Bridport travel guide

For the location in Tasmania, see Bridport, Tasmania. For the location in Vermont, see Bridport, Vermont
Bridport is a town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the Western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the rivers Brit and Asker, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre (the hangman’s rope being made at Bridport gave birth to the saying "stabbed with a Bridport dagger"). The Port is no longer in existence although the harbour at West Bay is a mile away.
It is home to some light industry prominently, Palmer's Brewery (JC & RH Palmer Ltd), a company which owns around a quarter of the towns property under various alias, and which recently celebrated its bicentennial; and AmSafe Bridport (American Safety), successors to the old established firm of Gundry's and Edwards Sports, the main survivors of the 750 year old rope and net making companies. Even to this day the goal nets of any major football championships are likely to be made in Bridport and also the tennis nets, wooden posts and empires’ chair at Wimbledon. Bridport's thriving commercial centre with twice-weekly street market, monthly farmers' market and a mixture of friendly and unpretentious housing estates that provide homes for a large community of retirees. Bridport is also home of the Bridport News a weekly newspaper published on Thursdays which covers local news and sport of Bridport and the surrounding area. The Sir John Colfox School provides a secondary education for 11 to 18 year-olds from the town and surrounding villages. The area also hosts one of the last remaining real tennis courts that was recently renovated with the aid of a lottery grant. Local celebrities include singer PJ Harvey, actor Martin Clunes, Antiques Roadshow presenter Paul Atterbury and celebrated socialist musician Billy Bragg. Bridport and the surrounding area was used to film Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Channel 4 television programme River Cottage and also a BBC Drama, Harbour Lights. It has recently become the subject of articles where it has been nicknamed 'Notting Hill on Sea' and is attracting large numbers of second home owners with all the attendant social problems that this creates. The town is twinned with Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, France. (...) more....

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