BRIDGE BANCORP INC. ANNOUNCES STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM

(Bridgehampton,  NY - February 22, 2001) Bridge  Bancorp Inc.,  (the  "Company")
(NASDAQ/OTC: BDGE), the holding company for The Bridgehampton National Bank (the
"Bank"),  announced  that its Board of  Directors  approved  a stock  repurchase
program.  The Company will be commencing a program to repurchase up to 5% of its
common  shares  outstanding  from  time to time in the open  market  or  through
private purchases,  depending on market conditions.  The repurchased shares will
be used for general corporate purposes.

Commenting on the stock repurchase program, Thomas J. Tobin, President and Chief
Executive  Officer  stated,  "We have  chosen to utilize  our  capital  for this
repurchase  program as we believe that the Company's  current  market price does
not fully reflect the Company's true long-term  value and income  potential.  In
addition,  the  Company's  capital  position  permits this sound  investment  of
Company funds."

The  Bridgehampton  National  Bank is the  oldest  independent  commercial  bank
headquartered  on the  South  Fork of Long  Island.  The  Bank  operates  retail
branches in Bridgehampton,  East Hampton,  Greenport,  Mattituck,  Montauk,  Sag
Harbor,  Southampton,  Southampton  Village,  and  Southold.  BNB's ninth branch
office,  opened on  February  6, 2001 and is located on the corner of Bay Street
and Division Street, in Sag Harbor.  The Bridgehampton  National Bank is locally
directed and managed and is a member of the Independent  Bankers  Association of
America,  the Independent  Bankers Association of New York State and the Federal
Deposit Insurance  Corporation.  Bridgehampton National Bank is an Equal Housing
Lender and an Equal Opportunity Employer.

This release may contain  certain  forward-looking  statements that are based on
management's  current   expectations   regarding  economic,   legislative,   and
regulatory  issues that may impact the  Company's  earnings  in future  periods.
Factors  that  could  cause  future  results  to vary  materially  from  current
management  expectations  include,  but are not  limited  to,  general  economic
conditions,  changes in interest rates,  deposit flows, real estate values,  and
competition;  changes in accounting principles,  policies or guidelines; changes
in legislation or regulation;  and other  economic,  competitive,  governmental,
regulatory  and  technological   factors  affecting  the  Company's  operations,
pricing, products and services.