West Bridgford: Everything you need to know

West Bridgford is consistently named as one of the nicest places to live in Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands.

West Bridgford

This article West Bridgford: Everything you need to know – is not complete and will be constantly updated and a work in progress – last updated 28 August 2024.

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West Bridgford is a town approximately two miles South of Nottingham city centre in Nottinghamshire on the River Trent with a population of around 50,000 residents based on the Census of 2021.

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It is widely celebrated for excellent schools, a good lifestyle, higher-than-average life expectancy, above-average earnings among the demographic and is close to open spaces.

The population is growing, with a high house-building target for the local borough council.

Areas close by like Edwalton, East Leake, Keyworth, Radcliffe on Trent and Cotgrave are also seeing new houses built this year.

West Bridgford is in the Borough of Rushcliffe. 

Rushcliffe Borough Council is the local authority and West Bridgford is the location of the council’s headquarters Rushcliffe Arena.

– Nottinghamshire County Council is the upper tier council for the divisions of West Bridgford North, South and West. The headquarters, County Hall, is also based in West Bridgford. The county council will move out in 2025 and plans for the building are under consultation – the council staff will be housed in Trent House West Bridgford, and at a new-build site in Hucknall. 

The centre of West Bridgford is very popular, it has a ‘high-street’ type layout on its main road, Central Avenue ( below ) – the green space is called The Croquet Lawn and remains free from development and adds a lovely feel to the area.

Further south both sides of ‘the avenue’ contain retailers, restaurants, hairdressers, banks and similar – a mix of independent and national businesses can be found.

Many people move to the town because of the excellent schools, most of which are rated the best in Nottinghamshire consistently.

Gordon Road leads on through Tudor Square where more mostly independent businesses can be accessed – including coffee shops, gift shops and cafes.

Bridgford Park is a delightful green space which was once the estate of Bridgford Hall which still sits in the park.

The Hall was converted in 2017 into an apartment hotel operating by a private business. Half go the hall remains the registry office for the area, weddings are very popular with excellent photo opportunities from the surrounding park.

The park has a children’s play area which is extremely well-equipped with safe, modern facilities – there are also a few adult outside gym facilities there, a storytelling area and tennis courts.

The main river crossing is of course Trent Bridge, which marks the border with Nottingham.

Other crossings are Wilford Suspension Bridge ( a foot and cycle bridge ), and Wilford Toll Bridge, technically in Nottingham but only a short walk away to the south.

A fourth river crossing is planned for the area with a £9.2m bridge for cyclists and foot traffic proposed for the new Trent Basin area. More about this here: Location for new bridge over River Trent approved.

Demographics

West Bridgford is a town in the borough of Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire about two miles South of the city of Nottingham. It is also the administrative centre for Nottinghamshire County Council. The town is bordered by the A6011 and the A52.

In 2022 West Bridgford’s population is estimated to be around 52,000.

Population:

Census 2001 – 43,400

Census 2011 – 45,509

Estimate 2022 – 52,000

Age Distribution

2021 – The population of West Bridgford as a whole, is slightly older than the national average.

Age 0-4 – 5.8%

Age 5-9 – 5.6%

Age 10-14 – 6%

Age 15-17 – 3.6%

Age 18-24 – 7.9%

Age 25-29 – 4.8%

Age – 30-44 – 20%

Age – 45- 59 – 21.4%

Age 60-64 – 6.7%

Age 65-74 – 9.6%

Age 75-84 – 9.6%

Over 85 – 2.5%

Mean age – 41

Median age – 42

Social Grade & Occupation Statistics

2021 – Social grade is a classification based on occupation and it enables a household and all its members to be classified according to the job of the main income earner. West Bridgford has 20% more Higher and Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional households than the national average.

AB – 39.19%

C1 – 31.78%

C2 – 15.12%

DE – 13.91%

Politics

National – James Naish MP ( Labour ) won the 2024 general election, turning Rushcliffe into a Labour constituency for the first time in 60 years defeating incumbent Ruth Edwards.

Local  – Rushcliffe Borough Council is made up of 38 Conservative councillors, 6 Labour councillors and 3 independent councillors since the 2019 elections. The next local election is in 2023.

The borough of Rushcliffe is split into 25 wards for the purposes of elections. This table gives a guide of where the ward boundaries are and which villages / places fall into each ward.

Note added 7 June 2022: The Boundary Commission proposes changes to ward boundaries for Rushcliffe Borough Council – after they carried out this review

Changes in response to what local people said include: 

• The retention of a Lady Bay ward in response to significant local evidence on community identity;
• The adoption of a proposal from parish councils for revised Gotham and Soar Valley wards in the southwest of the borough.

Parliament now needs to agree on the changes. The new arrangements will then apply for the May 2023 council elections.  

County – There are three divisions in West Bridgford that sit at Nottinghamshire County Council level – these are West Bridgford North, Cllr Penny Gowland ( LAB ) West Bridgford South, Cllr Gordon Wheeler ( CON ) and West Bridgford West, Cllr Jonathan Wheeler ( CON ).

 Immigration

These figures for the Country of Birth of the residents of West Bridgford are from the UK Census of 2011. Since West Bridgford has a higher level of residents born in the UK than the national average and a lower rate of residents either born in other EU countries or outside the EU, it does not have a significant immigrant population.

UK – 93.5%

ROI – 0.5%

OTHER EU – 1.9%

Outside EU – 4.2%

Education

Health

The respondents of the 2011 Census were asked to rate their health. These are the results for West Bridgford. The percentage of residents in West Bridgford rating their health as ‘very good’ is more than the national average. Also the percentage of residents in West Bridgford rating their health as ‘very bad’ is less than the national average, suggesting that the health of the residents of West Bridgford is generally better than in the average person in England.

Property Ownership & Rental

Property Prices

2022 July update

Properties in West Bridgford had an overall average price of £359,504 over the last year.

The majority of sales in West Bridgford during the last year were detached properties, selling for an average price of £497,646. Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £358,239, with flats fetching £173,728.

Overall, sold prices in West Bridgford over the last year were 3% down on the previous year and 6% up on the 2019 peak of £340,190.

2023 April update

Sport

West Bridgford Colts FC is one of the largest grassroots football organisations in Europe, the club operates over 100 teams from children to adult.

Nottingham Forest FC reside in West Bridgford at The City Ground, Notts County are just over the River Trent too.

An application to extend the stadium and add residential units has been recommended for approval – July 2022.

Rugby, Tennis, Table-Tennis, Squash, Youth & Kids Football, Ladies’ Football, Hockey and Bowling are all represented.

Leisure 

Parks And Open Spaces – Rushcliffe Country Park is a wonderful open area with many facilities and lots of open walking space. It’s just two miles South of West Bridgford in the village of Ruddington.

The park is very well maintained with the following facilities:

• Managed dog walking areas ( dogs on lead, dogs off lead signposted walks )
• Woodland walking
• New café facility opened in 2022 – Rushcliffe Country Park: Brand new café, visitors centre, conference room and toilets opened today
• Very well-equipped children play area and adult outside gym equipment.
• Lake with bird life
• Parkrun every Saturday morning.
• Car parking £1 per day or a season pass around £35 per year.
• Picnic areas
• Toilet building and toilets in park area
• Visitor centre being improved.
• Dog agility facilities
• Wildlife trail information signs
• In 2021 a new £200,000 skate park opened

Also see: Rushcliffe Country Park receives Green Flag award for 15th year

Pictures: New £210,000 skate park opens at Rushcliffe Country Park

38 Pictures: Rushcliffe Country Park transformed into magical winter wonderland

Crime

West Bridgford is the safest medium-sized town in Nottinghamshire and is the 73rd most dangerous overall out of Nottinghamshire’s 236 towns, villages, and cities.

The overall crime rate in West Bridgford in 2021 was 48 crimes per 1,000 people.

This compares favourably to Nottinghamshire’s overall crime rate, coming in 59% lower than the Nottinghamshire rate of 76 per 1,000 residents.

For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, West Bridgford is the 35th safest medium-sized town, and the 3,463rd most dangerous location out of all towns, cities, and villages.

The most common crimes in West Bridgford are violence and sexual offences, with 686 offences during 2021, giving a crime rate of 14.

This is 4.2% higher than 2020’s figure of 657 offences and a difference of 0.59 from 2020’s crime rate of 13. West Bridgford’s least common crime is theft from the person, with 16 offences recorded in 2021, a decrease of 12% from 2020’s figure of 18 crimes.

Shopping 

West Bridgford has a number of small independent ‘high street’ retailers as well as National retailers.

West Bridgford Eating Out

Nationals and independents are both present in a thriving local restaurant and cafe scene, often with pavement seating and mostly with night-time bars.

Little Green – Coffee, lunches; in the park

Ala Turka – Turkish

The Botanist

Côte Brasserie, Pizza Express, Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, Wagamama

Gilt ( formerly Copper renamed April 2022 ) – English – bar by night

Cuzina – Greek

The Parlour – Tea room, café, cakes, cocktail bar by night

Giggling Squid – opened summer 2021

escabeche – Tapas and café – bar

Portello Lounge – English restaurant – bar

Larwood & Voce – English restaurant – pub

Okende – artisan coffee

Stratford Haven – Trad. English pub and food

No 8 Deli – Coffee & cake/lunches

The Tall Frog – Sandwich bar

Tiffin Tea House – Trad. English tea/cake

Yumacha – Pan-asian brasserie/tapas

Uchi  – Japanese

Refinery – English

Wagamama – Pan-Asian

West Bridgford Conservation

West Bridgford has ‘Friends of’ organisations for Rushcliffe Country Park, Bridgford Park, Sharphill Woods and The Green Line, Lutterell Hall and The Hook.

West Bridgford Public Transport

West Bridgford is served by an extensive Nottingham City Transport bus network with a service every few minutes. Buses are the Green ones.

Bus services are provided by Nottingham City Transport on Green routes 5, 6, 7, 7b, 8, 8b, 9, 9b, 10, 10b, 10x, 11, and 11c.

Trent Barton also provides bus services to and from the city and around most Rushcliffe villages and towns.

CT4N provides bus services too.

Nottinghamshire County Council provides some bus services to villages and shopping areas.

History

History timeline courtesy West Bridgford and District History Society – visit their website here

924 First bridge built over the Trent at the current Trent Bridge site by King Edward the Elder and became known as the Hethbeth Bridge.

1086 In the Domesday survey, the village of Brigeforde was part of the Manor of Clifton. The Lord of Clifton Manor was William Peveral who lived in Nottingham Castle.

1190 (abt) St Giles’ Church built.

1194 Galfr Luterel became Lord of the Manors of Gameleston and Bruggeford.

1239 Institution of the first recorded Rector of St Giles Church, Luke de Crophill (Luke of Cropwell) by his patron Sir Andrew Lutterell, Lord of the Manor of West Bridgford.

1250 (abt) Porch added to St Giles’ Church.

1329 Major repairs to Hethbeth Bridge completed by Alice, widow of John le Palmer, a prominent Nottingham citizen.

1418 The last male Lutterell died without heir. His sister Hawifia Lutterell had married Godfrey Hilton who then became Lord of the Manor.

1500 (abt) Geoffrey Hilton died without heir. His sister Elizabeth Hilton had married Richard Thimelby who then became Lord of the Manor.

1550 (abt) Tower added to St Giles’ Church.

1620 (abt) Gamston and West Bridgford Lordships sold by John Thimelby to Sir Henry Pierrepont of Thoresby Hall.

1648 Sir John Musters (1624-89) of Hornsey, Middlesex purchased the Colwick Estate from Sir John Stonehouse for £18,000.

1675 (abt) Sir John Musters’s daughter-in-law Millicent Musters (nee Mundy) won the West Bridgford Estate playing cards with Henry Pierrepont, Marquess of Dorchester. Her son Mundy Musters Snr inherited both estates in 1697.

1685 Joan Phillips said to have been executed for highway robbery at gallows which were erected at the meeting of Loughborough Road and Wilford Lane in April 1685.

1729-58 Construction of the Grantham (1729), Loughborough (1739) and Melton (1758) Turnpikes. Tolls payable at toll houses and gates until the turnpike trusts were abolished in 1880.

1746 Man hung on gallows near Wilford Lane. (See Joan Phillips.)

1768 Work started on the building of West Bridgford Hall by the Lord of the Manor, Mundy Musters Jnr.

1774 West Bridgford Hall completed by Mundy’s son John Musters.

1778 “Poor” School opened in Village Square (now Tudor Square) for 7 West Bridgford and 3 Gamston children of poor families. It was founded by the Rector of St Giles, Rev William Thompson and funded by the Lord of the Manor, John Musters.

1780 Cottages on Church Drive built.

1797 Gantham canal opened.

1827 Jack Musters became Lord of the Manor of West Bridgford. Jack had married Mary Chaworth, the heiress to the Annesley, Wiverton and Edwalton estates, in 1805.

1834 Basford Board of Guardians and Poor Law Union set up with jurisdiction over West Bridgford to monitor sanitation and provide relief of poverty.

1838 The tithe map showed that the Lordship of West Bridgford was 1078 acres, of which 985 acres were West Bridgford Estate land owned by the Lord of the Manor John Musters, 58 acres owned by Clifford Caunt of The Poplars Farm and 33 acres were glebe land, on permanent lease to the Rector of St Giles Church.

1838 Cricket ground at Trent Bridge Inn opened by William Clarke who organised and captained the first Notts County team.

1840 West Bridgford Hall let to Lewis Heymann, a wealthy Nottingham lace manufacturer.

1849 John Chaworth Musters inherited the West Bridgford Estate on the death of his grandfather Jack Musters.

1851 Census shows 258 people living in 51 houses in West Bridgford.

1863 St Giles Rectory built. The rectory was demolished in 1960.

1865 National School (Church of England School) built on land in Rectory Road given by John Chaworth Musters.

1871 Opening of the new Trent Bridge designed by Nottingham Borough engineer Marriott Ogle Tarbotton. Two arches of the old Hethbeth Bridge were preserved in the roundabout just south of the new Trent Bridge.

1872 Basford Rural Sanitory Authority was set up in place of the Basford Board of Guardians and Poor Law Union and had jurisdiction over West Bridgford.

1873-80 Abolishment of the turnpike trusts for the Grantham, Loughborough and Melton roads with removal of the tollgates. Thereafter the cost of maintenance fell to the County.

1880 Official opening of Midland Railway’s line from Nottingham to Melton Mowbray. The line had taken 7 years to build following an authorising Act of Parliament in 1872.

1880 The first plots of West Bridgford Estate land are offered for housing development by John Chaworth Musters.

1881 Census showed 293 people living in 55 houses in West Bridgford.

1882 Nottingham Corporation agree to supply water to West Bridgford through a Trent Bridge pipeline at a cost 33% above that charged to Nottingham residents.

1883 West Bridgford Hall and grounds together with 19 acres of land was sold by John Chaworth Musters to Albert Heymann, a wealthy Nottingham banker.

1885 New Trent Bridge Inn built behind the old one before the latter was demolished.

1887 John Patricius Musters inherited the remains of the West Bridgford Estate on the death of his father.

1888 Musters Road Methodist Church first opened.

1889 (June) The Lordship of West Bridgford and the remaining estate lands were sold by John Patricius Musters to Col Horatio Davies of Wateringbury Place, Kent

1890 Sixty acres of the Lady Bay part of the West Bridgford Estate was purchased by Mellors, Basden and Mellors of Bridlesmithgate from Col Horatio Davies and later sold off in 463 individual plots through three Mutual Freehold Land Associations.

1891 Election of a nine member West Bridgford Local Board to replace the Basford Rural Sanitary Authority in West Bridgford. Albert Heymann was elected chairman.

1891 Census shows 2502 people living in 519 houses in West Bridgford.

1892 Eight almshouses were built by Mrs Catherine Peatfield on Rectory Road as a memorial to her late husband Rev John Peatfield, curate of St Giles.

1893 The stone man was taken from the field at the side of Melton Road and placed in St Giles Church.

1894 An elected West Bridgford Urban District Council replaced the West Bridgford Local Board.

1895 Musters Road Board School opened with E.J. Eley as headmaster. Its name was changed to Musters Road Higher Elementary School in 1902 and to West Bridgford County Secondary School in 1944. The school’s pupils were moved to the new comprehensive school in Loughborough Road in 1969.

1897 West Bridgford Defence Association set up solely to oppose all applications for licensed premises.

1898 St Giles Church’s new nave and chancel dedicated by Bishop of Southwell.

1899 West Bridgford Friary Congregational Church opened.

1899 Trent Bouldevard Board School opened. Additional building for a senior mixed department opened in 1912. The original building then became the infant and junior department.

1900 Sewage Farm with 12 acres of land opened by WBUDC near Abbey Road.

1901 Opening of the rebuilt Lady Bay Canal Bridge over the Grantham canal.

1901 Trent Blvd Methodist Church opened.

1901 Census shows 7018 people living in 1559 houses in West Bridgford.

1901 Friary Congregational Church opened at junction of Musters and Millicent Roads.

1902 George Road Council Primary School opened with infant and junior departments.

1902 Midlands Exhibition Centre opened at Trent Bridge but burnt down two years later.

1903 First West Bridgford Fire Brigade was set up with a fire station (built 1904) at junction of Musters and Bridgford Roads.

1906 Welbeck suspension bridge opened. Main function was to carry water from Wilford Hill resevoir to the Meadows.

1907 Musters Road Baptist Church opened.

1907 New WBUDC offices opened at 8 Bridgford Road.

1908 WBUDC’s Water Bill, to provide its own water supply, was debated in House of Commons. It was rejected after a two day hearing.

1910 Opening of West Bridgford Masonic Hall in Welbeck Road.

1911 Census showed 11632 people living in 2864 houses in West Bridgford.

1912 St Giles Church’s new North Aisle and George Chapel dedicated.

1913 Pavilion Theatre built on south east corner of Trent Bridge. It was converted into the Plaza Cinema in the 1920’s.

1914 South County School, Exchange Road opened.

1914 WBUDC started its own bus service with maroon and cream buses. The service was sold to Nottingham Corporation in 1968.

1921 Census showed 13346 people living in 3440 houses in West Bridgford.

1923 West Bridgford Hall and Park sold for £14,000 by Albert Heymann to WBUDC for their offices.

1925 Julien Cahn bought land on Loughborough Road to provide a home ground and pavilion for his private cricket team. This land was sold for £6500 after his death in 1944 to West Bridgford UDC who turned it into West Park but retained the cricket pitch and pavilion.

1926 Trent Bridge widened to take four lanes of traffic.

1931 Census shows 17821 people living in 5065 houses in West Bridgford.

1931 Tudor Cinema opened at junction of Central Avenue and Rectory Road.

1935 Edwalton and Wilford incorporated into West Bridgford Urban District.

1936 Grantham canal closed to boat traffic.

1937 Nottinghamshire County Hall opened at Trent Bridge.

1937 For the first time ever, Nottinghamshire County Magistrates Court granted licences for two public houses in West Bridgford, “The Rushcliffe” in Gordon Square (name changed to “The Test Match” before it opened) and “The Wolds” in Loughborough Road.

1938 (November) West Bridgford County Secondary School pupils moved from Musters Road to a new building in Loughborough Road. After the 1944 Education Act its name was changed to West Bridgford Grammar School.

1939 West Bridgford library opened.

1951 The new Musters Road Primary School admitted its first pupils. Its name was changed to the Jesse Gray Primary School when it was officially opened in 1953.

1952 Land west of the LNER railway line (including Wilford village) was transferred to Nottingham City Council and land south of the Trent was transferred to West Bridgford UDC. For the first time County Hall and Forest Football Ground became part of West Bridgford.

1956 Lutterell Secondary School erected on Greythorn Drive. Closed in 1969 when their pupils were transferred to Rushcliffe Comprehensive School.

1959 Tudor cinema demolished despite protests and a 800 signature petition.

1960 The Rectory was demolished and the site used for a new larger Police Station.

1960 The Poplars farmhouse was demolished and two blocks of flats of the same name were built on its site.

1960 A new County Council Ambulance Station was built on the site of the allotments opposite the Poplars at the bottom of Rectory Road.

1961 Rossell House shops erected on the undeveloped plot at the junction of Gordon and Rectory Roads.

1961 Rushcliffe Secondary School erected on Boundary Road. Closed in 1969 when their pupils were transferred to Rushcliffe Comprehensive School.

1964 Gem supermarket opened on Collington farm land off Loughborough Road.

1966 Asda bought Gem supermarket.

1968 WBUDC sold its bus service to Nottingham Corporation.

1968 Trains ceased to run between Nottingham and Melton on the Midlands Railway line. Part of the line between Melton and Boundary Roads became the Green Line.

1974 Rushcliffe Borough Council replaced West Bridgford UDC. New temporary council offices were built on Bridgford Road between Park Av and Stratford Road.

1978 Rushcliffe Borough Council occupied The Bridgford Hotel at Trent Bridge to use as its council offices. The site of their old offices became a Coop supermarket.

1980 Musters Road Secondary School buildings demolished and West Bridgford Health Centre built in its place.

1990 Gordon Road Primitive Methodist Church demolished and Fountain Court built in its place.

2000 Asda extended to become a hypermarket.

2005 The Manor Public House in Albert Road demolished and a Marks and Spencer “Simply Food” Store built in its place.

2005 The Julien Cahn Pavilion, West Park, Loughborough Road extensively renovated.

2008 The new Bridgford Road stand and ‘lollypop’ floodlights were completed at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.

2012 Ambulance Station in Rectory Road closed.

2013 Refurbished West Bridgford Library and Young People’s Centre opened.