Bridport is a fantastic place Gateway Town for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, it is internationally known for its rope making industry, which stretches back to Roman times. We have our own brewery, a medieval parish church and some 1,000 listed buildings and for a community with a population of only 13,000, there is an amazing variety of activities for visitors to enjoy, including:
Live music Cinema Arts Centre Restaurants Local food Brewery Markets Country pubs Art Galleries
Live music There are many live music venues in and around the town, catering for all musical tastes. For upcoming events.
Cinema The newly restored Electric Palace now has one of the most beautiful cinema interiors in the country, with the walls covered with the subtle colours of the 1926 murals of George Biles. The Brasserie restaurant is situated in what was the entrance foyer.
Bridport Arts Centre The historic venue has a 200-seat theatre and three gallery spaces plus a café and bar. Film, dance, live music, theatre, visual arts.
Palmers Brewery The Old Brewery in Bridport has been in operation since 1794, making Palmers one of the few UK producers able to claim continuous production for over 200 years on the original site. Palmers remains a family-owned independent brewer and tours are available during the summer months.
Local Food West Dorset has a reputation for high quality locally produced food, given a wider audience by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who was based in Bridport until recently. With the increasing demand for the provenance of food to be clearly identified, residents and visitors alike have an excellent choice locally. Look out for pubs and restaurants in the ‘Direct from Dorset’ programme, supporting local producers.
Markets The town has two market days each week – Wednesday and Saturday – when stalls fill the main streets. The Saturday market is larger, with many different stalls, including bric-a-brac and antiques, in addition to those selling fresh food, clothing and electrical items. A Farmers’ Market is held on the second Saturday of every month in conjunction with the Saturday market, where local food producers set up in the Arts Centre. There is also an occasional French Market in town.
Country Pubs We are lucky to have a large number of good village pubs close to us, many with interesting menus and with a policy of using fresh local produce whenever possible.
Art Galleries South Street is becoming the ‘artists’ quarter’.
Bridport Food Festival A celebration of local food, with demonstrations, tastings and talks.
Bridport Open Studios The town has long enjoyed a strong creative culture and vibrant art scene and the annual Bridport Open Studios showcases local artists and makers (over 50 in 2007), including ceramics, furniture, sculpture, textiles, photography and paintings in a wide range of styles. Check their website for details of the artists.
Melplash Show The South-West’s premier agricultural show, held in Bridport.
Bridport Literary Festival Bridport Prize Live heralds the announcement of one of the most influential prizes for both poetry and short story writing. The run up to the award now forms a fascinating festival with its own flavour, influenced by its location in venues in and around our ancient Dorset town. The 2007 festival begins on Friday 9th November.
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