NEW BRIGG CATERER IN FOR A BUSY NEW YEAR'S EVE

 

Many people who are out and about in Brigg tonight (December 31) to see in the New Year will be tucking into fast food provided by a recently launched outlet within the town centre.
Local man Andy Devai (pictured above) launched his mobile catering business in the beer garden of the Dying Gladiator pub on December 19.
And on the final Saturday before Christmas he was hard pressed to keep up with demand from hungry customers.
Queues formed at peak times to snap up burgers, Bratwurst hot dogs, cheesy chips and The Full Monty - burger, bacon, cheese with salad.
A regular at the Gladiator, Andy launched this new mobile catering business after being made redundant from his previous job.
Brigg Blog met him in the town centre yesterday (Monday, December 30) when he confirmed things are going well, and he's all set for a busy New Year's Eve.
Many people have taken to social media to wish him well with his new venture.
Based at the Gladiator by arrangement with pub general manager Eugene Irwin, Andrew's takeaway service is initially available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings (plus New Year's Eve).
Among his first customers on December 21 were members and followers of local Britpop band The Dirty Pitchers, who visited the Stables for a traditional Christmas sing-along.

Andy's catering van getting a visit from Garry Kerman, guitarist with The Dirty Pitchers band.

Customers collecting their orders.

 

IS YOURS AMONG THE 40 COATS LEFT AT BRIGG PUB?

A Brigg pub's collection of lost property suggests there are many hardy souls in the town in this era of the so-called Snowflake Generation.
The Dying Gladiator has FORTY coats that customers have left behind over many months after visiting the uniquely-named Bigby Street hostelry and its adjoining Stables Bar.
In some cases the owners must have made a coat-less and cold walk home.
The Glad's management has taken to social media to ask those people who left the premises minus their coats or jackets to call in, look through the lost property collection and hopefully reclaim their garments - a few of which we've pictured here.
A deadline has been set - Thursday, January 2, 2020.
After that the intention is to donate items of unclaimed clothing to a charity for the homeless, where they will be put to good use in a worthy cause.
The Dying Gladiator's online post on this topic has generated many comments.
The post interested some young men and women who have lost coats or jackets - leather, fur and even Barbour examples being mentioned in replies, just in case they may be in the pub's storage area.
Judging by this, the descriptive term 'Snowflake Generation' does not apply in Brigg.
This term refers to people born in the latter years of the 20th century who are said to be less resilient than those of earlier generations.
Walking home in Brigg on a cold night, without a coat, certainly makes you resilient in our book!

BRIGG BLOG'S REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2019 - PART TWO

Brigg Blog today continues its review of the year 2019 with a look back on some of the memorable events, achievements and happenings in the town between August and the end of December.
We've added links in bold to our initial posts - click on them to view further details.
Brigg Horse Fair - held on the traditional date, August 5 -  proved a draw for spectators from a wide area and also members of the gypsy/traveller community from across the north and midlands.
In September, Brigg installed eight new Freemen of the town - three being women. Prior to the ceremony, only one person since 1974 had been honoured in this way for services to the town.
New CCTV cameras were installed during October in an effort to deal with a notable crime 'hot spot'.
 

Proprietor Paul Keane at La Finca prior to the opening night.

The town's first Spanish-themed restaurant, La Finca held initial sell-out tapas evenings.
October also saw Brigg Town Football Club attract a bumper 505-strong crowd - three times the usual attendance - when hosting North Ferriby at the EC Surfacing Stadium (Hawthorns). One of the Brigg players was injured and taken to hospital, but thankfully he was back playing again within a few weeks.
October also saw the launch of a new arts and culture centre for the town.
Sir John Nelthorpe School marked the 350th anniversary of education in the town - Sir John Nelthorpe's will in 1669 providing for a school to be built, later to be known as Brigg Grammar, with the original schoolroom still in use by today's SJN comprehensive.
There was a really big turn-out by the public, and local organisations, for November's Remembrance Sunday wreath-laying - 100 years after the Monument war memorial had been erected and dedicated in memory of The Fallen.
Sir John Nelthorpe School re-introduced its cross-country run along Brickyard Lane, Wrawby, with 500 pupils taking part in aid of charity.
November ended with 2,000 people supporting the Christmas lights switch-on ceremony, Lions' festive fayre/market and late night shopping.
 

Holly Mumby-Croft. Picture courtesy of North Lincolnshire Council.

 The General Election on December 12 saw Andrew Percy returned as MP for Brigg & Goole, while fellow Conservative Holly Mumby-Croft was elected for the first time to represent the Scunthorpe Parliamentary Constituency, which includes a number of communities near Brigg including Scawby and Broughton. Sir Edward Leigh (also Conservative) was re-elected for Gainsborough, also covering villages like Bigby, Grasby and North & South Kelsey.
Praiseworthy Christmas spirit was evident on December 28 when a community meal was organised in the Angel Suite by volunteers for people who would otherwise have been on their own over the festive period. This was helped by a grant from the Town Council.
 

As the year drew to a close, popular Brigg Vicar, Father Owain Mitchell, pictured, conducted his final service before leaving to take up a new post in Derbyshire.
Many annual events were enjoyed during the year, including the Poppy 10K race,
the Keyo Brigg Bomber World Quadrathlon, the Lions' Beer Festival,  the Ancholme Head rowing race, the Blessing of the Pumps, and the Halloween Ghost Walk. 
They were joined in August by a newcomer - the Paint Brigg Pink Fun Run to benefit Soldiers Off The Street.
North Lincolnshire Council's monthly Brigg Farmers' Market continued to prove popular, bringing many shoppers into the town centre. But the weekly Thursday general market, and particularly the one held on Saturdays, could do with more stalls.
Brigg Live Arts provided a variety of events, while Saturday night music gigs were provided most weeks by Brigg & District Servicemen's Club and the Woolpack, with other licensed premises offering them from time to time.
The Dying Gladiator's Stables Bar continued its Yappy Hours, with dog owners taking their pets along to meet others.
Brigg Town Business Partnership has promoted the town and various events throughout year, as have our friends at Brigg Matters magazine.
Brigg Heritage Centre staged many interesting exhibitions during 2019, including one marking the centenary of the July 19, 1919 Brigg Peace Celebrations Victory Luncheon hosted for heroes from the town who had survived the First World War.
Brigg Town Council has approved grants throughout the year to many deserving applicants, including Brigg in Bloom which goes from strength to strength - providing a welcome touch of colour to various streets.
North Lincolnshire Council has also been supportive in many ways, with new LED street lamps provided on many streets towards the end of the year. The Brigg & Wolds Ward representatives - Coun Rob Waltham, Coun Carl Sherwood and Coun Nigel Sherwood - are also members of Brigg Town Council.
Brigg Blog would like to end 2019 by thanking ALL the people who have viewed our site - at home and abroad - and those who have contributed news items, information of note and images; too many to mention individually but we will extend special thanks to Ken Harrison, of Brigg Matters magazine, who tops the list in terms of picture content.
PICTURED ABOVE: A view of Brigg by Neil Stapleton, showing the Lidl store on Atherton Way and the Old River Ancholme.

BRIGG SURVIVOR CAPTURED ON VIDEO BEFORE ITS REMOVAL

Work is due to start early in 2020 to install a 21st century barrier crossing in Brigg to replace the long-familiar wooden-gated level crossing on the A1084 where Bigby Road meets Bigby High Road.
A preliminary date of January 6, 2020 was given some months ago. However, there are now indications that preliminary site work will not begin until later.
We'll keep local drivers posted once we've discovered the actual start date for Network Rail's upgrade.
This is a very busy A-road and shoppers visiting Brigg Garden Centre and the Thomas Bell Country Store will be interested in the crossing contract, together with residents of Westrum Lane and Bigby High Road and people who travel into Brigg from Caistor and villages like Grasby, Bigby, Somerby, Owmby and North & South Kelsey.
Meanwhile, a railway enthusiast has been to Brigg to take a video of our traditional level crossing gates in their final weeks.
Footage has been posted on YouTube under the heading Before Upgrade - Brigg Level Crossing 28/12/2019.
Fabe's Railway Adventures, which has almost 4,000 subscribers, says: "Brigg is a rare crossing, as it's the only one remaining in Britain operated by hydraulics and it's age is proven by the condition it's in."
Fabe's Railway Adventures plans to return later this year "to see the replacement."
View the video footage through this link....
Brigg's railway line and station opened in 1848 as part of the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway mainline.
Today the iconic line, which includes the lengthy Kirton Tunnel, only sees passenger trains on Saturdays, provided by the Northern company between Sheffield and Cleethorpes via Barnetby. One diesel unit generally makes three trips between the steel city and the resort - the first service visiting Brigg at 9.16pm on its way to Cleethorpes and the last one (heading for Sheffield) arriving shortly before 8pm.
Brigg Blog's picture shows the level crossing in October 2016.

CLOSING CEREMONY FOR BRIGG TREE OF LIGHT PLUS CHRISTMAS RAFFLE DRAW

An event that's now an established feature of the new year in Brigg is coming up this weekend.
The town centre's Tree of Light, pictured, which has been standing in Chapel Court since mid-November, will be taken down on Saturday (January 4, 2020) following a short service at 3pm.
The Christmas raffle will also be drawn - the lucky winners taking home some attractive prizes.
There's an open invitation to attend Saturday afternoon's ceremony if you wish to pop along.
Brigg Town Business Partnership organises the Tree of Light - an event established some years ago.
Many people, in the run up to Christmas, took the opportunity to place memory cards on the tree in remembrance of departed loved ones.
Proceeds will be donated to the Brigg Carers’ Support Centre and The Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy Fight.

BRIGG BLOG'S REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2019 - PART ONE

Brigg can look back on many positives in 2019 and some memorable events and achievements - featured here in Brigg Blog's Review of the Year - Part One, covering the period from January to late July. 
We've added links in bold to take you to our initial posts; click on them to view further details on each topic.
Our Blog has covered a very wide range of topics, averaging well over 100 monthly posts between January and December.
We try to be positive and make no apologies for that. But there are occasions when we have to report things that might be seen as  negative. Not everything runs perfectly all the time!
On the plus side, one post which created particular interest, and gave us pride, related to war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill who stayed a night in Brigg at the Exchange in 1944. We were invited down by current owner Joe Mullen and shown the room the great statesman occupied and the actual bed he slept in - still there today.
We described the 18th century Exchange building as a time capsule, having been given a guided tour of the building's various floors by Joe, including the dizzy heights of the roof!
A notable milestone was marked in late June - the 200th anniversary of the Buttercross building in the Market Place - with a celebration evening being enjoyed on the top floor.
However, 2019 began in sad style and had some of us crying into our beer, with the closure of the Bargain Booze off-licence on Springs Parade. Thankfully, this empty property would be given a new lease of life as a charity shop by Jerry Green Dog Rescue later in the year.
In JANUARY we were pleased to inform our followers that planning permission had been granted for a new Aldi store to be built off Bridge Street.
FEBRUARY saw Brigg Blog reveal details of the town's first pizzeria, by then already taking shape in the Market Place.
In MARCH we revealed that a local player who once played alongside future England star Kevin Keegan for Scunthorpe United had signed on, aged 69, with a Brigg team for his 55th season in local football.

In APRIL we reported the opening of a new cycle shop within Brians DIY in the town centre.
MAY saw voters go to the polls in elections for the Town Council and North Lincolnshire Council. The number of councillors on the town authority was reduced from 19 to nine, following a governance review. Coun Sharon Riggall was then inducted as Mayor at the Town Council's annual meeting.
In JUNE, Brigg commemorated the 75th anniversary of the vital D-Day landings in 1944 with a purpose-built wooden landing craft being erected on a raised flowerbed near the A18. The Britannia Inn laid on 'ration fare' including spam and corned beef sandwiches, and the war-time theme was taken up by some other businesses in the town centre.
JULY saw Brigg residents endure a heatwave - the highest temperature recorded by us being 33C (91.4F) while sipping a cooling pint or three in the Britannia beer garden.
Warm weather proved ideal for Brigg Bike Night 2019 - organised from the Yarborough Hunt pub - which attracted a really big crowd to the town centre.
Brigg's Curate, the Rev Trudy Hobson, left town to take charge of her own parish in Wiltshire.
Part  Two of our view of the year, covering the months August to December, will be posted early tomorrow - December 31.
PICTURED ABOVE: A bird's eye view of Brigg town centre by Neil Stapleton.  Click here to view more of his images.

BRIGG BLOG'S NEW YEAR'S EVE PUB GUIDE

There's a wide choice of Brigg pubs and bars to visit on New Year's Eve (Tuesday, December 31). 
So we suggest paying one, or more, a visit to support our local hostelries.
Some Brigg residents who are not regular visitors to town bars make a notable exception on New Year's Eve and join regulars to watch the Buttercross clock (and other timepieces) tick past midnight.
Brigg & District Servicemen's Club will be buzzing on New Year's Eve.
The Coney Court venue's concert - featuring Glam 45 - has already been declared a sell-out success with all tickets snapped up.
The band will be performing hits made famous in the 1970s by groups like Slade, Sweet and others.
The Lord Nelson is inviting people to call in and enjoy its sing-along on Tuesday night with disco and karaoke, from 8pm.
Across the Market Place, the Woolpack will be hosting a New Year's Eve party - "8 till late."
Big turnouts are also expected at the Dying Gladiator and its adjoining Stables Bar, Wetherspoon's White Horse, the Black Bull, the Britannia Inn, the Exchange, the Yarborough Hunt and (away from the town centre) Brigg Town Football Club's licensed Hawthorns clubhouse.
There will be a family-friendly New Year’s Eve party at this venue from 7pm. Everyone is welcome; there will be free music, free pool and a buffet.
PICTURED: Above - New Year's Eve 2018 at the Exchange -  a case of let's all do the conga; Below - Black Bull customers venture outside and link arms on December 31, 2014 as the nearby Buttercross clock reaches midnight.

 

BAR GAMES FOLLOW BRIGG CHARITY FOOTBALL FUNDRAISER AT THE HAWTHORNS

More than £400 was raised for charity by the annual Youth v Experience football match, played at Brigg Town's ground just after Christmas, organiser Jon Taylor tells us.
This friendly was followed by 'bar games' in the Hawthorns clubhouse - including heading a ping-pong ball.
Additional cash has been pledged by various people, and we hope to let you know the final total in due course.
It looks like being close to £500 - judging by some comments we've seen on social media.
Well-known local sportsmen supporting this fundraiser on Friday, December 27 included Ryan Musselwhite, Chris Rodgers, David Baggott, Paul Neal, Nick Beacock and Col Mumby who had just turned 70.
Live music was provided by Shine UK at the Woolpack last night (Saturday, December 28).
They were nearing the end of their gig when we called in to take the picture seen here. Regulars at The Woolie enjoyed the music provided.
It was very busy in the bar at the Black Bull, on Wrawby Street, when we called in earlier (about 8pm) so we ventured into the covered seating area at the back to enjoy our pint of Timothy Taylor Landlord.
The weather having been mild of late, Brigg Blog's plans to photograph snow settled on the palm trees in the Bull's beer garden will have to go on the back burner until 2020. 
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

VICTORIOUS BRIGG TOWN FOOTBALLERS MOVE UP THE TABLE

Brigg Town Football Club moved up the table following a 2-0 win at East Hull yesterday (Saturday, December 28).
Goals from Stephen McCarron and Jake Reed saw the Zebras gain full points from their visit to the bottom side in ToolStation Northern Counties East Division One.
Brigg are now 13th of 20 teams, with 20 points gained from 20 fixtures.
In the EC Surfacing Ltd Scunthorpe & District Football League, yesterday's only game involved Barnetby United Reserves who lost 1-0 to Ashby Bowl in a Division Two clash played in Scawby.
Barnetby's Lee Fielden has kindly provided these action pictures and the match report that follows...

MOMENT OF MAGIC GIVES ASHBY THE EDGE

A moment of magic from former Barnetby player Ross Hempstock settled what was a close, hard-fought affair at Scawby as the Reserves narrowly lost 1-0.
Hempstock turned the Barnetby back line on 20 minutes and exquisitely lifted the ball over the advancing Jordan Smith in goal to give Ashby Bowl the lead and ultimately the 3 points.
Barnetby were under pressure now, Dan Ricketts struck the up right and Ashby had a goal ruled out for offside.
This kicked the Railwaymen into life. Stothard had a long range effort saved moments before Frankish’s effort left the cross bar rattling but sadly the ball rebounded clear.
1-0 at the break, both sides struggled to create any clear cut chances until the last 15 minutes. Barnetby, striving for an equaliser were kept in the game by Smith and Hempstock put his chance to wrap the game up wide.
On the stroke of full time, Frankish dragged a shot wide of the left hand post but there was still time for Shaun Clark to hit a left foot thunderbolt from the edge of the box in injury time only for his effort to strike a Barnetby player attempting to take evasive action.
The Railwaymen remain in 3rd with Ashby closing the gap at the top to a point behind Limestone Rangers Reserves.

NEW YEAR'S HONOUR FOR ACTRESS WHO LAUNCHED BRIGG DEVELOPMENT

Congratulations from Brigg go to well-known actress Wendy Craig who features in the New Year's Honours List 2020.
As an ambassador for the Golden Living company, Wendy officially opened the town's Ancholme Mews for the over 50s.
She came to launch the housing development, off Bigby Street, one hot and sunny Saturday morning back in July 2008.
A star who featured in popular TV series like Butterflies and The Royal, Wendy, now 85, becomes a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).

In December 2008 she made a return visit to the Brigg development, meeting some of the residents, and said: "The apartments are beautiful and set in lovely surroundings – a great place to relax during retirement.”

100 PEOPLE EXPECTED TO ENJOY CHRISTMAS COMMUNITY MEAL IN BRIGG TODAY

Christmas spirit aplenty will be demonstrated in Brigg today (Saturday, December 28) when the annual Christmas community meal is hosted in the Angel Suite.
Volunteers are giving up their time to provide a festive get-together for people who would otherwise be spending the festive period on their own.
The organisers are expecting 100 people as this event continues to grow in popularity.
Brigg Angels Women's Institute tells us the party will be operating from 3pm until 6pm - featuring a two-course meal and drinks, plus entertainment from a pianist and a couple of little elf dancers. There will be free bingo and a free-to-enter raffle with lots of lovely prizes.
All the guests will also take home a Christmas gift.
Brigg Town Council recently gave a generous grant to help with the costs of staging this function. View details here...

PHOTOBOOKS TRACE THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL IN BARNETBY

Brigg Blog has enjoyed some Christmas period reading - courtesy of Barnetby United Football Club historian Lee Fielden.
Lee takes a very keen interest in the history of his club and has loaned us SEVENTEEN glossy booklets produced to trace the development of football in the railway village.
They are packed with pictures, facts and figures, newspaper cuttings, league tables and other information about Barnetby United - still going strong today in the EC Surfacing Scunthorpe & District League, with two Saturday sides.
The first in the series - Football in Barnetby 1885-1914 - begins with a reproduction of "the first known report of football being played in Barnetby."
Brigg Ancholme 2nd XI won 1-0 on their visit to the village for this Saturday encounter.
The booklet Barnetby United FC 1956-76 includes a picture from the 1960-61 side that caught our eye, as we recognised a couple of the players.
Above we show part of the image with Mike Hartley - back row, extreme right - and Garry 'Gig' Smith, on the centre on the front row.
Gig banged in the goals for Brigg Amateurs FC later in the 1960s, and both he and Mike were good cricketers.
Other photobooks cover the years to the present day, and there are some about players who had made it into the Barnetby United Hall of Fame, including Graham Day,  Jesse Dawson and Jimmy McPhee.

 

'MONSTER' BINS INSTALLED IN BRIGG FOR CHRISTMAS

With many Brigg householders thinking about getting their recycling bins emptied in the run up to Christmas, it was interesting to see more of the litter-collecting variety being installed in the town a few days ago.
Very large bins have been added on the footpath beside the Old River Ancholme, close to the B&M store and the Springs Parade car park.
From the County Bridge, we watched workmen putting them in place, and we went back later to take these pictures.
As you can see, they will hold a lot of fast food cartons/boxes, paper and other rubbish.
The bins can be used by passers-by, those out for walks, people sitting on the riverside benches and anglers frequenting the well-known Springs Stretch of the Old Ancholme.
This is a worthy litter-tackling initiative from Brigg Town Council, in an effort to keep things neat and tidy.
It's now down to townsfolk and visitors to make use of the monster-sized bins.
Still to come as part of this project are bins to be placed at the front of some town centre pubs to collect cigarette ends and reduce the number discarded on nearby paving.

HERE'S HOPING BRIGG WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE PACER DIESEL FAREWELL BRITISH TOUR

Train fans are hoping that Brigg will feature in a farewell tour to be undertaken by a type of diesel train that has often operated passenger services through our station.
The Class 142 Pacers, which have been a feature of rural and suburban services across the UK since the 1980s, are finally being scrapped and replaced by modern units.
But a farewell railtour is to be undertaken and railway supporters are being asked to suggest suitable routes.
We are pleased to see that the iconic Brigg Line has already received a number of nominations... with more expected to follow in the weeks ahead.
The line to Barton via New Holland, Ulceby and Goxhill has also been suggested by some train buffs.
The Leyland Pacers - often described as buses on rails - were meant to be a short-term solution to a shortage of trains in the 1980s.
They are very basic and certainly don't offer much comfort for passengers on long journeys. But it's always sad to see a railway era drawing to a close.
The Pacers have been earmarked for withdrawal several times over the years, only to be kept on.
One is to be preserved by posterity by the National Railway Museum but scrapping of other class members is now being carried out by a company in South Yorkshire.
We are also reliably informed that a Class 142 "bouncy railbus" has been preserved - No 142029 at the Chasewater heritage railway in Staffordshire.
Our pictures show a Pacer on active service at Brigg station in February this year. We rode on another only a few weeks ago, probably for the last time, coming back to town from Barnetby on the last Saturday service of the week circa 7.45pm.

BRIGG PICTURE FROM THE 1970s GIVES FOOD FOR THOUGHT

 

Some Brigg buildings have had the same type of use for many years - with several food-related examples on Bridge Street.
The above picture was taken in the early 1970s by local amateur photographer Ken Fisher.
The building in the centre of this view (behind the trees) was then being used as a ground floor cafe.
But for many years now it has housed Simon Ho's popular China Garden Restaurant.
As the wall-board  indicates, nearby Manley Gardens was still the venue for Stennett's Market in the 1970s. Shoppers went to buy eggs, poultry, pigeons, butter and many other foodstuffs.
Dunham's bakery, right of picture, is still going today in the same Bridge Street premises, while Barnard's shop (in the distance) remains a butcher's.

 

CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS ON BRIGG LIFE

The level of the River Ancholme in Brigg was lowered by a considerable amount in the run up to Christmas - achieved through the outlet into the Humber at South Ferriby.
We took these pictures on Christmas Eve (Tuesday) when some of the flagstones supporting the County Bridge - normally under water - were making a rare public appearance.
Areas of bankside mud were also visible after the river's width/depth had been reduced - one being where the boats and barges visiting riverside wharfs decades ago used to turn round (close to the then brewery).
Elsewhere in Brigg, the refurbished public toilets near the Tintab shelter on East Park remained closed over Christmas but the replacement roofing is now in place and the scaffolding on the building has been removed.
Early in the New Year the 'out of order' signs that have been there since September will be removed by North Lincolnshire Council and the WCs reopened.
In the run up to Christmas we were at the bar of a Brigg hostelry when two customers requested 'Port chasers' to go with their pints.  That's a very unusual order these days but reflects the festive season being with us. There was no Stilton cheese to accompany the Port - a tasty combination at this time of year.

WILL PROMINENT BRIGG BUILDING SOON BE BACK IN USE?

 

Could one of the best-known buildings in Brigg town centre be back in use early next year?
The former NatWest premises in the Market Place have been vacant since June 2018, following the bank's decision to close its local branch and popular cashpoint available on the frontage.
Some weeks ago we noted that the 'For Sale' sign had been taken down from the side of the distinctive and sizeable building.
Work has been going on inside the premises of late. But no 'change of use' planning application has been publicised through North Lincolnshire Council.
Hopefully, things will become clearer in the new year.

The side of the former NatWest Bank as it now looks (above) and below when the For Sale sign was still evident.

 

FOOTBALL FRIENDLY AT BRIGG TOWN

Just a reminder there's football to watch in Brigg tomorrow - Friday, December 27.
A Youth v Experience friendly football match involving ex-pupils of Sir John Nelthorpe School will take place at Brigg Town Football Club's EC Surfacing Stadium (The Hawthorns) with an 11am kick-off .
Following the match there will be 'bar games' and drinks in the clubhouse.

HAPPY BRIGG MEMORIES OF SPORT ON BOXING DAY

Some Brigg sports fans today like to watch Boxing Day football matches when Scunthorpe United or Grimsby Town are at home, or visit the traditional race meeting at the Market Rasen course.
While hockey was still being played on grass pitches at Brigg Recreation Ground in the 1980s, players used to enjoy a festive friendly on Boxing Day morning, with a few drinks taken along in kit-bags so a warming 'nip' could be taken at half-time to keep out the cold.
From the early 1960s until the late 1970s, the Brigg Branch of the Grimsby Town Supporters' Club used to run buses to take fans to all home matches at Blundell Park. They were hired from the Broughton-based Daisy company.
Brigg Branch buses also picked up fans in Broughton, Scawby Brook, Wrawby, Barnetby, Bigby, Owmby, Grasby and Keelby. 
With the Mariners now getting home crowds of 4,000, it's interesting to note that the Grimsby v Scunthorpe derby on Boxing Day 1972 was watched by 16,580!
Grimsby's 1-0 win  lifted them to sixth spot in Division Three, while the Iron were then fourth from bottom.
Town and United had both gained promotion from Division Four during the 1971/2 season.
Returning to the present, Brigg Town Football Club does NOT have first team or reserve fixtures today (Boxing Day - Thursday, December 26).
PICTURED: Grimsby Town players (black and white stripes) in action before a sizeable crowd at Blundell Park in the early 1970s - photographed by Ken Fisher, from Brigg. Stuart Brace (left), Mike Hickman (centre) and Dave Boylen (No 10) later played for the Mariners in that 1-0 home win over Scunthorpe on Boxing Day 1972.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO ALL BRIGG BLOG'S FOLLOWERS

Brigg Blog sends Christmas greetings to all our followers in the town, surrounding communities, elsewhere in the UK and across the world, including those as far away as Russia, Australia and New Zealand.
As the clock on top of the Buttercross in the Market Place ticks past midnight, we hope you all have a happy and enjoyable Christmas.
Please spare a thought for those who will be working for the good of others on December 25.
They include police, fire and ambulance personnel, doctors, nurses, care home employees... and those on duty to serve food and drink at local outlets that are open today.
We've dipped into our extensive picture archive to come up with a snowy scene in the Market Place some years ago (not a White Christmas, though).  In the far distance is the Buttercross, which this year sees its 200th Christmas.

Millions of Brits to miss Christmas

SPENDING time with loved ones is the thing British people look forward to the most about Christmas – but for a shocking number of workers, this won’t be the reality this year, new research has revealed.
A study by One4all Gift Cards of 1,382 UK workers, to coincide with their #One4allThisXmas campaign, has found that 4.7 million people across the UK are set to work on Christmas Day this year, meaning they will miss out on festivities with loved ones.
On average, those clocking in on 25th December will work 7 hours in total this year, with nearly 1 in 5 (18%) respondents due to work over 9 hours on Christmas Day.
For many, this means they’ll miss out on the most beloved aspects of Christmas – which for the majority (46%) is spending quality time with the family, closely followed by Christmas dinner with loved ones (36%) and giving presents (27%).
Those working in the healthcare industry were the most likely to be working on Christmas Day, with almost 1 in 5 (19%) of this sector likely to be clocking in this year on 25th December.
This was closely followed by those working within the arts and culture industry (11%), the HR sector (9%), legal industry (8%) and catering, leisure and retail (7%).
However, the research did reveal that 33% of respondents enjoy working over the festive period, with 77% of respondents agreeing that helping others is what the true spirit of Christmas is all about.
Aoife Davey, group marketing director at One4all Gift Cards comments; “Christmas is a special time and for many it might be that one day in the year when they get to see loved ones and family members who live further afield, and so it’s a shame that so many are missing out due to work commitments.
“There are so many elements to Christmas which make it as special time with loved ones, whether this be enjoying Christmas dinner or sharing presents around the tree, so it’s great to have the opportunity to give something back through our #One4allThisXmas competition,  gifting one hardworking person, who goes above and beyond during the festive period, a Christmas treat that they can remember fondly for years to come.”
The #One4allThisXmas campaign, from One4all Gift Cards celebrates and gives back to workers who miss Christmas Day with their families due to work or helping others.
The One4all Gift Card can be spent in more than 55,000 outlets across the UK and is available to buy from Post Offices, gift card stands in Tesco stores nationwide and online at www.one4all.com