Bridlington

East Riding of Yorkshire

Bridlington HarbourBridlington is a popular seaside resort town in the East Riding of Yorkshire with a busy small harbour and miles of sandy beaches.

The town is positioned on the coast 9 miles south-south-east of Filey, 16 miles south-east of Scarborough and 12 miles north of Hornsea. Bridlington is 24 miles north-north-east of its nearest city, Kingston upon Hull, and 37 miles east-north-east of York. It is 19 miles north-east of the East Riding county town of Beverley and 11 miles east-north-east of Driffield.

The town centre and High Street of Bridlington was originally near to its historic Priory, an area which is now known as Old Town. The arrival of the railway in Bridlington in 1846 brought a huge increase in tourism and a new town centre developed through the Victorian era, a mile from the Old Town and very close to the harbour and beaches. It is where the main shopping centre of Bridlington remains today.

The Old Town still has characterful shops and places to eat and it was one of the principal locations when Walmington-on-Sea came to Bridlington for the filming of the Dad's Army movie, released in February 2016 and based on the original popular TV comedy.

Bridlington HarbourBridlington's harbour is at the heart of the modern town. Boats were being built in Bridlington at least as early as the 13th century and for many years its was a busy small coastal port. Bridlington Harbour Commissioners were first established by an Act of Parliament in 1697. The harbour's activities are still managed by today's Commissioners

Website.

Among the harbour attractions is The Three Brothers, a historic fishing coble built in Bridlington in 1912. The harbour is now mainly used for leisure craft, a small fishing fleet, charter fishing and tourist pleasure boats. The most famous of these is the Yorkshire Belle, built in Beverley in 1947 to replace the original Yorkshire Belle built 9 years earlier, but sunk by a mine during wartime patrol duties with the Royal Navy.

East Riding Leisure Centre, BridlingtonNorth Sands, BridlingtonWhile the beaches are a key to Bridlington's appeal, it also has fairground and amusement attractions, sea-front land trains, historic buildings, parks and gardens and a top entertainment venue at The Spa. A new indoor East Riding Leisure Centre opened at Promenade near the town's North Sands in 2016.

Just north of Bridlington is the Flamborough headland, a heritage coast with spectacular chalk cliffs, stacks, caves, coves, lighthouses, nature reserves and one of the most important seabird colonies in Europe. The headland is separated from Bridlington by the ancient Danes Dyke, a huge defensive earthwork bank and ditch, now thought by some archaeologists to have bronze age origins.

Town features

High Street, Old Town, BridlingtonKing Street, BridlingtonManor Street, BridlingtonThe Promenades, Bridlington

Bridlington's present-day town centre is amazingly close to the beach and harbour and handily located between the sea and bus and train stations. Well-know names and independent retailers can be found around a compact group of shopping streets and inside The Promenades Shopping Centre. A mile away, the Old Town is well-worth a visit for its heritage High Street shopping experience, independent shops and galleries, antiques and vintage goods and its festivals. It has also become a destination for movie tourists after the transformation of shops to those of the fictional Walmington-on-Sea for the Dad's Army movie released in February 2016.

Bridlington's main post office is in Quay Road, between the town centre and station. There is also a branch at Quay Road, between the station and Old Town, and a branch at the Sandsacre Centre.

There are several pharmacies around Bridlington.

The town has bank and building society branches.

There are more than two dozen pubs to choose from in and around the town and there are a few good ones among them, but you may need to pick carefully as many have not been scoring highly for customer satisfaction and the emptiness of some of them may be a reflection on this.

The town has a selection of cafes and coffee houses.

There is no shortage of places to eat in Bridlington, from burgers and fish and chips near the seafront, through American, Indian, Chinese and Italian cuisines, to quality restaurants, often in hidden-away places such as Bridlington's Old Town.

Takeaways provide fish and chips, burgers and a whole range of other cuisines.

Bridlington has a library at King Street and the North Bridlington Library at Martongate.

East Riding Leisure centre at Promenade, Bridlington, has a swimming pool and gym.

For entertainment and museum see below.

Places to stay in Bridlington include hotel, guest house, holiday home, caravan and camping accommodation.

Bridlington Tourist Information Centre is in Prince Street.

There are several public toilets around Bridlington, but they have limited opening times with many closing as early as 4.15pm. Check with the council website when it's convenient for you to go at

East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

There are several schools in and around Bridlington.

Places of worship: Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, other

Priory Church of St Mary, Bridlington

Bridlington's first church is thought to have been built around 750 and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. After a large Augustinian priory was founded in Bridlington in 1113, a new priory church was started during the 13th century and building continued until the dissolution of the monastery in 1537, its west towers not being complete at that time. Today's magnificent Priory Church of St Mary represents just the nave of that church. The other half of the church, which had contained the shrine of St John of Bridlington, a prior who died in 1379, together with the church's central tower were demolished in 1539 after the dissolution. Other monastery buildings except for its gatehouse, The Bayle, were also demolished. Restorations of the church took place from 1846 to 1879, during which upper parts were added to the western towers, and there was further restoration in the 20th century. The church has a monument and annual service commemorating the Great Gale disaster of 1871, when gales on February 10 caused 30 ships to be wrecked in Bridlington Bay, including a lifeboat.

Further details at the Bridlington Priory website.

Gypsey Race is a stream flowing into the North Sea at Bridlington Harbour.

Entertainment

The Spa, Bridlington

The Spa

South Marine Drive, Bridlington

With its seating for 3,800 people, The Spa is the biggest indoor entertainment venue on the Yorkshire coast and attracts some top touring comedians, musicians and dance acts, a popular pantomime and other shows. It also hosts ballroom and tea dances. The Spa extends its entertainment into Pembroke Gardens and the nearby Promenade, where it provides free street entertainment. It also has an art gallery attracting a large variety of works from the East Riding and beyond.

The Spa website.

Spotlight Theatre

West Street, Bridlington

The Spotlight Theatre was created in 2000 when the long-established Bridlington Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society bought a former print works to turn into its own theatre venue. In addition to the society's own shows, it hosts professional touring shows, musicals, music gigs, an annual pantomime and films.

Spotlight Theatre website.

Museum

The Bayle Museum, Bridlington

The Bayle Museum

Church Green, Bridlington

A museum is housed in The Bayle, a grade I listed scheduled monument and historic gateway of Bridlington's Augustinian priory. The gatehouse between Bridlington's Old Town and its Priory dates from around around 1388 although parts of it may have 12th century origins and upper parts were rebuilt in the 17th century. It also housed a prison from 1446 and a room at the top of the gatehouse was used as a court. As King Henry VIII started appropriating abbey and priory assets in 1536 after becoming head of his new Church of England, the Prior of Bridlington William Wood became involved in an uprising, The Pilgramage of Grace, against the king. It led to he and others being charged with treason in 1537 and his beheading in York. The king then seized Bridlington Priory and its possessions. Since that time The Bayle has had various uses, including a meeting place for the Lords Feeofees and Assistants of the Manor of Bridlington, who since 1636 have been trustees of much of the property in Brildlington's Old Town and who were effectively performed the functions of a town council before the establishment of a borough council. Since 1928, The Bayle has housed a museum telling its rich history.

Sport

Bridlington Town AFC

The Seasiders play at Queensgate, Bridlington.

Official website: Official Bridlington Town AFC

Bridlington RUFC

Bridlington RUFC play rugby union at Dukes Park, Queensgate, Bridlington.

Places to visit

Sewerby Hall and Gardens

Church Lane, Sewerby

Sewerby HallSewerby Hall is a Grade I listed Georgian country house built between 1714 and 1720 with additions from the early 19th century. The house has recently been restored to how it would have looked in 1910. It is set in 50 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland ranging from its formal walled and rose gardens to pleasure gardens, picnic areas and woodland. The park also a small zoo, including birds, Sika deer, Shetland ponies, Capuchin monkeys, alpacas and llamas. The hall also has tea rooms, a gift shop and holiday cottages and is a destination for the land train which runs alongside the seafront of Bridlington's North Sands.

Further information at the Sewerby Hall and Gardens website.

Burton Agnes Hall

Burton Agnes, near Driffield
Burton Agnes HallDating from around 1600, Burton Agnes Hall is an Elizabethan stately home that has stayed within a family which can trace its ancestry at the estate back to the Norman manor house built around 1170 remaining beside the hall. The hall is a Grade I listed building and in recent years its grounds have been turned into a thriving visitor attraction featuring award-winning gardens, woodland walk, children's playground, cafe, gift and home and garden shops and a courtyard gallery featuring the work of local artists. The hall, situated 6 miles south-west of Bridlington, also hosts a variety of events, including a Jazz and Blues Festival, classic car rally and a variety of seasonal fairs.
For more information see the

Burton Agnes Hall website.
Locate on map:

Burton Agnes Hall

Bempton Cliffs

Cliff Lane, Bempton
Home to a quarter of a million seabirds including the only mainland gannet colony in Britain, the cliffs, 5 miles east-north-east of Bridlington, are also home to kittiwakes, puffins, guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, herring gulls and shags. Many farmland birds can also be seen on the clifftops. The RSPB has a nature reserve at the cliffs with a visitor and exhibition centre, tearoom, shop, toilets and clifftop observation platforms which are accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs. The RSPB centre has a car park and is about 1.5 miles walk from Bempton station and about a mile from the nearest bus stop in Bempton village. The RSPB has a website on which they have details of their facilities.

Travel

Bridlington

Station Approach
Bridlington station has two through platforms for the lines running north to stations via Filey to Scarborough and south to stations via Beverley to Hull. There is also a terminus platform for additional southbound trains. Many southbound trains reverse at Hull to continue via Selby to York or via Doncaster to Sheffield.
The station is managed by Northern. The operator running services is Northern.

Northern - Bridlington Station and departure information at Northern website.

Bridlington bus station

Princess Terrace (at rear of The Promenade shopping centre)

Buses operate from Bridlington bus station to nearby and resort towns, including to Hull via Driffield and Beverley, to Scarborough via Filey, services to Hornsea, to Flamborough, to Bempton and local routes around Bridlington.

Road travel

Bridlington is on the main A165 leading southwards towards Hull and northwards towards Scarborough. The A614 heads inland towards Driffield, where the A166 to York branches off and the A614 continues towards the M62, the nearest motorway, 40 miles away at Howden. Bridlington has a park and ride scheme from its South Cliff car park where a £5.50 all-day parking charge covers bus travel into Bridlington for up to five passengers (2021 price).
Park and Ride details at the

East Riding of Yorkshire Council website.

Emergency services

Humberside Police

Humberside Police website.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service website.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust website.

HM Coastguard

Coastguard - Coastal safety webpage.

Local government

Town council (civil parish)

Bridlington Town Council
The town council is made up of 12 councillors elected across three wards. A Mayor of Bridlington and deputy mayor is elected each year by the councillors. The council discusses planning issues, organises a Bridlington Business in Bloom competition, awards small grants and runs a Citizen of Honour scheme. Bridlington Town Hall is used by East Riding of Yorkshire Council (see below). The town council is office is in Quay Road.

Bridlington Town Council

Unitary authority

East Riding of Yorkshire Council
The East Riding of Yorkshire Council is now a unitary district rather than a county authority but the least changed of any of the historic Ridings of Yorkshire.

It does now cover a small part of the former West Riding, while it has lost portions of the historic East Riding to North Yorkshire and York.

County Hall, BeverleyBeverley is the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire and the location of its County Hall.

Other towns in the East Riding include Bridlington Driffield Goole Market Weighton Hedon Hornsea Howden Pocklington Snaith and Withernsea.

The authority covers a near full range of council services, except the limited services handled by the various civil parish/town councils which exist throughout its area.

The 26 wards in the authority each elect one, two or three councillors to make up a 67 member council. An election for the entire council is held every four years with the most recent election in 2019.

Link to East Riding of Yorkshire Council website .

Political composition after May 2023 election:

2922943 YP
67 members YP = Yorkshire Party

Police and Crime Commissioner

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside
Oversees Humberside Police covering an area made up of the unitary authority councils of East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Hull and, south of The Humber, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.
Elected P&CC: ❚ Jonathan Evison Conservative

Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside website.

Fire Authority

Humberside Fire Authority
The fire authority is made up of elected members of each of the four unitary authorities served by the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service - East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire.

Humberside Fire Authority website.

Parliamentary constituency

Bridlington and The Wolds
Elected MP: ❚ Charlie Dewhirst Conservative

National government region

Yorkshire and the Humber

Ceremonial county

East Riding of Yorkshire

Historic

1636 - Lords Feeofees and Assistants of the Manor of Bridlington
-1889 East Riding of Yorkshire (historic admistrative division)
1889-1974 East Riding of Yorkshire (county authority)
1899-1974 Bridlington Municipal Borough (within East Riding of Yorkshire)
1974-1981 Borough Council of North Wolds (within the artificially-created county of Humberside)
1981-1996 Borough Council of East Yorkshire (renaming of the above)

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