other products, including a few surprises.
Spring's offered an extensive range of calves' feet jelly - seen as a tonic for people of all ages who had been under the weather.

Some varieties included a touch of alcoholic tipple to help speed recovery!
Back in mid-1930s, tall jars of this jelly were made by Spring's in various flavours - plain, lemon, with Port, with Sherry and even with Champagne! Bulk orders were welcome - 36 jars to the case.
Spring's high quality jams included strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, apricot, greengage, damson and plum.

The firm said in the 1930s that it's Spring's Delights were sold all over the world "and are particularly famous for their pure and wholesome qualities".
It showcased cherry marmalade - "a novelty in afternoon tea jams; a really high-class preserve; one of our most attractive packs; an instantaneous success when first introduced and still growing in popularity."
Small two-ounce jars - "suitable for cafes, etc" - were available at £2 a gross (144).
Spring's finest quality honey was branded The Vitamin Food and sold in liquid and granulated form.
"After 50 years' experience in the expert blending and packing of pure honey, Spring's honey is acknowledged to be the best value on the market," the management declared.
It was so confident in the quality of products that a £500 guarantee was given "to the effect that no pulp - foreign or otherwise - is used in the manufacture of Spring's quality jams."
Spring's factory ceased production in March 1980 (Josie Webb has kindly supplied the month) but the Spring's Delights emblem from the front of the building lived on, being incorporated into the new Grandways supermarket built on the site. That was a nice touch by the developers.
The emblem is still there today - in premises now occupied by B & M. But you'll need to walk round to the side of the store on to the riverside footpath to take a good look.

LATEST BRIGG PLANS TO BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT

Brigg Town Council's Planning & Environment Committee will be meeting tonight (Monday, February 24) in the Angel Suite Lounge, from 6.45pm.
Councillors will be considering the latest planning applications submitted within the town and also discussing the naming of a new housing development. The session is open to interested members of the public.

AGENDA/BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED
1. To Receive apologies and approve reasons for absence.
2. (a) To record declarations of interest by any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below. 
   (b) To note dispensations given to any member of the council in respect of agenda items.
3. TO RECEIVE AND APPROVE THE MINUTES, AS CIRCULATED, OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 17 FEBRUARY 2020.
4. To receive any general correspondence; comments invited on naming of the new development behind 11 Almond Grove.
5. a) To receive and note any applications for Market Consent
b) To receive and consider any applications for a Grant or Variation of Premises Licence.
6. To receive the update on outstanding issues from the Clerk
7. a) TO CONSIDER ANY PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONAL PLANS PUBLICISED BUT RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS CIRCULATED
Proposal: Planning permission to replace 4 first floor timber single-glazed Yorkshire sliding sash windows with 4 timber double-glazed Yorkshire sliding sash windows to the front elevation at 41, Country Retreat, Bigby Street.
b) TO NOTE THE DECISIONS RECEIVED FROM NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL REGARDING PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS
Tonight's planning meeting will be followed at 7.15pm by the February meeting of Brigg Town Council, also in the Angel Suite Lounge and  open to members of the public. View further details here...

BIG ATTENDANCE FOR THE WILDER ANCHOLME PROJECT LAUNCH IN BRIGG

 

There was a sizeable attendance in Brigg for the launch of the Wilder Ancholme Project at the weekend.
Public consultations and project launches in our town often fail to attract the numbers they deserve, but this was far from the case in the function room at the Buttercross on Saturday (February 22) as the above picture shows. And we gather we weren't there during the peak period!
The organisers wisely selected the day of the month when the Brigg Farmers' Market was operating - increasing footfall in the Market Place - and this certainly helped to boost the launch turn-out.
The Heritage Lottery-funded Wilder Ancholme Project's stated aim is "Rediscovering and Rewilding a 'Lost Landscape' - Lincolnshire's Ancholme Valley." This involves exploring its hidden heritage, local history and biodiversity.
We'll be hearing a lot more about this 18-month project which is already "working with the community to explore the Ancholme valley's past, present and future."
Local folk are being invited to share their thoughts and memories of the valley through North Lincolnshire Museum (represented at the launch event).
Also present on stands were members of the project team, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust  and Brigg's Paul Hildreth, well-known for his knowledge of geology.
We also spotted some local farmers paying a visit to Saturday's session, but most of those who attended were interested members of the public who picked up a number of helpful leaflets that were free to collect.
Brigg Blog has offered itself as a source of information for local folk as the project progresses and events arise.
But project team made it clear that even if you failed to make it to Saturday's session, there's plenty of time to get involved and contribute. They are keen to hear your views and to see you at future events.
Visit www.ukeconet.org/ancholme.html - follow Wilder Ancholme on Facebook or email info@hallamec.plus.com
The project also has a Twitter presence @WAncholme and is on Instagram - see wilder_ancholme
Many events across the valley will be coming up over the next 12 months, including some in Brigg, Broughton and Bonby. They include a woodland bat walk, a dragonfly walk and a Big Test Pit Dig Day (recording archaeological finds).  Brigg Blog will preview these nearer the time. 

'A Vision for a Wilder and Wetter Ancholme Valley'

The project says in a post on its website: "Adapting to change and working with nature may mean some lands will be wetter and many areas will be farmed differently. However, this VISION  is one of a wetter countryside yes, but also one with a vibrant farming economy and community at its heart. Developed effectively, a wetter Ancholme can be a growth-pole for regional leisure and tourism economies, a wonderful wildlife resource, and an attractive countryside too. As an artery linking the great Humber Estuary, the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds, the coastal marshes and sand-dunes, and the heart of rural Lincolnshire itself, the Ancholme can be transformational for the region and bring enormous benefits to people, nature, and the economy.
"We are seeking opinions, ideas and partners to bring about changes over both the short-term and the longer timeline." Read the full post through this link...
 

Professor Ian D. Rotherham at the launch event.

Lewys Wheeler - a member of the project team.

Brigg's Paul Hildreth on one of the stands.

A sign outside the Buttercross on Saturday, alerting people to the launch.

BRIGG WARNING SIGN AIMS TO IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY

This useful advisory sign is displayed on Cadney Road, Brigg - in an effort to improve road safety.
Carrying a red for danger border, it features the logo of Safer Roads Humber - the organisation that's better known for monitoring vehicle speeds with cameras on various roads across the Humberside policing area, on both banks of the river.
The sign's 'Pass wide and slow' message is aimed at drivers who may encounter horse-riders and cyclists, for whom this is a very popular semi-rural route.
Tree-lined Cadney Road, alongside the Old River Ancholme, is narrow and a Class C minor highway. However, it still sees a great deal of vehicular traffic.
The sign advises horse-riders and cyclists to 'be seen' by wearing bright clothing; we take that to include reflective jackets.
Our picture was taken late one afternoon in February when the light was beginning to fade. However, the trees either side of Cadney Road - even when in leaf during spring and summer - blot out some of the natural light. So visibility is often not ideal.
We don't like the term 'boy racers' but it's a fact that some youthful drivers use Bigby Street, Elwes Street and Cadney Road as they circuit the town, which is not a problem if they stick to the speed limit. But if any young motorists are reading this post, will they please watch out for cyclists and horse riders as they head for, or return from, Cadney. The same goes for drivers in all other age groups - women as well as men.
We aren't sure how long this sign has been in place on Cadney Road but it wasn't there last time we visited this part of the town.

ANNUAL BACON BUN DAY COMING UP IN BRIGG

It will be open house at WI House, in Brigg town centre, on a market day in the near future.
The Women's Institute headquarters - midway along Queen Street - will be hosting its annual Bacon Bun Day on Thursday, March 26, from 10am to noon.
"Come and join us for a bacon bun, tea/coffee and a bit of banter," the organisers say.
The cost is just £3, and there will be a raffle.
There's no need to book places in advance - just pop in for a snack.
Queen Street, of course, found fame for its pork products. Just a couple of doors from WI House, Turner's butchers - for decades - sold its tasty range of home-made pork pies, haslet, Lincolnshire sausages and other products to eager shoppers.
After Turner's closed, 8 Queen Street - on the corner of Garden Street - was converted into The Beauty Clinique.

MIXED BAG OF RESULTS FROM BRIGG & DISTRICT FOOTBALL SIDES

Brigg Town Reserves were the only local football side to record a victory yesterday (Saturday, February 22).
They enjoyed a welcome 3-0 home win over Wyberton in the Balcan Lighting Supplies Lincolnshire League Premier.
Brigg Reserves are in tenth spot, with three sides below them in the table.
Brigg Town's first teamers lost 3-1 away to North Ferriby in ToolStation Northern Counties East Division One.
Joe Smithson scored a late consolation goal for the Zebras in a match watched by 340 fans, including some who travelled north over the Humber Bridge. This was the second highest NCEL attendance of the day.
Ferriby are in fourth spot, while Brigg are fourth from bottom, having now played 28 league fixtures.
In EC Surfacing Ltd Scunthorpe & District Football League Division Two, mid-table Briggensians lost 1-0 Crosby Colts Reserves at at Brigg Recreation Ground.
In the same section, second-in-the-table Barnetby United Reserves drew 2-2 at home to third-placed Limestone Rangers Reserves - Barnetby's scorers being Joe Plaskitt and Brendan O’Callaghan.
Barnetby's first teamers - due to visit College Wanderers in Scunthorpe - saw their EC Surfacing Ltd Challenge Cup semi-final postponed due to adverse pitch conditions. It will now be re-arranged.

CHANGES PLANNED FOR THE ANGEL BUILDING DISCUSSED BY BRIGG TOWN COUNCILLORS

A scheme to alter the landmark Angel building in Brigg Market Place has moved a step closer being carried out.
Meeting in the Angel Suite Lounge, Brigg Town Council's Planning & Environment Committee raised no objections to the proposal, having been consulted as part of the planning process.
The final decision will now be taken by North Lincolnshire Council planners at some point in the coming weeks.
North Lincolnshire Council's estates section has submitted a very detailed application to alter the Angel's front and rear entrances; it is also planned to make changes to the layout inside the building which provides considerable office space and houses the Heritage Centre, library and community hub.
Members of the Town Council's committee studied the proposals at length and viewed some of the technical drawings relating to the application which they viewed on a tablet computer.
Most of their discussions centred on the proposed front entrance.
It will be at a right angle to the current entrance - see our picture montage above.
Committee chairman Coun Brian Parker, Deputy Town Mayor, told colleagues it was planned to put the new front entrance where a window is currently located.
Town Mayor Coun Sharon Riggall noted "a lot of writing" on the relevant drawing supplied with the application, but noted: "It does not show how it is going to look."
The committee then turned its attentions to what the proposed new entry point will mean for people visiting the Angel.
At present, access is gained through the Cafe Courtyard. If the alterations are agreed, this will no longer be necessary.
Coun Riggall described the current arrangement through the eatery as "not ideal."
Coun Parker thought what was planned would prove better for people going to and from the library (on the ground floor) "rather than have to go through where people are eating."
Coun Jane Gibbons sought information about the changes planned inside the building through alterations to the layout.
The Town Council is surrendering its lease on the Angel Suite to North Lincolnshire Council, the owner of the building, including the main function room, kitchen, lounge and basement offices.
Town Clerk Dinah Lilley said the Town Council would be located at the front of the building behind the Angel carving.
After the committee had agreed to raise no objections to the planning application, the Town Mayor added: "We have had a good look at it."
The Angel, to many people's surprise, is not a listed building; however, it is within the Brigg Conservation Area and there are many other listed buildings nearby.
The public consultation period for this application ended on February 19.

UPDATE TO BE GIVEN ON NEW BRIGG ALLOTMENTS SITE

An update on the establishment of a new allotments site in Brigg will be given during a meeting next week.
Plots are being established on land which forms part of the Woodbine Park play area, near Preston Drive.
The allotments' relocation, from Grammar School Road (see picture above), will be considered when Brigg Town Council hold its next monthly meeting on Monday, February 24 in the Angel Suite Lounge, starting at 7.15pm. This is open to interested members of the public.
The meeting will also receive an update about Brigg in Bloom and future litter-picking sessions.

AGENDA/ BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED
1. To Receive Apologies and to Approve Reasons for Absence
2. a) To Consider the suspension of the Meeting for the Purpose of Prayer
b) To Resolve that Standing Orders be reinstated
3. a) To Record any Declarations of Interest by any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below.
b) To note any dispensations given to any member of the council in respect of the Agenda items listed below.
4. Police Matters
5. To receive any correspondence (for information only)
6. To receive the update on any outstanding issues from the clerk
7. Public Question Time
8. To Receive any Questions from Members
9. To receive a report from the North Lincolnshire Council Ward Councillors
10. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS. To approve the minutes of the last Council meeting and note the minutes of the last Planning and Environment Committee meeting
11. To receive reports from members delegated to serve on outside bodies and working groups:

• Environmental Development Group
• Brigg in Bloom
• Dates for next Litter Picks – Great British Spring Clean 20 March to 13 April; Brigg Litter Pick 28 March 2020
• Christmas Lights – to set a meeting date

12. ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
a) To Receive Budget Monitoring Reports as at 31 January 2020, and Approve the Accounts for Payment
13. ALLOTMENTS UPDATE
i)  Redcombe Lane
ii) Grammar School Road
iii) Allotment relocation update
14. GRANT APPLICATIONS - To consider requests i) Briggensians
15. TO PROPOSE ANY AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
16. In view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted, it is advisable in the public interest that the press and public are excluded and they are instructed to withdraw; (Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, section 1(2)).
17. WEBSITE PROVIDER
18. TOWN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
19. THE HANDYMAN

HOME IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED IN BRIGG TOWN CENTRE

Home improvements are planned within Brigg Town centre.
Planning permission to replace four first floor timber single-glazed Yorkshire sliding sash windows with four timber double-glazed Yorkshire sliding sash windows to the front elevation is being requested for Country Retreat, 41 Bigby Street (opposite St John's Church). This is not a listed building but is within the Brigg Conservation Area.
A heritage statement accompanying the application says the existing windows are in very poor condition with extensive rot to the lower frames and sills.
"The appearance of the replacement windows will be the same and this will preserve the character of the traditional building and the street-scene in Bigby Street," the statement says.
North Lincolnshire Council is now considering this application.

SHOPPERS URGED TO 'LEAP' ON UNIQUE BRIGG LINE TRAINS ON A DAY WHEN IT'S ALL CHANGE FOR OUR LOCAL SERVICE

Brigg railway station has a very sparse passenger train service - Saturdays only and then just three trains in each direction calling between Sheffield and Cleethorpes. So a very apt Leap Year promotion has been arranged for February 29 - the rarest date in the calendar, only encountered every fourth year.
The promotion on the final Saturday this month will encourage people from other communities along the Sheffield-Cleethorpes line, in South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, West Lindsey and northern Lincolnshire, to take the train and visit Brigg, where local businesses will be glad of their custom, including eateries and niche shops.
The Business Partnership Rail Group has teamed up with a graphic designer to produce a poster encouraging people "to leap on the unique Saturday only train service and visit Brigg."

The graphic, seen here, gives the train times and prices from Sheffield, Worksop, Retford, Gainsborough, Kirton Lindsey, Grimsby and Cleethorpes.
February 29 will be the last day when the Northern company runs trains along the iconic Brigg Line. After the final train has completed its journey on Saturday, it's a case of all change for this service with 're-nationalisation' taking place.
The Department for Transport says the government will operate the Northern Rail franchise from March 1, 2020, and adds: "Passenger journeys will not be affected."
While the government is taking an interest in railways in our part of the country, Brigg Blog thinks it should consider improving what's on offer at our station.
Most stations, including the one at Barnetby, now have very helpful display screens on their platforms which give waiting passengers constant updates about train arrival times and delays, backed up by loudspeaker announcements.
Sadly, such facilities have yet to be installed at Brigg station.
Recently, when signalling issues (beyond the Northern company's control) delayed the first Saturday morning train by 50 minutes, there was no way to inform people waiting on platform one at Brigg station.
Brigg Blog was very fortunate on this particular Saturday; with a tight connection to catch at Barnetby on our way to Newark, we decided to hire the CallConnect dial-a-ride bus service to take us from Brigg to the village station... for a bargain £2.10p!
In view of the unexpected 50-minute delay, this proved to be a very wise move.
However, when we came back from Newark via Lincoln, the final Northern service of the day from Barnetby was on time and we arrived at Brigg station before 8pm, as planned.
The government wants to improve punctuality and reduce cancellations on services currently run by Northern. However, some of these are down to reasons beyond the control of the train operator. Passengers will be hoping for better things after March 1 but it will take time.

'LIKE FOR LIKE' SIGNS APPROVED FOR HIBALDSTOW PUB

A pub serving meals in the Brigg area can display new signs, North Lincolnshire Council has decided. 
Planners have granted advertisement consent for the Wheatsheaf, on Station Road, Hibaldstow.
Approval was sought to display two refurbished board signs, one refurbished hanging sign, three picture signs and four painted signs at the well-known building in the centre of the village.
The proposed signage makes reference to food and cask ales being available, plus "live sports" (TV) and a real fire. The main sign's lettering reads: The Wheatsheaf - Pub & Dining.
Hibaldstow Parish Council raised no objections to this application.
Recommending that consent should be given, a North Lincolnshire Council officer's report concluded: "It is reasonable to expect that a business of this nature would require adverts  to announce its presence in the area, and the level of signage proposed is considered to be commensurate with the size and scale of the existing use and size of the building, and does not detract from the character or appearance of the area. 
"The signs are mainly like for like replacements, and do not create clutter or loss of amenity to the area."

SATURDAY MORNING MEMORIES OF A BRIGG NEWSPAPER REPORTER - PART ONE

The shopping preferences of Brigg residents and visitors from surrounding communities could be observed 40 years ago from the reporters' lofty perch above the front entrance to the Lincolnshire & South Humberside Times weekly newspaper offices at 57 Wrawby Street. It gave them a panoramic view of everyday life as people passed by. 
The A18 was still running through the town centre in the early 1980s, with traffic wardens out and about, on foot, to deter drivers from parking on the yellow lines outside shops and hampering the free flow of vehicles.
However, motorists continued to draw up near Bowen's to pop in for their fresh-bread order or a bag of delicious cakes.
The town's first gaming arcade was proving popular with the younger element, and there were many more stalls on the Saturday market 40 years ago than there are today. The Queen's Arms pub was serving up pints on Wrawby Street, and Woolworth's store was the town's largest although it was nearing the end of the line.
Editorial staff at the Times took turns in covering the 9am to noon Saturday morning shift - by far the easiest of the week.
This began with a walk across Wrawby Street and the Old Courts Road car park to the Barnard Avenue police station (then relatively new) to pick up details of any overnight crimes  - often drink-related due to people enjoying the previous evening a little too much.
So-called Police Calls were a reliable and regular source of news, the information usually being furnished personally by the duty inspector or a senior sergeant, but sometimes by the chief inspector in charge of the Brigg & Barton Sub-Division of the Humberside force.
If the Saturday reporter had covered the previous morning's cases at Brigg Magistrates' Court (since closed and converted to residential use) these would be bashed out using an old typewriter, to appear in the next issue. The paper provided for this purpose was not Basildon Bond, nor even the most basic form of A4; instead you got left over 'crop ends' from the huge rolls of newsprint used by the printing press at the Hull Daily Mail). These were cut roughly to shape and the sheets bundled together with string.
Carbon copies had to be made and kept in case the originals went astray on their long journey to Hull via the Humber Ferry, sometimes involving trains from Barnetby to Habrough and then Habrough to New Holland.
What could possibly go wrong?
The Saturday shift also provided time to write up news gleaned during the two meetings of Glanford Borough Council held in Brigg most Thursdays and including planning, health and housing. Glanford then rented out hundreds of council houses before social landlords appeared on the scene.
A top priority on Saturdays was penning articles for the Farming Notebook column that appeared on one of the inside pages.
This was not too difficult, even if your knowledge of farming was restricted to potato picking while at school, as many press releases arrived from agricultural suppliers as well as farming concerns.
Later in the week these would be supplemented by the widely-read Brigg market prices - reflecting the degree of trade at the stock market (where Tesco's store now stands), cereal sales (from Halmshaw's), Stennett's auction (then located down Manley Gardens) and potatoes, provided by Norman Leaning and staff at the Potato Marketing Board office. Varieties listed included King Edward, Wilja, Desiree and Estima, grown in Wold or warp soil, with demand from buyers described as heavy (in good times) or sometimes hesitant.
Norman, from Scawby Brook, was also the secretary of Brigg & District Servicemen's Club at this time.
Saturday's leisurely mid-morning tea break gave administrative, advertising, photographic and reporting staff an opportunity to bring each other up to date about a wide range of topics planned for the following Friday's edition as it began to take shape.
Brigg Town Clerk, Joseph J. Magrath OBE, sometimes joined us for a Saturday cuppa, having special rights to park his car behind the office, to which access was gained via the brick archway that now leads through to the Exchange Coach House Inn's courtyard development.
Sometimes the Saturday morning reporter would be required to accompany photographer Coun Bryan Robins to cover an event of note in the town or one of the nearby villages.
On one occasion, several members of a Second World War bomber crew returned from Canada to Elsham airfield, where they had served on Lancasters, for a nostalgic reunion. Their story duly appeared on the 'centre spread' called Times Feature Focus.
It was a shame that reporting veteran Edward (Ted) Dodd, by then retired from his post as news editor, was not in the office that morning, as he often was. Being a WW2 ground crew member from RAF Elsham Wold, he would certainly have volunteered to take on this mission! Long after he had left the payroll, Ted continued to work as a reporter, filling in when staff were on holiday or attending residental college courses lasting several months.
Editorial staff had a pool car at their disposal - vehicles allocated in the early 1980s including a T-reg Ford Fiesta (with indifferent manual choke) and later a Mini Metro. If these failed or were in for a service, there was a trusty Bedford van assigned to ever-cheerful Branch Manager, Cliff Hatley. This was the vehicle in which editorial newcomers were expected to undertake a short driving test on local roads to confirm that the company was satisfied with our competence - for insurance purposes.
Saturday being rather a 'slow' shift, it was a good time to top up the Ford Fiesta or Metro's tank at Sass's Monument Garage petrol station (now the site of the hand car-wash). No cash was required, just a signature, as the Times had an account.
Many Saturday stories in the early 1980s were written about Brigg Sugar Factory - then still a major local employer, together with the cycle factory off Bridge Street, However, Spring's preserves factory and Corah's hosiery concern had closed during the previous decade.
To be continued later in Part Two...