RARE COLOUR PICTURES OF BRIGG CORN EXCHANGE

These rare colour pictures of Brigg Corn Exchange have come to light. We think they date back to the very early 1990s or perhaps the late 1980s. This was  a time when some people in the town were wondering whether the Victorian building ought to be grade two listed, with a view to affording it protection from demolition.
Even during its ownership by Brigg Urban District Council in the 1960s, there were concerns about the cost of upkeep of such a large public building. These concerns grew after Glanford Borough Council took charge in the 1970s and intensified during the 1980s. Eventually, a decision was taken that it would have to go.
These pictures show that the Corn Exchange could hardly be described as a beautiful building. But it was very large and ideal for major events like operatic productions and the music and drama festival.
Perhaps it was just too large for a small market town, and that was the factor that eventually led to it being closed and knocked down.
One of these pictures shows the old Angel Hotel ballroom - much smaller than the cavernous Corn Exchange but able to fill the role of community venue, it was felt as the neighbouring building's useful life was drawing to a close.
Today we have the Angel Suite, operated by Brigg Town Council, just as its predecessor, Brigg Urban District Council, once ran the nearby Corn Exchange.
Glanford Borough Council's reign was short-lived (1974-1996). It achieved much for Brigg during those 22 years but many older Brigg people who can remember happy times spent in the Corn Exchange will not feel the way it treated the Corn Exchange to be Glanford's finest hour.
However, of 41 Glanford councillors, Brigg had but three. And it was often pointed out that places like Broughton, Kirton Lindsey, Bottesford and even small villages all ran their own community venues and funded them. So why should Glanford have to subsidise and run Brigg's? The same argument applied to the Recreation Ground.
The answer is that Brigg UDC was well aware of the costs involved in running the Corn Exchange and the  Rec and did not take them on, as it might, or even should, have done in 1973/4. So both passed to Glanford, almost by default.
This being so, and having reported on a good many Glanford council debates about the future of the Corn Exchange in the 1980s, we've always felt the borough council was rather unfairly criticised by many Brigg people who didn't know the full facts. Or, in some cases, knew the facts but chose to turn a blind eye to some of them.

Looking towards the Angel.