Monday, October 19, 2015

IS BRIGG TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE?

We wonder whether Brigg is making the most of all the major events held in the town on Sundays.
The recent Ancholme Head rowing race brought scores of people into the town centre, many visiting Dunham's Bakery which was open. But many business premises were shut.
This is fine if the owners took a commercial decision and decided that the cost of Sunday staffing did not make opening worthwhile  when weighed against the likely trade generated.
But what should be a concern is if some shop proprietors did not know the Ancholme Head was taking place.
If this applied the other Sunday then surely something needs to change to ensure the word gets round.
Ken Harrison has touched on this subject in the past on Brigg Blog. His comments at the time, we rather fear, still apply.
Some years ago we went on a steam train excursion from Barnetby along the Settle & Carlisle line. A lengthy stop was made (to take on water) at a town in Cumbria where not only were the shops open but they had a band laid on to welcome the influx of visitors...all with money to spend.
We aren't suggesting for one minute that Brigg should follow this example, but present what the Cumbrian community did as an example of how a small town and its traders can take advantage of an influx of visitors. 

2 comments:

Ken Harrison said...

As an aside..but perhaps related to the town......we have a boat club, a rowing club and a canoe club in and about the town......The North Sea is not too far.....and near Barton, there is a sailing club.....folks jet ski on the pond opposite the steelworks......but where is the nearest boat chandlers?
Boats are worst than cars when it comes to repairs and services.....anything from bilge pumps to an outboard engine service.....not forgetting paint, marine varnish ad infinitum....Sell an inflatable to a family, then one will also be selling buoyancy vests.
In essence.....is the town's emporium experts missing a lucrative opening?

The Independent Brigg Line Rail Group said...

Does the town sell it's self enough? There are a number of events on a Saturday that Northern Rail could promote that they are never told about.