Welcome to Bridge
Bridge In Bloom
The contest is on again. Judges will be out and about in early July looking at hanging baskets, tubs, pots and planters. There will be awards in three classes, so get planting!
Bridge Place Country Club Licensing Hours
The owner of Bridge Place Country Club has applied for a premises license.

The application is for opening hours of 10am to 12.30am every day and until 2.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. This includes live music, recorded music, dance and the sale of alcohol until 30mins before closing (midnight Sun-Tue, 2am Fri & Sat) and late-night refreshment until closing. All licensable activities are indoors, there is no application for anything outdoors.

This matter was discussed at the Parish Council meeting on Thursday 8th, with a large number of parishoners present. The conclusion was that hours should be limited to the same as the pubs in the village. Further, conditions should be specified on the license to:

  • Provide a taxi service or taxi phone within the club
  • Restrict access to the club via Bourne Park Road only (actively prevent clubbers from going out through Brewery Lane)

If you wish to oppose the application (or suggest amendments), please write to (not email) by 28th May:
The Licensing Team
Canterbury City Council
Military Road
Canterbury
CT1 1YW

Your objections can only be related to the following four Licensing Objectives:

  • Prevention of Crime and Disorder
  • Public Safety
  • Prevention of Public Nuisance
  • Protection of Children from Harm
Please, if you write to the City Council about this issue, could you send a copy to the Parish Clerk, too.

Information on Licensing and Gambling is here, on the Canterbury City Council website.


More on Pot Holes
Kent Highway Services The newly revamped Kent Highway Services are currently undertaking an intensive campaign to fix potholes caused by winter's weather. Earlier, we reported that between last September and the end of March, they fixed 3038 out of 3192 reported potholes, but they wanted the public's help in reporting even more potholes.

Well, the response was amazing - in just four weeks (up to 26th April), they repaired 9,791 pot holes!!! Of those, just over 7,000 were reported by the public.

The blitz is continuing, so if you know of a pothole that needs repairing, please contact KHS on the web, by email, or by phone (08458 247 800)


Canterbury City win the Cup
3-2
Canterbury City FC logo CCFC beat Holmesdale Reserves 3-2 at Corinthian to win the County Cup.
Match Report


St George's Day Parade
Bridge School St George's Day Parade. (Photo Roger Mardon)
Beating the rain, children from Bridge and Patrixbourne Primary School made a colourful sight parading around the village.
Photo by Roger Mardon
Bridge Youth Group
Youths having fun Due to decreasing numbers, the Youth Group has ceased meeting. Bridge is not alone in seeing a dramatic drop-off in the numbers of youths wanting to attend an organised youth group.
Nailbourne Horticultural Society
Bravely the Horticultural Society held their Annual Spring Show on Tuesday 1 April. It was however no "April Fool". The verdict of the judges, Mr and Mrs Sudell, on the show as a whole was "very enjoyable" and they remarked especially on the large number and high standard of the entries in the class for miniatures.

For those who like a bit of detail, there were more than 120 exhibits. Two cups are presented at the Spring Show. The one for the "Best Bloom in Show" was won this year by Una Smith and the cup for "Best Flowering Pot Plant" went to Audrey Kolhoff.

The hall looked very spring-like and cheerful with the long tables filled with exhibits and it was encouraging and pleasing to see a large number of exhibitors as well as villagers who had popped in to view the show. The committee would like to thank everyone who exhibited or came along to enjoy this long established village event.
A Divine Visitation?
Kent Police It seems we have some bogus callers in the area again. One pretends to be from a water company (an old trick), but the other is a character who turns up with a copy of the Parish News, claiming to have been sent by the Vicar.

If you've had a visit from either of these people, please could you let our PCSO, Sue Radcliffe, know on 0777 222 6190.

Please check on your neighbours and don't forget that a genuine caller will not mind you checking with thier head office (get the number from the phone book, not a number they give you).


Great Cricket on your Doorstep
For many years, St Lawrence and Highland Court have played their cricket in the idyllic setting of Higham Park, one of the prettiest cricket grounds in the county. The Club has grown dramatically in the recent past and now boasts over 250 members with a further 100 children playing Kwik Cricket on Saturday mornings.

Read more...


Anyone for Badminton?
Badminton John Copsey, from the Nailbourne and Swingfield Badminton Association writes:

" We are a newly established and are working with clubs and interested parties (including Badminton England) to promote the playing of this competitive but social sport.

"Whilst we can point people in the direction of existing clubs and can offer instruction to newcomers, we are also trying to find out if there is enough interest in Bridge, Bishopsbourne, Kingston and Barham to set up a new club.

"I would be very pleased to hear from ex-players and anyone interested in taking up Badminton for the first time, this regardless of age or potential ability."

If you are interested, please contact John:

Work: 01303 840098
Home: 01303 840588
Mobile: 07942 133 024
Email: Click here

Take up Badminton! Meet nice people and keep your fitness levels up this winter.


A History of Bridge - in Print
Last May, Bridge hosted the annual conference of local history societies. As part of that conference, our own History Society produced a History Booklet. This 36 page booklet covers many aspects of Bridge's history, with pictures - and specifically mentions many individual houses in the village.

This booklet is available from the Post Office, or Mervyn Gulvin's office at just £3.50.


Aerial View of Bridge
Thumbnail of Aerial View of Bridge

Microsoft have got a rather nice zoomable view of Bridge (and surrounding areas - and indeed, the whole world!). Click here to take a look.

The images seem to be from around 2001 (anyone identify the date more accurately?). The Health Centre had not been built and the allotments are in the old location. There is a much more up-to-date image from Google Earth (seems to be 2007), but that requires downloading and running a program.


Affordable Housing
Possible design for affordable housing in Bridge

Could your children afford to buy a house in Bridge when they grow up?

Could you afford to retire here?

With house prices in Bridge running at something like 20% above the local average, it is hard for young people to get onto the property ladder... or for older people with limited means to have a place of their own. This is where affordable housing schemes come in. For more information Click Here

NEW!
You can download a Register of Interest form from the Affordable Housing page


Events
Annual Parish Meeting
Village Hall
Thursday, 15th May
7.30pm
More...

Women's Institute
Village Hall
Tuesday, 20th May
7.30pm
More...

Village Fete
Bridge School Grounds
Saturday, 14th June
12 noon - 4.30pm
More...

Parish Council Meeting
Village Hall
Thursday, 12th June
7.30pm

Got an event?
Tell Us email your event details
Other News
Methodist Chapel
Services are fortnightly - on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.
May 1Rev Barbara Heather

Parish Poll
Poll 7 (May 07):
Parking in Western Avenue. How long should people be allowed to park in the lay by?
As long as they like7%7%
20 minutes39%39%
1 hour54%54%
2 hours0%0%
4 hours0%0%

Previous poll results:
Show >>>