Bideford Town Council

26/08/2026

🎄 95 DAYS TO GO!🎄

The countdown is officially on! Just 95 days until Bideford lights up for the spectacular Christmas Lights Switch-On on Sunday 29 November.

Join us at The Quay from 2pm–7.30pm for a festive afternoon and evening packed with entertainment, family fun, fire performers, a magical bubble show, live music and plenty of Christmas cheer.

✨ The big lights switch-on is in the hands of Santa!✨

Save the date, bring your family and friends, and get ready to Shop • Eat • Enjoy • Celebrate!

More details coming soon. 🎅

24/08/2026

On Sunday 23 August 2026, we saw families come together at Chudleigh Fort for the annual Chudleigh Fort Picnic, and what a lovely day it was!

We always love planning this event, with the focus firmly on families and children. From choosing delicious food and, of course, making sure there are plenty of ice creams, to arranging fun, child-friendly entertainment, there is lots to organise behind the scenes.

With the sun shining and temperatures rising, there was summer atmosphere at the Fort. UpClose Radio kept the entertainment and fun flowing throughout the afternoon, while the talented Della kept the children cool with her brilliant face painting.

The Burton Gallery Artbox brought along a fantastic range of creative activities, with some children making clay models adorned with seed pods and natural twigs and other children making sailing boat decorations.

There was plenty more to keep everyone busy, with Bideford Town Council filling a table with art activities, masks, quiz books, bubbles and an impressive 150 felt-tip pens! Hot and cold drinks were available throughout the afternoon, while the BBQ served up a popular selection of delicious burgers and hot dogs, followed, of course, by Hocking's ice creams.

It was lovely to see families relaxing, getting creative and enjoying time together at Chudleigh Fort.

A big thank you to everyone who came along and helped make the afternoon such a success. We always enjoy putting this event together, and it is important to us to make it a well-organised and enjoyable occasion for families – a chance to have some fun together before the children return to school.

24/08/2026

The 50th Twinning Commemoration - Bideford and Landivisiau

A wonderful day of friendship and celebration in Bideford on Saturday 22 August, as we marked 50 years of Twinning between Bideford and Landivisiau.

The Pannier Market Hall was resplendent in the flags of both towns and filled with the sound of conversation, laughter and the wonderful music of the Youth Pipe Band.

A collection of photographs and archive material offered a fascinating glimpse into the history of the Twinning and the relationship between our two towns. Our visitors were genuinely fascinated by the stories and memories captured over the past 50 years, making it a lovely addition to the celebration.

Posies of flowers adorned the tables, glasses were raised, and there was a real sense of warmth and happiness throughout the afternoon.

The 50th anniversary was marked with the signing of the commemorative Charter of Friendship and the exchange of gifts between the two towns. A special Visitors' Book was also opened, providing a lasting record of memories, messages and moments from this very special anniversary.

Fifty years of friendship is a remarkable milestone, and Saturday was a fitting celebration of the enduring connection between Bideford and Landivisiau.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make the occasion so special, and to our friends from Landivisiau for sharing this wonderful day with us.

21/08/2026

SAVE THE DATE – BIDEFORD JIGSAW FESTIVAL 2026

Get ready for two days of jigsaws, challenges, competitions and fun at the Bideford Jigsaw Festival!

Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 October 2026
10am–3pm
Pannier Market Hall, Bideford

Whether you're a keen puzzler, looking for a new challenge or simply want to enjoy a fun day out, there will be plenty to get involved with.

The Puzzle Making Competition will take place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October, with prizes for individuals and pairs.

Entry to the Puzzle Making Competition is £5 per person and payment must be made in advance. Full details of how to enter and make payment will be released shortly.

Save the date and get your puzzle team together!

All proceeds go to the Mayor's Charity, the Rainbo Music Trust.

21/08/2026

The Bideford Maintenance Team has been busy tackling overgrown areas and keeping public spaces clear and accessible.

Pill Car Park
Before and after: overgrown ivy had started to encroach onto the pavement, making it difficult for pedestrians. The ivy has now been cut back and cleared.

Old Barnstaple Street, East-the-Water
Before and after: weeds and ivy have been cleared back from the area, improving access and tidying the surrounding space.

Unfortunately, we also have some disappointing news to report.

This week, the tiered planters outside the Harbour Master’s Office were stripped of their plants and thankfully, the police have arrested a person in connection with the incident.

Hopefully there are still many weeks of sunshine left for us to enjoy the town’s floral displays, so it is particularly disappointing to see the plants removed. An empty planter is a sad sight, especially after the time and work that goes into planting and maintaining them.

Thank you to the Maintenance Team for their continued hard work across the town.

21/08/2026

Bideford & Landivisiau – 50 Years of Friendship

This Saturday, 22 August, Bideford will welcome the Mayor of Landivisiau, Samuel Phelippot, and Councillors as we celebrate 50 years of twinning between our two towns.

The celebrations will include the signing of a Commemorative Charter of Friendship, marking this important milestone and the continuing relationship between Bideford and Landivisiau.

Visitors to Bideford can also see a special floral tribute at the Port Memorial, created by the Bideford Town Maintenance Team to commemorate 50 years of Twinning.

The design brings together the Union Jack and the French Tricolor flags which were revealed as the flowers bloomed. It is well worth a visit to the Port Memorial to see it in person.

21/08/2026

18/08/2026

Heritage Open Days Around Bideford | 13–20 September

Discover some of Bideford and North Devon’s fascinating heritage during this year’s Heritage Open Days, with a great selection of free events and open days taking place around the area.

Highlights include:
• Bideford Railway Heritage Centre
• Steamship Freshspring
• Lifeboat Jane Hannah MacDonald III
• Tarka Valley Railway
• Bideford Bridge Trust
• Bideford’s historic Pannier Market
• North Devon Maritime Museum
• And more!

There are talks, exhibitions, open days and heritage attractions to explore throughout the week.

Some events require booking, so check the details before you visit.

13–20 September 2026 | FREE

For the full programme and booking information, visit: www.barthh.org/heritage-open-days-2026/

17/08/2026

The Bideford Baking Competition 2026 – A Delicious Success

Bideford Town Council's Baking Competition took place on Saturday 8 August 2026, giving bakers the opportunity to showcase their creativity and baking skills.

From beautifully decorated biscuits and delicate French patisserie to classic sponge cakes and tempting traybakes, there was a mouth-watering selection of creations for the judges to consider.

Some very serious judging!

Our judges certainly took their responsibilities seriously! Each entry was carefully examined for its appearance, presentation, texture, flavour and overall finish. With so many tempting creations to choose from, reaching the final decisions was no easy task.

And the winners were...

Overall Winner – Joanne Bennett
Joanne took the top prize with her deliciously moist Ginger Beer Mixed Fruit Cake, an inventive twist on a traditional favourite, combining rich fruit with the distinctive warmth of ginger.

Children's Category – Florence Cowland
Florence won with “In the Garden – Day and Night”, a delightful collection of iridescent butterfly and star biscuits. A wonderfully imaginative and colourful creation.

French Category – Marisa
First prize went to Marisa for her elegant Passionfruit Éclairs, combining delicate French patisserie with the bright, tangy flavour of passionfruit.

Best Layered Sponge Cake – Joseph
Joseph won with his classic Victoria Sponge, proving that sometimes you simply can't beat a traditional favourite.

Best Traybake – Catherine
Catherine's Bakewell Confection took the traybake prize, bringing together the much-loved sweet, fruity and almond flavours of a Bakewell.

Celebrating our bakers

Each category winner received a commemorative Bideford Baking Competition mug and pen, while Joanne Bennett, as Overall Winner, also received a certificate recognising her achievement.

A huge congratulations from Bideford Town Council to all our winners and to everyone who entered. The standard was impressive, the creativity was inspiring and, most importantly, the competition gave the community an opportunity to celebrate a shared love of baking.

With éclairs, sponge, biscuits, fruit cake and Bakewell treats all competing for attention, it was certainly a delicious day in Bideford!