West Bridgford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Bridgford |
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 View of Trent Bridge and Nottingham from West Bridgford |
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 West Bridgford
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| Population | 47,109 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SK 58673 37569 |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NOTTINGHAM |
| Postcode district | NG2 |
| Dialling code | 0115 |
| Police | Nottinghamshire |
| Fire | Nottinghamshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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West Bridgford is a town located in Nottinghamshire, England. It sits just south of the city of Nottingham, separated by the River Trent. In 2018, about 48,225 people lived here. The town is part of the Rushcliffe area for the UK Parliament, currently represented by Ruth Edwards from the Conservative Party.
Contents
A Look at West Bridgford's Past
Many of the main roads in West Bridgford are named after important families who lived there a long time ago. There are also newer areas, like the Gamston development, where roads are named after places in the Lake District. The Compton Acres area has names from Dorset and the Purbeck Coast.
After the First World War, a family called Musters sold the Trent Bridge Inn and the Trent Bridge cricket ground. The cricket club bought the inn but quickly sold it to a brewery for a profit. The Musters family also sold land for building houses. They made sure that new houses followed strict rules, especially in an area known as the West Bridgford Estate. This area was planned with tree-lined streets. On main roads like Musters Road, houses had to be a certain size and have a specific number of bedrooms. Smaller houses were allowed on side streets, and some terraced houses were built for people who worked for wealthy merchants from Nottingham.
Because of these rules, West Bridgford grew into a community that felt separate from Nottingham. People in Nottingham sometimes jokingly called it "Bread and Lard Island." This meant they thought people in West Bridgford spent so much money on big houses and fancy clothes that they could only afford simple food like bread and lard. West Bridgford started as a small village in the mid-1800s and grew into a town of over 48,000 people by 2018.
Where is West Bridgford?
The River Trent forms the northern edge of West Bridgford. Several bridges cross the river, connecting the town to the city of Nottingham. These bridges also link to safe cycling routes that go to Nottingham city, the railway station, and university areas.
Bridges Connecting West Bridgford
- Trent Bridge has three lanes for traffic in each direction. It has cool carvings on its sides that you can see from the river. In 2017, strong safety barriers were added to protect people walking to big sports events nearby. Two parts of the original medieval bridge are still there, surrounded by a traffic island on the south side of the river.
- Lady Bay Bridge has one lane for traffic in each direction. It used to be a railway bridge for trains going from London to Nottingham. Even though the railway line went right through West Bridgford, there was never a train station here. The line closed in 1967. Now, parts of the old railway path have been turned into a public footpath where you can still see signs of old railway sleepers.
- Wilford Toll Bridge is used by trams, people walking, and cyclists. Since 2015, Nottingham Express Transit trams use it to connect areas like Clifton and Compton Acres in West Bridgford to Nottingham city centre.
- Wilford Suspension Bridge is a bridge just for bikes and pedestrians. It's west of Trent Bridge and connects to The Meadows area.
Buildings and Homes
The centre of West Bridgford has many different kinds of buildings, most of them from the Victorian era. However, some larger old houses are being taken down to build new ones, as there aren't special rules to protect all the older homes. St. Giles Church is a very old church from the medieval period, but it was greatly repaired and changed in the late 1800s.
New homes are also being built in areas like Sharphill and the Edwalton/Tollerton triangle.
Areas within West Bridgford
- Abbey Park
- Compton Acres
- Lady Bay
- Wilford Hill
Places Near West Bridgford
- The Meadows (north)
- Holme Pierrepont (northeast)
- Lady Bay (east)
- Gamston and Tollerton (southeast)
- Edwalton and Ruddington (south)
- Clifton (southwest)
- Wilford (northwest)
How West Bridgford is Governed
West Bridgford doesn't have its own town or parish council. It became an urban district with its own elected council in 1894. Later, in 1935, the areas of Edwalton and South Wilford were added to it. Then, in 1972, it became part of the larger Rushcliffe borough.
The main offices for Nottinghamshire County Council are located in West Bridgford at County Hall. This building is a well-known landmark on the south bank of the River Trent. The County Council is the highest level of local government in the area. They make decisions about things like schools, roads, and social services for the whole county.
Sports in West Bridgford
West Bridgford is a big place for sports!
Nottingham Forest Football Club plays at the City Ground, right by the River Trent. The club started in 1865 and has played here since 1898. Between 1975 and 1993, when Brian Clough was their manager, Nottingham Forest won a Football League title, two European Cups (which is a huge deal!), and four Football League Cups. Famous players like Trevor Francis and Stuart Pearce played for them.
At a local level, West Bridgford has many football teams for all ages. West Bridgford Colts FC is one of the biggest youth football groups in the country, with over 90 teams!
Trent Bridge Cricket Ground is a very old and famous cricket ground. It was first used for cricket in 1838 and held its first big international "Test match" in 1899, when England played against Australia. It's the third oldest ground used for Test cricket in the world! It's also home to Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.
There are two rowing clubs in West Bridgford: Nottingham Rowing Club and Nottingham and Union Rowing Club. Some of the local secondary schools also offer rowing activities.
West Bridgford has two major rugby clubs: Nottingham Moderns RFC and West Bridgford Rugby Club.
The West Bridgford Hockey Club was where Olympic Gold medallist Helen Richardson-Walsh played hockey when she was a child. She used to live in West Bridgford.
Shopping and Retail
West Bridgford was home to the UK's first big out-of-town shopping area. In 1964, an American company called GEM opened a store on Loughborough Road. Later, in 1966, the supermarket chain Asda took over. The Loughborough Road site still has an Asda store, though a much bigger one was built nearby in 1999.
In 2018, the local council started looking at ways to make the town even better. They are thinking about improving roads and adding more shops, especially along Gordon Road and Central Avenue, where there are many independent shops and national chains.
Schools in West Bridgford
West Bridgford has several secondary schools. The West Bridgford School and Rushcliffe School are both "academies," which means they have more freedom in how they are run. The Becket School is a Catholic school, and The Nottingham Emmanuel School is a Church of England school.
Many primary schools in the area feed into these secondary schools. For example, West Bridgford Infant and Junior School, Jesse Gray Primary School, Heymann Primary School, and Greythorn Primary School all feed into The West Bridgford School.
Local Places to Visit
- Rushcliffe Arena: This place was made bigger in 2017 and now has a swimming pool, a gym, and offices for the local council.
- West Bridgford Young People's Centre: Next to the library, it has a music studio, dance studio, and other cool facilities for young people.
- West Bridgford Library: A great place to find books and learn.
- Bridgford Park: A nice park to relax and play.
- The Studio Theatre: This is the home of the West Bridgford Dramatic Society and is the only public theatre in the Rushcliffe area.
Getting Around: Public Transport
West Bridgford has many bus services that connect it to Nottingham and other nearby towns and villages.
Bus Services
- Nottingham City Transport
- Buses like the 1, 1A, 1B, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7B, 8, 9, 9B, 10, 10C, 10X, 11, 11C, N4, and N6 connect West Bridgford to Nottingham Station, Trent Bridge, NTU Clifton Campus, Clifton, Ruddington, Gamston, Edwalton, Abbey Park, Wilford Hill, Compton Acres, Lady Bay, and even as far as Loughborough.
- Trentbarton
- The Cotgrave, The Keyworth, Mainline, and Rushcliffe Villager services connect West Bridgford to places like Cotgrave, Keyworth, Radcliffe, and Bingham.
- Other Bus Services
- Nottingham Community Transport, Kinchbus, Centrebus, Marshalls, and Nottsbus Connect also run services through West Bridgford, connecting it to many other towns and villages in the wider area.
In 1968, West Bridgford's own bus fleet joined with Nottingham City Transport.
Famous People from West Bridgford
- Ellie Brazil (born 1999): A professional footballer who played for the England under 19 team and Brighton & Hove Albion Women & Girls. She was born in West Bridgford.
- Kenneth Clarke (born 1940): A well-known politician who was a Member of Parliament for the Rushcliffe area for many years. He was born in and still lives in West Bridgford.
- Leslie Crowther (1933–1996): A famous comedian, actor, and TV presenter, born in West Bridgford.
- Helen Richardson-Walsh (born 1981): An Olympic Gold medallist in hockey who grew up in West Bridgford.
- Harry Wheatcroft (1898–1977): A famous rose grower who lived in West Bridgford.
- LadBaby (Mark Hoyle, born 1987): A popular blogger and comedy musician who grew up in West Bridgford.
