Bridport is a market town within Dorset, England. It is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) inland from the English Channel close to the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the Asker. Bridport incorporates several small suburban districts, a number of which had been separate villages. 1.5 miles away from the town centre and inside the town's boundary is West Bay, a compact fishing harbour generally known as Bridport Harbour till the opening of the town's railway. With reference to population estimates of Bridport made in 2012, the town boasts a permanent population of about 14,700, which demonstrates a significant increase from the roughly 13,500 recorded during the 2011 Census. As per council tax records, in 2014, the proportion of homes within Bridport's built-up area that were second homes was 4.8%. The town's origins are Saxon and it features a long history as a rope-making centre, though many of its buildings date back to the 18th century. In the twenty-first century, the arts scene in Bridport has contributed to the town becoming increasingly well known with people from outside the area. It has an arts centre, theatre, library, cinema and museum, and a number of yearly events. The Lyric Theatre, which reopened in 2010, hosts quirky theatre, puppetry, comedy, clowning and music. It's also the base of children's theatre company Stuff and Nonsense. Bridport Museum, located in South Street, includes an extensive exhibition of the town's long history of rope-making. The town also features as Port Bredy in the fictional Wessex of Thomas Hardy's novels. For all of your home improvements, make certain that you pick reliable professionals in Bridport to make sure you get a top quality service.