This week, I can report on two exciting elements which illustrate the cultural and social vibrancy that marks out the town.

On the cultural side, [...]]]> One of the great things about West Dorset is that, amidst our peaceful rural setting, there is actually a lot going on – and Bridport is no exception to this general rule.

This week, I can report on two exciting elements which illustrate the cultural and social vibrancy that marks out the town.

On the cultural side, I am delighted to say that Ian Gillan (one of Dorset’s most prominent musical figures) has nominated the Electric Palace cinema for an award in Rock the House 2012 – the second annual Parliamentary live music competition. 

I have been an enthusiastic supporter of the Electric Palace for some years, so I am naturally glad to see them nominated in this way.  But there are plenty of other strong competitors in our area, and I encourage them all to seek out information on the competition at www.rockthehouse2012.com

Anyone who wants to enter can send in a nomination for this year on behalf of another group to me at letwino@parliament.uk and I will then pass on the nomination to my colleague, Mike Weatherley, who is the inspiration behind this competition.

But this week has also seen progress in another, very different domain.

Some while back, various of us came together to establish a jobs club in Dorchester.  Given the current economic background, jobs clubs (which provide practical help for people who are having difficulty finding jobs) are more necessary than ever.  And I am very happy to be able to report that there are now signs of considerable progress towards establishing  a jobs club in Bridport as well.

The jobs club in Dorchester has already proved to be a great success, helping people who have been out of a job for a long time back into the market, with some splendid results even after just a few months of operation.  And the club is now generating radical and exciting ideas about how we can create more apprenticeships in the Dorchester area.

So it is very good news that there is now every prospect of being able to replicate this success in Bridport.

A vibrant cultural life, combined with strong voluntary efforts to help those most in need are both important elements of the Big Society – and it is good to see them both moving forward in Bridport.

Of course there is much more to Bridport than just business.  The cultural and social life of the town is just as important.  But there is a danger of forgetting that the underpinning of Bridport’s success [...]]]> One of the wonderful things about Bridport is the sheer exuberance of the multitude of small businesses that it generates.

Of course there is much more to Bridport than just business.  The cultural and social life of the town is just as important.  But there is a danger of forgetting that the underpinning of Bridport’s success over the last decade has been its businesses.

I have come across two examples of this just in the last week.

One is the five new jobs that have been generated by the award-winning Hive Beach Café.

There are remarkably many excellent restaurants in Bridport – as I can testify, having eaten at most of them.  But none have done better than the Hive Beach Café which enjoys a uniquely privileged site right on one of the most beautiful beaches in Britain – and which has earned, through the excellence of its cuisine, an accolade as the best beach café of 2010 and has reached the finals of the Coast magazine award this year.

The great thing about the success of this and many other local restaurants is that they don’t only delight the palate and provide a much needed source of local employment, but also often purchase locally sourced food, thereby strengthening one of West Dorset’s most import industries.

This point about localism comes out in the other case I came across this week.

It seems that Harveys, the nationwide furniture suppliers, concluded that their Bridport branch was not viable, despite the views of the local management.

Now, very excitingly, the former retail manager has put his energy and money behind his own more optimistic assessment and, together with a local investor, is preparing to open the Bridport Furniture Warehouse on Saturday.

As he points out to me, the new business will not only be creating employment for local people, but will be giving local people an increased ability to buy furniture locally – cutting down on travel and increasing convenience.

I am intending to visit this new shop myself as soon as I can – and I think we should all celebrate this splendid, further sign of vitality and enterprise in Bridport.

Under these circumstances, it is worth reminding ourselves of the many good things that can nevertheless be [...]]]> The New Year has arrived – and the signs so far are that it may prove rather windswept, both physically and metaphorically.  Certainly the global and, in particular, the European economic climate looks set to be chilly and testing.

Under these circumstances, it is worth reminding ourselves of the many good things that can nevertheless be achieved – not only in the short term but also for the future. 

Hard times, as they say, are good times to be building a brighter future. And right here in West Dorset, we have plenty of examples of just this kind of thing going on.

For many years now, Lyme Regis has had a splendid Development Trust which has done (and continues to do) remarkable work in the town.  The Fossil Festival, the Hub for young people and the planned Field Studies Centre for the Jurassic Coast are three notable examples – but there are many more besides.

The Lyme Regis Development Trust is a tiny social enterprise. Its inspirational director and very small staff work their wonders using space and financial resources that would be regarded as ludicrously inadequate by most public bodies.  But imagination, energy, flexibility and charm more than make up for the lack of resources.

Watching the activities of the Development Trust in Lyme Regis over the last few years, and working alongside them in a number of endeavours, I have become an enormous admirer not only of their particular work but also of the whole idea of development trusts. 

So it is very good news that a development trust has more recently been established in Bridport under the aegis of the indefatigable Charles Wild.
And it’s even better news that the Bridport Development Trust is now hard at work putting together a really serious plan for the revival of the Bridport Literary and Scientific Institute.

This marvellous old building is deeply connected with Bridport’s industrial and technological history. It definitely deserves to be restored to its former glory – and that is just what the Development Trust is now hoping to do.

I hope that everyone in Bridport and the surrounding area will enthusiastically support this splendid project.

Interestingly, it has become apparent that it is by no means only people in Bridport [...]]]> It is good to see that Bridport Community Hospital remains in the news – and it is important that this continues to be the case while discussions are under way about how outpatient services can best be maintained at the hospital.

Interestingly, it has become apparent that it is by no means only people in Bridport and the immediately surrounding area who feel strongly about the issue.  As the Bridport News reported last week, there was very considerable enthusiasm in The Square in Beaminster when leaflets were handed out there –- and I have had letters even from people as far afield as Chedington.

One might ask why people quite a long way from Beaminster are so keen to be able to continue to use outpatient services at Bridport, rather than going to Dorchester.

Some of the explanation, of course, lies in the fact that it is quicker for people in quite a wide area to get into Bridport than to get into Dorchester.

Another feature of the scene that several people have brought up is the ease with which one can park at Bridport Community Hospital.  But I think even this is only another part of the explanation rather than something that fully captures what people feel.

My sense is that it is not just the ease of parking (which obviously in any case doesn’t affect those who have no cars of their own) but also the whole feel of the thing that makes even people coming from quite a long distance away appreciate having their outpatient treatment in Bridport rather than in the County Hospital. 

Dorset County Hospital is a fine institution, which is now coming back into its own under much improved management, and we all depend upon it.  But inevitably, like any large hospital, it is quite a complex place, which can’t hope to feel as homely and personal as Bridport Community Hospital.

It seems clear that at least part of the reason why the outpatient services at Bridport matter so much is precisely this feeling.  As well as being close at hand for many people, the quality of the experience is different, because the Community Hospital is on a more human scale.

This is not something that can necessarily be measured – but I think it is another reason why we need a sensible arrangement that is both economically efficient and able to continue offering people these outpatient services in Bridport. 

Discussions are now under way in several quarters, and I hope that it will soon be possible to report progress.

This is a wonderful project to give new life to what used to be the club for young people in the middle of the town.

The ambition is considerable.  As well as providing a range of activities that one would normally associate with a [...]]]> I think by now everyone in Lyme Regis must know about the Hub.

This is a wonderful project to give new life to what used to be the club for young people in the middle of the town.

The ambition is considerable.  As well as providing a range of activities that one would normally associate with a youth club, the Hub is to be a fully fledged centre for young people that will fill a very important gap in the town’s provision of services. 

One of the great things about the project is that it is being done in close co-operation with The Woodroffe School and the Youth Service – so, although it is going to be run as an independent institution, it will be able to house numerous community organisations and agencies, offering advice and training as well as entertainment.

Great strides have been made since this imaginative idea was first put forward, and there is now an opportunity for every reader of this column to help the project advance yet further – just by spending a few minutes on the internet.

It seems that the ever-energetic Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has joined forces with British Gas to offer £100,000 worth of new energy equipment to the organisation that wins the most votes from people who go to the relevant website and register their preference.

If the Hub wins this competition, it will be able to put in renewable energy, a highly efficient boiler and proper insulation, so its energy bills will be reduced for many years to come.  I gather that the competition is hot – and there are organisations in Cornwall, Warwickshire, Sheffield, Manchester and Northumberland that are in the race for the same money.

No doubt the projects in cities like Sheffield and Manchester are much bigger than the Hub, so there is a David and Goliath aspect to all of this.  But there are only a few hundred votes in it, and we can therefore make the difference between winning and losing.

All that readers need to do is to go to http://www.energyshare.com/wwwhublymecouk and follow the prompts to vote for the Hub.  The closing time for votes is 5.00 pm on 3 December, so there isn’t a moment to lose.

Let’s get voting!

No sooner had I penned these observations than the Bridport News reported on another very successful [...]]]> Last week in this column, I celebrated the success of manufacturing in Bridport and the surrounding areas – and, in particular, the surprising contribution that Bridport and West Dorset make to Britain’s very considerable prowess in engineering and high technology.

No sooner had I penned these observations than the Bridport News reported on another very successful aspect of Bridport’s economy – the making and selling of food.

As usual, Bridport did enormously well in the Taste of the West competition, with three winners – all of whose products are, I can testify from all too much personal experience, absolutely excellent.

I don’t think that there is a bacon anywhere in the world to beat Denhay bacon; I don’t think there is any tea anywhere in the world that is either better to drink or produced in a way more sustainable and socially beneficial than the products of Clipper Teas; and I don’t think there is a farm shop I have seen anywhere which could outdo Washingpool Farm. This is saying something, as there are many other brilliant food making and sellers of food up and down West Dorset.

Partly what makes this all so special is the way it links the modern with the old. All the most modern techniques are employed in these businesses – but, at the same time, there is a reassuring traditionalism. The making of bacon and cheese, the cultivation and distribution of tea, and the bringing of farmers’ produce to the customer are all activities that have been going on in rural areas like ours since time out of mind.

This pleasing connectness of the new and the old was reflected also in another story in last week’s Bridport News.

It seems that we have a butcher in town who can trace back 25 generations, no less. In 1535 when, as I understand, a market stall was first opened by his ancestor, England had only recently recovered from the Wars of the Roses, was witnessing the reign of one of our bloodthirstiest kings, and had 300 years to wait before the invention of the steam engine, let alone the car or the plane. And all that while, the tradition of providing meat for the citizens of Bridport carried on in this one family.

I gather that a 500th anniversary is now being planned – and it seems entirely appropriate that this should be so.

 When you have been operating for five centuries, you really ought to take a little time to prepare for the anniversary.

In the current economic climate, jobs are absolutely at a premium and each one lost is a bitter blow.  If any of those affected happen to be reading this column, I would be more than happy to hear from them if there [...]]]> I was very sad to see last week the news that Southgate has closed.

In the current economic climate, jobs are absolutely at a premium and each one lost is a bitter blow.  If any of those affected happen to be reading this column, I would be more than happy to hear from them if there is any way they feel I can help to advance their prospects of finding a suitable alternative occupation.

But all is not gloom and doom in the Bridport economy. 

I heard from a local firm just a couple of days ago about a major new order which will provide a substantial  boost to employment for a considerable time to come.  And this was in a high-tech manufacturing industry.

I find to my surprise that many people in the Bridport area, if asked, will identify tourism, agriculture, food production and retailing as local industries readily enough, but very remarkably few local people seem to be aware of the extent to which local firms actually do a very high-class of highly sophisticated, high-technology work that provides the basis for worldwide export.

I think this is actually part of a national tendency to underestimate our contribution in these fields.  I find that there are very few people who will believe you if you tell them (accurately) that Britain actually still has the highest per capita high-tech experts in Europe – and yet the evidence for this is all around.

Just last week, I visited one West Dorset firm (admittedly in the Dorchester area than that the Bridport area) which manufactures vital parts for aircraft with such devastating precision that they can out-compete the world.

I think that John Lewis uses the slogan “never knowingly undersold”.  By contrast, I rather think that Britain in general and West Dorset in particular too often undersell our very considerable national capacities.

Over recent weeks, the people of Bridport have made it very clear not only how much they value Bridport Community Hospital, but also how keen they are to see the out-patient services that have been provided at the hospital continue to be provided there, rather than having them transferred [...]]]> OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIMARY CARE TRUST

Over recent weeks, the people of Bridport have made it very clear not only how much they value Bridport Community Hospital, but also how keen they are to see the out-patient services that have been provided at the hospital continue to be provided there, rather than having them transferred to Dorset County Hospital.

The more I have looked into this issue, the clearer I have become that the way to achieve this goal and to establish the right kind of co-operation between the County Hospital and the Community Hospital is for the Primary Care Trust to step in and commission these services through a new contract at Bridport Community Hospital.

I am, therefore, sending this open letter to Paul Sly, the Chief Executive of the Primary Care Trust.

“Dear Paul

“I know you will be aware of the very strong feelings in Bridport and the surrounding area about the need to maintain the services that are currently offered at the Community Hospital.

“I think that everyone understands the need for Dorset County Hospital to make efficiency savings and to get its books back into order after the very severe difficulties it went through a few years back.

“But I think it is also clear that people want to see some arrangement that enables the County Hospital and the Community Hospital to co-operate in a way that ensures continued access to the services that are currently offered in Bridport, at the Community Hospital.

“I believe that the Primary Care Trust has the ability to commission these services at Bridport Community Hospital.

“The obvious way of achieving this would be for the PCT to hold a tender for any qualified provider to provide these services on an efficient basis at the Community Hospital – under a new contract established at the time when the existing arrangements with Dorset County Hospital come to an end next spring.

“The opening of such a tender and the establishment of such a contract would ensure continued provision of the current services in Bridport – which is what the people of Bridport want to see happen. Although one obviously cannot know the outcome of such a tender in advance, I believe that Dorset County Hospital is well placed to tender for the provision of such services at Bridport Community Hospital on an efficient basis – thereby providing a sustainable, long term solution which is affordable for the County Hospital and which will meet the aspirations of local people.

“I am making arrangements to contact you to discuss this proposal.

“Yours sincerely

“Oliver”

I recently met both users of this Unit and people who were related to those who use the Unit in Bridport – who had [...]]]> In the midst of the important debate about out -patient services at Bridport Community Hospital and Dorset County Hospital, I hope we won’t lose sight of the issues surrounding the Hughes Unit.

I recently met both users of this Unit and people who were related to those who use the Unit in Bridport – who had all come to see me because of their concern that the reorganisation of mental health services in Dorset could lead to the in-patient beds at the Hughes Unit being replaced by beds at the Forston Clinic in Dorchester or some other location.

For those readers who are not familiar with the Hughes Unit, I should explain that it provides both day care and in-patient services for people who suffer from mental illness.

It is a sad fact that, whereas people are generally very willing to think and talk about physical illnesses and ailments (even cancer is now something that all now feel able to talk about), there is still an enormous reluctance to discuss mental illness, despite the fact that it is at least as important as any physical ailment.  Whether this is because of fear or just a long established cultural phenomenon, I have never quite been able to tell – but, for whatever reason, it is certainly true that mental illness doesn’t get the level of public discussion that it deserves.  So I was particularly keen to hear what the users and family members had to say about the Hughes Unit.  Their message was loud and clear.  The point they made over and over again is that, for mental illness, being treated at a place that is near at hand for your family and friends is not just desirable (as it is in the case of any treatment for physical illness) but actually an important part of the treatment itself, since so much of the treatment of mental illness has to do with the moral support a person receives from those nearest and dearest to them.

I came away from the meeting feeling that, whatever turns out to be the best long-term arrangement for sharing services between Bridport Community Hospital and Dorset County Hospital in the field of physical medicine, we absolutely have to keep the beds open at the Hughes Unit so that we can offer treatment close to home for in-patients with mental illnesses.

Some of these leaps are immediately noticeable. Everyone knew about the arrival of the internet and the mobile phone, pretty much as soon as they had descended upon us. But other major technological transformations are subtler. They occur almost unnoticed, despite the fact that they change the [...]]]> Once in a while, technology takes a leap forward.

Some of these leaps are immediately noticeable. Everyone knew about the arrival of the internet and the mobile phone, pretty much as soon as they had descended upon us. But other major technological transformations are subtler. They occur almost unnoticed, despite the fact that they change the rules of the game dramatically.

A game-changer of this sort has happened recently in broadband communications.

Just a few years ago, we were being told confidently that it would take large numbers of billions of pounds to provide high speed broadband to rural communities like ours in West Dorset.

At that time, I am sure that this prediction was the best possible guess about the future. It was based on the assumption that the only way to crack the problem was to put down new fibre lines to every house in every village in England.

And I am sure that, if you had to put down a new piece of fibre to every house in every rural area, the costs would be gargantuan – just as they estimated in those far off days of 24 or 36 months ago.

But things have now changed dramatically.
It seems that the new technology will enable people to have incredibly high speeds of broadband access without needing to replace the copper wires between their homes and the nearest street-cabinet. Apparently, all that is now required, is fibre to the cabinet together with a clever gizmo which divides up the capacity of the fibre in a way that enables everyone to be using it virtually simultaneously.
This means that the costs of providing high speed broadband, even in remote rural villages like ours, goes down – not just by a bit but to a fraction of what it was previously thought to cost.

The amount the government has set aside for rural broadband, if matched by local councils, will be enough to give almost everybody in the Bridport area affordable access to bandwidth on a scale we couldn’t have dreamt of a couple of years back. The effects on rural communities and on the ability of businesses to grow and prosper in rural areas like ours are, of course, vast.

A whole new world is opening up. Now we just have to get on and make it happen!