Bridge for Pleasure
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2025 09 11 Bridge News September 2025.pdf

Gmail decided to refuse the newsletter from MailChimp this month.

I had to reformat it and send as normal email.

It went into my spam, but at least it got delivered.

Do check your spam.

November's theme is All Things Aylesbury.

Send me your thoughts.

Hopefully gmail will be soothed by then.

Release 2.19r
Recent Updates
Club Statistics
18th Jan 2026 12:30 GMT
Archived Club Snippets
31st Dec 2025 22:25 GMT
Home Page
1st Dec 2025 19:49 GMT
Teaching Scheme Updates
16th Nov 2025 17:09 GMT
Advanced Competitive Bidding
16th Nov 2025 17:07 GMT
Club Newsletter Item Library
6th Nov 2025 09:41 GMT
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Pages viewed in 2026
Club Statistics
 
 
  Find a club offering Face to Face
Find a club offering Face to Face

 

  More than 95% of Bridge Clubs are listed on BridgeWebs  

   You can see those clubs on a map   

Click here to find a bridge club on the BridgeWebs map
The map has two "levels". 
Use the + to increase the scale, you will see a pin for each county, click on a county to see clubs in that county.

Use the + to increase the scale and hover over the pins, club names will appear.  

♣    Click on an area to see more clubs ♣   

Click here to find a bridge club in the BridgeWebs Club Index

Last updated : 23rd Mar 2025 16:36 GMT
Comment
  ♥  Club Statistics Update 11th January 2026 ♥ 
The number of ACTIVE clubs in the database has risen to 935
The TOTAL number of clubs, including Dormant and Defunct, in the database has risen to 1121.
The number of club sessions analysed on all 935 is 2,011
 
8 clubs were added, and 16 revisited during the last fortnight. Most of them were reviewed well over a year ago. 
Sadly, it is still true that most club web sites have no reference to learning bridge.

This has now reached the level where it seems reasonable to estimate the number of player sessions, playing duplicate, in all clubs in the database every week. This fortnight there is an downtrend.
It's around 50,000. 

There is a very slow, but steady, rise in table money. 
 
Dormant and defunct clubs are forming a big section (3% and 14%), they are excluded from data about active clubs.

Newly discovered defunct and dormant clubs are being included in the database as they come to light to try and assess the long term impact of Covid.
However, they are excluded from activity statistics. My estimate would be that 25% of clubs that were active pre-covid have folded. Smaller weekly clubs were hardest hit.
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:11 GMT
Comment
  What are clubs offering? (By actual numbers)
What are clubs offering? (By actual numbers)

Web sites are checked on a rota basis addressing last inspected first. These figures are updated once a fortnight.
The time between reviews of each club is about a year and a half.
A few new clubs are added in each fortnight.

 

Hybrid Events means the club is offering Face to Face AND Online and some in the form of Hybrid Events.
Hybrid Club means the club is offering some Face to Face and some Online Sessions.
Face to Face means the club is only offering Face to Face Sessions.
Online means the club is only offering Online Sessions.
School means the offer is principally lessons and practice.
Dormant means the club web site is there, but the club is not offering sessions dedicated to its members.
Defunct? means the club web site appears to have been closed down.

 

Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:11 GMT
Comment
  What are clubs offering? (Proportion of sample)
What are clubs offering? (Proportion of sample)
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:11 GMT
Comment
  Club Sessions, F2F and Online, by Day and Time
Club Sessions, F2F and Online, by Day and Time

 

Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:12 GMT
Comment
  How Many Sessions do Clubs Typically Run?
How Many Sessions do Clubs Typically Run?
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:12 GMT
  Face to Face Table Numbers ALL Clubs by Day and Time
Face to Face Table Numbers ALL Clubs by Day and Time
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:12 GMT
Comment
  Sessions with special designations
Sessions with special designations
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:12 GMT
  Online Session Platforms
Online Session Platforms
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:12 GMT
Comment
  Some Analysis of F2F Average Table Numbers by Venue Type
Some Analysis of F2F Average Table Numbers by Venue  Type
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:13 GMT
Comment
  Club Venue Types
Club Venue Types
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:13 GMT
Comment
  Club Governance
Club Governance
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:13 GMT
  Member Table Money Trend
Member Table Money Trend
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:13 GMT
  Club Member Table Money
Club Member Table Money
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:14 GMT
  EBU Affiliated Club Table Money
EBU Affiliated Club Table Money
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:14 GMT
  Non EBU Affiliated Club Table Money
Non EBU Affiliated Club Table Money
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:14 GMT
  Latest Full Club Collated Dashboard
Total in Database 1121  
Of which EBU Affiliated  & Active 481 51%
Of EBU Top 50 (2019) 50 4%
     
More than 100,000 website visits in last year 145 13%
20,000 -  100,000 website visits in last year 453 40%
Less than 20,000 website visits in last year 312 28%
No count of visits available 25 2%
     
Dedicated Premises 70 7%
Shared Community 737 79%
Section of Multi Purpose Sports or Social Club 44 5%
Shared Bridge Venue 12 1%
Holiday Venues 2 0%
Private 12 1%
Online Only 58 6%
     
Club Offer = Hybrid Event 8 1%
Club Offer = Hybrid Club 172 15%
Club Offer = Face to Face 685 61%
Club Offer = Online 59 5%
Club Offer = School 11 1%
Club Offer = Dormant 28 3%
Club Offer = Defunct? 157 14%
Total Classified 1120
Face to Face Sessions On Offer 1672  
Clubs Offering Face to Face 865 77%
Offering at least one online 239  
  850  
Clubs Offering BBO Competitions    
Clubs Offering RealBridge Competitions    
Clubs Offering Bridge Club Live  Comps    
Total Online Club Sessions Weekly 404  
Club Bridge Base Online Sessions 167  
Club RealBridge Online Sessions  215  
Club Bridge Club Live Online Sessions 0  
Club StepBridge Live Online Sessions 4  
Club Intobridge Online Sessions 4  
Highly Active (>100,000 visits annually) 145 13%
Average Online Sessions weekly    
Face to Face Sessions Weekly    
Face to Face Sessions Under Discussion    
     
EBU Affiliated 120 83%
Medium Active (20,000-100,000) 456 41%
Average Online Sessions weekly    
Face to Face Sessions Weekly    
Face to Face Sessions Under Discussion    
     
EBU Affiliated 247 54%
Low Active (<20,000) 324 29%
Online Sessions weekly    
Face to Face Sessions Weekly    
Face to Face Under Discussion    
     
EBU Affiliated 103 32%
Club Governance    
U3A 28 3%
Limited Companies 22 2%
CIO 25 3%
Proprietors 52 6%
Section of Multi Activity Club 53 6%
Status Not Recorded    
Informal Association (No constitution published) 373 40%
Unincorporated Asociation 377 41%
Club Web Site Host    
BridgeWebs  916 98%
Pianola 10 1%
Community 1 0.1%
U3A 4 0.4%
BridgeCloud 2 0.2%
Clubs4UK 3 0.3%
Club Teaching Activity (Revised 2025)
Active Club/School Entries 935
No Bridge Lesson Information on Home page  640 68%
Clubs will be counted multiple times:  
Club offers Rubber 0 0.00%
Club offers Chicago 5 2.69%
Beginners Lessons 179 96.24%
Improvers  Lessons 149 80.11%
Advancers Lessons 10 5.38%
Practice 47 25.27%
Tasters 2 1.08%
Private Lesson 2 1.08%
BFA 4 2.15%
EBS 1 0.54%
FastTrack 5 2.69%
Refresher 6 3.23%
Page refers learners to named teacher 56 30.11%
Club Home Page Names Teacher(s) 123
No teacher name yet recorded 999
Table Money 832
£1.00 28 3%
£1.50 23 3%
£2.00 176 21%
£2.50 118 14%
£3.00 288 35%
£3.50 35 4%
£4.00 88 11%
£4.50 6 1%
£5.00 40 5%
>£5.00 30 4%
Table Money (EBU Affiliated) 443
£1.00 7 1%
£1.50 8 1%
£2.00 55 7%
£2.50 73 9%
£3.00 175 21%
£3.50 27 3%
£4.00 66 8%
£4.50 5 1%
£5.00 16 2%
>£5.00 11 1%
Table Money (Not EBU Affiliated) 387
£1.00 21 3%
£1.50 15 2%
£2.00 121 15%
£2.50 45 5%
£3.00 113 14%
£3.50 8 1%
£4.00 22 3%
£4.50 1 0%
£5.00 24 3%
>£5.00 17 2%
Last updated : 11th Jan 2026 19:15 GMT
Comment
  Club Snippets

A selection of news from club web sites and other reports

Older Material has been moved to another page: : Archived Club Snippets

 

Last updated : 30th Jun 2024 14:14 BST
Comment
  Club Snippets 2025 Meridian
35th Anniversary Celebrations
35th Anniversary Celebrations

We celebrated the Club's 35th Anniversary on Thursday September 25th with a glass of bubbly and cake!

Some of our students joined in the fun and some stayed on to watch the play after the break.

Last updated : 31st Oct 2025 18:17 GMT
  Club Snippets 2025 Thurlstone

 

Thurlstone

It is with huge regret that Thurlestone Bridge Club is closing until further notice due to lack of support. 

The Club has been going since 1984 but since covid and with aging members, it has meant that few have been attending.

 

Last updated : 17th Oct 2025 11:31 BST
  Club Snippets 2025 Porchester

Porchester

After 50 years, Portchester Bridge Club has sadly closed it's doors for the last time.

From years when 150 people would play at some time throughout the year, and we had to limit the membership to 100, our numbers have gradually declined to the point where the club was no longer socially or financially viable.

We wish to thank all those who have played with us over the years, bringing fun and entertainment to so many, and especially those who have helped organise and run the club - in recent years the stalwarts have been David Boulton and Roger Hutchings. Heartfelt thanks to them and all other helpers.

 

Last updated : 31st Oct 2025 18:26 GMT
  Club Snippets 2025 Heighington

Heighington

Introducing the Token
 

 

Ever mindful of the move towards a cashless society we would like to introduce the Token system of payment which will run concurrently with cash payments. Hopefully this will help with your problem of finding change for Bridge and our problem of having to deal with too many large notes. The idea is that you buy 4 (£10)  or  8 (£20) tokens at a time and then use them to pay for your next few sessions, keep them handy in your bag or the car. Each token is worth £2.50 and can be used for 1 session of play on either Monday or Friday. The tokens can be bought for cash or for transactions of £20 or more the Treasurer has agreed to accept bacs transfer provided that the transfer is accompanied by an immediate email informing her of the payment.

Please note that cash is still perfectly acceptable but please try not to pay for one session with a £20 note or you may find your change is wooden discs

 

 

Last updated : 31st Dec 2025 21:55 GMT
  Club Snippets 2025 Godstone

Godstone

Current Status

The club has now closed as there was not enough interest

for Bridge on Mondays.

Last updated : 31st Dec 2025 21:52 GMT
  Club Snippets 2025 Wyvern

Wyvern

Club History

THE WYVERN BRIDGE CLUB

1985: The Wyvern Bridge club was the brainchild of Simon Ainger, who owned the prestigious Heath Bridge Club in Weybridge. He felt that there was a need for a less stressful club, and, in March 1985, put an advertisement in the Surrey Herald to this end. The response was good and the first Duplicate was held in April, after two sessions of rubber bridge to assess standards. By July, we were playing on two nights a week, Tuesdays and Fridays.

 

1987 Simon Ainger retired, but not before he had found new premises at the Squash Club in Pyrford for both the Heath and Wyvem clubs. They would then have their own committees, and Simon appointed John Magee (later Mr. Bridge) to be the first chairman of the Wyvem.

 

1990 Required to vacate the Squash Club.the two clubs went their separate ways, the Heath to Cobham and the Wyvern to the Village Hall in Hersham, where play was restricted to one night a week, on Wednesdays. Finally the club moved to the Hersham Day Centre, where play continues on Wednesdays.

 

 

Last updated : 31st Oct 2025 18:22 GMT
  Club Snippets 2025 West Oxfordshire

 

West Oxfordshire

Welcome to West Oxfordshire Bridge Club

New club opened in Carterton

WEST OXFORDSHIRE BRIDGE CLUB

 

 

 

Last updated : 17th Oct 2025 11:28 BST
  Club Snippets 2025 Bridgenorth

 

Bridgenorth

Bridgnorth Bridge Club

Unfortunately, due to lack of support, Bridgnorth Bridge Club is no longer running.

 

 

Last updated : 9th Oct 2025 07:43 BST
  Club Snippets 2025 Danetre

Danetre Bridge Club, founded in 1995, is a small, friendly club which welcomes players with intermediate bridge skills. We currently meet at 6:45 pm, for a 7 pm start, in the Daventry Eagles Indoor Bowls Clubhouse. Play normally ends by about 10 pm.

Our ethos is to provide a welcoming Bridge experience that supports pairs new to duplicate bridge as well as more experienced players.

We do not bind ourselves strictly to English Bridge Union laws, however, ‘calling for the Director’ is still fine where there is a genuine dilemma, and the Director's ruling is final.

Players are treated with tolerance and respect and new players are always very welcome. Above all, we remember bridge is only a game of cards and whilst we all do our best to win:

"Bridge is for Fun"
"Enjoy bridge - it’s only a game!"

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

PLEASE BE AWARE DANETRE BRIDGE CLUB HAS CLOSED DOWN. 

Thank you for your support over the years

Last updated : 18th Jan 2026 12:30 GMT