The Bridgwater Carnival has been a linchpin of the town’s cultural calendar since at least the Victoria era, with the event widely regarded as the oldest event of its kind in the UK.

The annual spectacle of colourful carnival carts winding their way through Bridgwater town centre brings not only huge numbers of visitors into the town, but also a sense of stability and dependency during periods of great social and economic upheaval.

As this year’s carnival rolls into town on Saturday (November 2), there is much to suggest that this hallowed tradition is alive and well, with thousands expected to line the streets to see the carts, enjoy the music and be dazzled by the unique squibbing ceremony.

Thanks to the Bridgwater town deal, work is currently going on behind the scenes to secure the carnival’s future, with improvements being planned to the existing workshops off the A38 Bristol Road.

But if you take a close look along the carnival procession route, you can get a sense of how much else is changing in Bridgwater, whether through government-funded regeneration or private investment.

Here’s your guide to everything that could be change on the carnival’s route in the coming years:

Percival Yard, A39 Bath Road

At the start of the carnival’s procession route lies this brownfield site, which once formed part of the town’s cellophane factory complex until it closed in 2005.

NNB Generation (HPC) Ltd. applied in late-July to use this site for up for four years to store around 200 shipping containers, which will hold materials associated with the Hinkley Point C construction programme.

Somerset Council granted permission for the proposal in late-August.

To offset the impact of this development on the neighbouring Sydenham Manor, a new row of willow, alder and birch trees will be planted along the northern border of the site.

Bridgwater and Taunton College, A39 Bath Road

Pupils currently wishing to access Bridgwater and Taunton College from the west have to rely on an old metal footbridge over the railway line.

Somerset Council announced in August that it would be exploring the delivery of a new pedestrian and cycling bridge on the northern side of the A39 Bath Road, providing a safer link between the college and the Cross Rifles roundabout.

These proposals would include an upgrade to the existing pedestrian crossing, which also provides a route to the McMillan Theatre and the town’s football and rugby clubs.

No time-scale has been set for the delivery of this new bridge, though the council said that funding for the initial design work could be taken from local housing developments.

Speaking in August, council leader Bill Revans – who used to teach at the college – said: “Having cycled that road twice daily for many years, I know first-hand how dangerous it is. There have been many near-misses.”

Cross Rifles roundabout

The Cross Rifles roundabout (also known as Cannon Cross Rifles) was originally due to be upgraded as part of a £10m scheme to improve Bridgwater’s ‘northern corridor’, using money from the government’s levelling up fund.

While work on the Dunball roundabout (near junction 23 of the M5) will begin on November 11, the Cross Rifles element has been delayed and downgraded due to rising costs – with the council announcing in January that money for the Cross Rifles scheme would be diverted to the Dunball site.

Under the revised proposals, the existing pedestrian crossings on the A38 Bristol Road and the A39 Bath Road will become signal-controlled crossings, providing a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists approaching the Leggar business park from the east.

New crossings will also be installed at the junction of The Clink and The Leggar (allowing people to cross from Church Street and the recently completed housing development) and on the roundabout within the business park, near the town’s McDonald’s restaurant and drive-thru.

These latter elements will help to deliver the southern end of the ‘purple route’ within the Bridgwater local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP), which will eventually run all the way to the Gravity enterprise zone via the River Parrett, the Dunball roundabout and the existing Puriton footbridge.

No start date has been set for these works, with Councillor Leigh Redman (whose Bridgwater North and Central division includes the roundabout) urging the council to regularly review traffic levels and lobby the government for further funding.

Speaking on August 5, he said: “The reason that the roundabout work was going forward was to increase capacity.

“The people of Bridgwater, for a long time, have been suffering from lots of pinch points throughout the town.

“We’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long, long time, and the fact that we’ve had to remove that element is frustrating – that’s an understatement.

“We would ask that reviews are made on a regular basis, with the hopeful intent of grabbing some government money from the new government – should it arrive – at the earliest opportunity to increase capacity.”

Former Henry W. Pollard & Sons Ltd., A38 Monmouth Street

The brownfield site lies on the eastern side of the A38, just north of the junction with the A372 St. John’s Street and Eastover, which was recently upgraded at a cost of around £2m.

Henry W. Pollard & Sons Ltd., which was founded in 1860, ceased trading and entered voluntary liquidation on July 8, 2021 at a cost of around 40 jobs.

Lighthouse Development Consulting put forward initial proposals – known as a screening request – to build 50 new homes on the site, which was approved in March 2023.

Pollards Yard Ltd. published detailed plans for the site in March 2024, reducing the number of dwellings down to 39 – of which only one will be affordable.

The Taunton-based developer intends to demolish the buildings surrounding the former builders yard, with the planned properties wrapping around existing homes on Monmouth Street.

A total of 33 properties will be created within the existing footprint, with a further six homes being created from the conversion of existing, viable buildings within the site.

A small children’s play area will also be provided near the centre of the proposed development.

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the proposals in the coming months.

Eastover

Eastover is currently closed to traffic after the first stage of delivering the Celebration Mile got under way in early-August.

The Celebration Mile will eventually run from Bridgwater railway station to the Northgate Docks, providing an attractive and safe walking and cycling route for both current residents and visitors to the town.

A total of £9m was allocated within the Bridgwater town deal to deliver three key sections of the route, each of which secured planning permission from Sedgemoor District Council in mid-2022.

Work on the first new section, comprising Eastover, East Quay, New Road and Salmon Parade, will last up to 14 months – meaning it will be completed by the 2025 carnival.

Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets, said: “Bridgwater Carnival is hugely important not just to the town, but to Somerset and the south west.

“I am pleased that I can reassure Carnival fans, local businesses and residents that there will be no restriction on Carnival activities due to the Celebration Mile works.

“The Bridgwater Town Deal is unlocking multi-million pound investments in Bridgwater through the 11 projects, which include the Celebration Mile and supporting the Carnival by providing modern sheds for carnival clubs to build their carts.”

Taylor Woodrow, the contractor for the Celebration Mile works, is sponsoring a money collection cart at the Carnival, with the proceeds shared by local good causes.

Salmon Parade

Salmon Parade is the home of the former Bridgwater community hospital, which closed its doors in 2014 following the opening of the town’s new hospital and urgent treatment centre on Bower Lane.

Following a successful bid to the government’s levelling up fund, the building will be transformed into a health and social care academy, designed to train up the next generation of professionals in both children’s and adult social care.

The health and social care academy does not currently have planning permission, and the council does not have a concrete start date for beginning the detailed refurbishment of the building – though some decontamination work has already been carried out.

The council confirmed in August that the upgrades to Salmon Parade as part of the Celebration Mile would only be completed up to the hospital curtilage until the new academy was up and running – with the remainder to the south (as far as the A38 junction) being implemented after this point.

A spokesman said: “Work on the southern half of Salmon Parade will not take place until the Somerset Health and Care Academy is complete, as we do not want to waste public funds undertaking the same works twice.

“The extent of any work linked with completing the second half of Salmon Parade will be significantly less than the wider Celebration Mile, thereby keeping any disruption to a minimum.”

Cornhill

As part of a wider sale of assets to balance its budget, Somerset Council intends to auction off the Cornhill complex in the centre of Bridgwater, which is currently home to the town’s Prezzo restaurant and an indoor market.

The building, which is grade one listed, dates back to 1834 and was originally used as the Bridgwater corn exchange.

The building was in the ownership of Sedgemoor District Council and passed to Somerset Council when the new unitary authority assumed control in April 2023.

Since the asset sale was proposed, Bridgwater Town Council had offered to buy the building from Somerset Council for £1, fix its broken roof and provide security to the local tenants – an offer which the Bridgwater and District Civic Society claims has been rejected by officers.

Civic Society chairman Dave Chapple stated in September: “Somerset Council’s decision to dispose of the Cornhill Market to the highest private bidder is a betrayal of Bridgwater’s heritage.

“It is another indictment of the government’s botched decision to abolish district councils and substitute single county-wide remote control.

I do not believe that any of Somerset’s Bridgwater councillors voted for this – yet when our own town council offers to take the Cornhill back into local hands, they are snubbed.

“We fully support the town council’s bid to take over the market building.”

Assuming that any deal with the town council cannot be done, Somerset Council intends to sell the Cornhill building at private auction some time in the next 12 to 18 months.

Clare Street

Clare Street is the third and final section of the Celebration Mile to be delivered under the town deal funding, with work expected to begin on February 17, 2025.

Work will be staggered across three phases, with the roadworks lasting up to seven months.

Councillor Ros Wyke, the now-former portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets, stated in July: “This is a fantastic project for Bridgwater.

“It’s a key part of the town deal regeneration vision for the town and we are hoping that by providing a single, safe and thriving active travel route from the railway station to the docks, it will transform the way people get around, easing congestion, improving air quality and bringing more people into Bridgwater to visit and shop.”

Bridgwater Town Hall, High Street

Bridgwater Town Council has been working throughout the summer to upgrade the town hall’s facilities, with up to £5.4m being invested in the venue (of which £900,000 from the town deal).

Following the recent upgrades to the balcony seating, new tiered rostra and seating for the stalls have been installed, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience for those attending the theatre.

Extensive works have also been undertaken over the past few months to remodel and refurbish the dressing rooms, just in time for the various performers and carnival clubs participating in the annual carnival concerts.

Councillor Tim Mander, chairmen of the amenities committee, said; “These improvements not only enhance the experience for our audiences but also provide a better environment for our performers.

“We are committed to providing top-notch facilities for our community and visitors.”

Angel Crescent

Replacing the existing paving around the Angel Place shopping centre forms the second section of the Celebration Mile upgrades funded through the town deal.

The improvements to Angel Crescent will begin on Monday (November 4 – just after the carnival) and will be carried out over five phases, with work scheduled to finish on May 28, 2025.

Toby Lander, operations manager for Taylor Woodrow, said: “We are pleased to be continuing our partnership with Somerset Council on this exciting regeneration project in the heart of Bridgwater, and are looking forward to delivering an active travel route throughout the town, while making the areas both safe and attractive to its users.

“As always, we will be working closely with all impacted local businesses and residents.”

On the day of the carnival, numerous roads around the town will close at 4pm before the procession starts at 6pm. For more information, visit www.bridgwatercarnival.org.uk.