Is there anyone else out there who was shocked at the news reports of the stabbings in East Street? I don't mean shocked at the event (everyone was) but at the subsequent painting of Bridport as something out of 'The Darling Buds of May'? Are you fed up with people in the media creating the perfect rural picture whenever they report from a small town in the West Country.
A Bridport Radio member has contacted the ITV after talking to several people about the imbalance of their report and to give them a possible follow-up story; the real facts about Bridport and other small towns. ITV is interested in following it up.
So is there anyone prepared to discuss our drug problems, drink problems, unemployment, burglary and especially street violence? The reports have been correct that a stabbing is unusual, though not unique. However it is all too familiar for people to hear of yet another unprovoked and savage beating from gangs or, as in this case, a disagreement, resulting in hospitalisation.
The ITV would like to interview young males/females, church leaders, youth workers etc and elderly people who have grown up in Bridport. They are prepared to disguise people as they recognise that there are some nasty people in our town. There are one or two people who would like to speak but would not want to be identified-in fact but no-one who is happy to speak openly on camera, which says a lot about our town!
Contact us for more details.
this is serious now! I’m a martial arts teacher (2. Dan anti-terror fighting, 1. Dan jiu-jitsu) and when I came first time to lovely bridport 15 years ago, there was hardly any violence around. my skills seemed to be wrong placed here. nethertheless I started to teach my arts and many bridport locals know me from this time. the only “”””fighting”””” I had seen was a harmless pushing about between two men in the george hotel once. nothing serious. and I heard about some fighting at former da vincis night club between some locals and holidaymakers. – I left bridport for a few years and after returning 2 1/2 years ago I got of the bus and thought to have a welcome cuppa at hardys. sitting outside I witnessed, out of the blue, a man nearly jumping over my table to punch another one sitting at the table next to me. they both fought seriously, hit some marketstall and one ended up in an ambulance. only days later I cycled by the kebab shop at east st. at about 12 pm. outsite was a crowd in another serious fight. nearly 10 young lads hitting each other (I decided not to interfere, it was anyway under supervision of the new installed CCTV!) since than there been quite a few more violent clashes as we all know from the media. so, what’s wrong in sleepy bridport? just to say or think that it’s modern life is too simple. Horst (at present in peaceful Bandar Iman (Iran)
As the first Photographer, to arrive at the scene of the stabbings, I would like to take this moment in saying thank you to our Ambulance services, who did a excellent job, of not only caring for the poor girls, but also taking charge of the whole emergency, |Well done and thank you!! Which leads me to my first question, I followed 2 ambulances from Winterbourne Abbis to Bridport, was able to park up, find out what had happened, then the police turned up, not with lights flashing, nor sirens going. Meantime i was on the phone to all my editors and reporters, telling them what had happening, by this time it was 6 37pm The police at this moment, started to put up the blue tape around the scene, I was getting phone calls from radio,news and TV editors, that they had been in contact with the police, and they was treating it as a minor incident!! I had to push the point, that it was not, and that it was a major incident! now can someone tell me, what took them so long to get to the scene? And Im not even going to start talking about the CCTV system!!! well not at the moment anyway!
RE: PATRON SAINT
No this isn’t like ‘Local heros’, as the newly appointed patron saint of Bridders will be expected to watch over the town and make nice things happen. They would have a more proactive saintly role and represent Bridders in the olypic games.
RE: SLOW DOWN!
All car drivers would have to slow down if we returned to the old fashioned idea of a man with a red flag having to walk in front of your car. If this was done in turn by all Bridport internees then everyone would be a lot fitter and there would be less accidents except for flat man with a flag!!!
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
I can’t believe he got away with 3 counts of wounding with intent! Surely it should be 3 counts of attempted murder? I bet he’ll get 3 months community service, go for a correctional 3 week rehabilitation break in Bermuda and be tucked up safely in the Bridport Foyer by Christmas!
RE: THE BRIDPORT LIMP
I am really, really, really sorry if I have offended you Footy Seagull. I had absolutely no idea that you were disabled, as I hadn’t really read your post properly, and thought you were suffering an injury. Now, having read your post properly I fully understand how my previous comment could have been seen as fun-making and I fully and entirely retract it. May I even ask the editor to please censor the necessary parts of of my post, as he/she sees fit. Again, I sincerely apologise and will make special efforts from now on to ensure that I do not treat all people equally on this website and will respond to posts in a manner which is dictated by the postee’s ability to propel ones-self unaided. Once again, many apologies.
FootySeagull – I’m sorry for Carlito too, a right stirrer and no mistake, add a pinch of salt.
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
With ref: to the Bat, I was doing my job, which is reporting what I see, that is what I get paid for, The police and the other services, get paid to do there job! So lets not start getting holly about it! We all have a job to do in life, The point is we all love reading the news and seeing pictures, as long as its not on our doorstep! Fact! So lets just learn from last week, instead of ripping each other or trying to score points! At the end of the day, something went wrong, lets just learn by it!, hiding our heads in the sand, will not change anything. And just one point I would like to make on this matter, I support 100% the local police, have and always will, and will continue to do so. But sometimes questions have to be asked! Mac
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
hey sprockley, tis like the telly mate, it has an off switch, so if you dont like peoples opinions dont look at Bridport Radio buy the wip wop where the only chance to express your views is in the “”””letters page”””” and if its at all contraversial, they wont publish!! this place is for those people who wish to express their own views, without editorial censorship, simple enough , isnt it? where else can you have a good ol, moan and know that some people will read it? theres no-where else, so either make the most of it or switch it off mate cheers, doug the hat
RE: BUCKY DOO
a few people were known to have met their end, courtesy of “”””the bridport dagger”””” bat,look it up on’t internet!!
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
I think Sprockley is missing the point. As long as Bridport is portrayed as it is now, with no recognition of the problems that exist (as well as other towns in the S West) then government funding for local councils and local educational authorities will remain the same, that is, pretty near to the bottom of the list. Unless someone says, “”””hang on a minute we need a bit more help here,”””” everything stays the same-except that it doesn’t, it just gets worse. Of course, Bridport is a brilliant place in a lot of ways, I was born here and want to stay here but the alcohol fuelled violence that is becoming more and more frequent, isn’t just happening to those people’who are in that sort of lifestyle’, innocent people are getting seriously hurt just because they’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. By the way, Carlita, totally agree with you, why isn’t it attempted murder? Is it something to do with premeditation?
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
Listen to me “”””Doug the Hat””””, I am not saying that people should not express their views!(which is in fact what I was doing unless you hadn’t noticed!). I was mearly stating that Bridport Radio should be careful about what it says its members do with regards to the national media concerning such a serious and possible detrimantal matter. The consequences could quite possibly bring on a negative backlash, if Bridport Radio was seen to support the views of the member in concern if a negative report was made against the town. It is all very well if locals use Bridport Radio as a means about discussing local issues, but when it it is used to stir up possibly negative propaganda it is a totally different matter.
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
Bridport is no different to any other town in the UK, Its got its good points, and its bad points; trouble is, Good points dont make good news or TV, on the otherhand bad points is excellent news for TV! and newspaper! The problem is, having a fine balance. I
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
Anybody else see that the presiding magistrate in Bournemouth -where the accused in the stabbing ordeal was charged-decided in her majestic wisdom that the victims should not be identified!! Stable and Door spring to mind I fancy!!
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
Not wanting to be hypocritical here considering I don’t like the idea either, but Sprockley I don’t think you’re in a position to be telling Bridport Radio to be careful of anything. Whether BR is seen to be supporting the idea or not, or whether it has a bad backlash or not, is totally inconsequential. At the risk of sounding like a very stuck record, just because BR publish it, doesn’t mean they necessarily support it.
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
in the bridport news it said 3 lads were caught carrying knives, very topical ..how stupid are they ..any seconders ?
RE: PARTY!
Old Library eh? Very trendy building to hold a Party. That’s where all those medialab/arty installation/comfortably affluent parties are held eh? You may as well do cheese and wine and call it a private view! I feel a more down to earth venue, with a licenced bar may be the best bet. Depending on the size of the party planned, it could be anywhere from the function room at the Tiger to the Masonic Hall (I think the Masonic hall is £50 for the night and that gets you two bar wenches as well!…). Or howz about we say b*****ks to an organised party and just arrange to meet in the George on a week night?
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
To quote The Bat: when there are no more knives in circulation what are all those criminals going to use? Yes, there will then have to be a fork amnesty, then a spoon amnesty, maybe even a fishslice amnesty! China went through this process about three hundred years ago during the ming dynasty, and look what they are all using for cutlery now?
RE: FREE PARKING
Why not park in Vicoria Grove where it meets North Street – you know, right in front of the pedestrian steps, so you have to walk in the road – Yes, on the yellow lines and across the pavement – you will never get a ticket !! Cause accidents on the junction – who cares. So why not join the rest for free overnight parking – who cares if your aerials and wing mirrors get broken off…
RE: SLEEPY BRIDPORT?
So what is happening in Sleepy Bridport ? the day after the ‘incident’ i.e. the next day, armed Police everywhere to give us confidence – now we don’t even get a Crime Report in the news ..the radio in the shops are quiet! have the villains gone away or just Bridports finest..is the Police Station still there ? or has it been changed to low cost housing ?