BENCOOLEN Bridge, the 'gateway to Bude', was re-opened for Easter weekend, to the delight of the town's residents and business owners. The original bridge, which is on Bencoolen Road, adjacent to the car park and tourist information centre, was in a poor condition and had deteriorated to such an extent that concrete repairs would no longer have been cost-effective. Mayor Frank Partridge said: "After months of work to replace the Bencoolen Bridge, it was with a sense of relief and anticipation that we looked forward to the new bridge being opened in time for the Easter weekend. "The bridge is the gateway to the town, and I am sure that the business community will be delighted that Bude is once again fully open for residents, shoppers and tourists. "We are grateful to our county councillors, who ensured that the temporary bridge was two-way, and not a single span, as was first planned." For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.