Bridport’s iconic Torchlight Procession will likely be saved this year following the intervention of West Dorset MP Chris Loder.
A taskforce meeting chaired by Mr Loder with representatives from Bridport Town Council, Dorset Council, National Highways and their road contractors, and Dorset Police to find a way forward. The meeting was the next culmination of a number of previous summits held by Mr Loder to develop a plan of action to resolve the cancellation of the Bridport Torchlight procession last year, owing primarily to ‘safety concerns’.
Mr Loder said; “I have been clear from the offset that Bridport’s Torchlight procession must not be shut down. It is integral to Bridport’s much-loved Carnival and is of huge cultural value to the town. We have been able to achieve a plan of action, with only one hurdle to to jump over now to reply the previous road support contractor. National Highways have now also confirmed that there is now no other issue that would stop the Torchlight Procession from a Road Traffic Order being granted to facilitate the procession continuing over the Crown Roundabout to West Bay.”
I expect a final confirmation in the next few weeks that the Bridport Carnival Committee will have the all clear to fully organise the procession on Sunday 21 August 2022.
