A brand-new indoor skate park is set to open its doors for the first time next month.

Rob Ridge and Dominic Brown - the pair behind The Trick Factory indoor skate park which closed in St Michael’s in 2016 - together with a dedicated team of volunteers, are excited to officially open 2020 Skate and Ride.

The new facility at Gore Cross Business Park has received planning permission to turn the unit into a skate park.

The application, agreed by Dorset Council to change the use of unit 2A from a general industrial unit, to a skate park, was supported by Bradpole parish council.

The application for the Corbin Way unit was put forward by Bridport town council who say that they, and others, have been searching for five years for a suitable site which had adequate height.

Said a planning officer report: “On balance it is considered that whilst the loss of the single small scale employment unit is regrettable, it will provide a much wanted community facility that will still provide revenue and employment. It is clear that only an industrial unit of such scale would be able to house such a project with parking and access also easily available.”

A dedicated team of people have been busy making ramps and turning it into a skatepark, taking in turns to go up and work on the unit.

Rob said: “We have been doing open viewing days on Saturdays for people to have a look and the response from that has been excellent - a lot of locals and people from further afield have been in to look at the place. What’s nice to see is the wow factor, especially kids as their eyes light up and they get excited.”

There are numbered zones on the ramps will help with social distancing and make users feel safe.

Rob added: “That was always going to be the case, we were going to operate that even before the virus because it’s handy. We kind of did it in The Trick Factory.

“If we get busy or we have youngsters we can say, ‘stay in that zone’ and people can keep in their zones, not just because of the virus, but if they are learning, hopefully it will stop a collision or two.”

The skate park will open on August 1 and the team would like to thank all those who donated to the facility’s crowdfunder and all the local businesses that donated money or equipment.

Rob said: “To get this far and to see the end is a massive relief.

“The Trick Factory was a creature of its time, we always ran on a shoestring budget, it looked like it was falling to bits, it was always patching something up and I think people loved it for its character, but it’s so nice to have a second go at this and to do it in a lovely modern building.”

The team will soon be publishing a programme and timetable for the skate park. Keep an eye on 2020 Skate and Ride’s Facebook page for more details and announcements.

They are still on the look out for volunteers to supervise and businesses to advertise at the skate park. Contact the Facebook page for more information.