To the shareholders of Bridge Bancorp, Inc. and Dime Community Bancshares, Inc.

MERGER PROPOSED — YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT On July 1, 2020, Bridge Bancorp, Inc., which we refer to as “Bridge,” and Dime Community Bancshares, Inc., which we refer to as “Dime,” entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, which we refer to as the “merger agreement,” pursuant to which Bridge and Dime have agreed to combine their respective businesses in a merger of equals. Under the merger agreement, Dime will merge with and into Bridge, with Bridge as the resulting company, in a transaction that we refer to as the “merger.” At the effective time of the merger, Bridge will change its name to “Dime Community Bancshares, Inc.”Immediately following the merger, Dime Community Bank, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Dime, will merge with and into BNB Bank, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Bridge, with BNB Bank as the resulting company, which we refer to as the “bank merger.” At the effective time of the bank merger, BNB Bank will change its name to “Dime Community Bank.” Each party will have equal representation on the board of directors of the resulting company and the resulting bank. If the merger is completed, Dime shareholders will be entitled to receive, for each share of Dime common stock they own, 0.648 shares of Bridge common stock. The maximum number of shares of Bridge common stock estimated to be issuable upon completion of the merger is 21,436,582. Based on Bridge’s closing price of $22.84 on June 30, 2020, which was the last trading date preceding the public announcement of the proposed merger, each share of Dime common stock exchanged for 0.648 shares of Bridge common stock would have had a value of $14.80, or approximately $489.0 million in aggregate merger consideration. Based on Bridge’s closing price of $19.62 on October 12, 2020, which is the most recent practicable trading day prior to the printing of this document, each share of Dime common stock exchanged for 0.648 shares of Bridge common stock would have a value of $12.71. The value of the merger consideration will depend on the market price of Bridge common stock on the effective date of the merger. We urge you to obtain current market quotations for both Bridge common stock and Dime common stock. In addition, each issued and outstanding share of Dime 5.50% Fixed-Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, par value $0.01 per share, which we refer to as the “Dime preferred stock,” immediately prior to the completion of the merger will be converted into the right to receive one (1) share of a newly issued series of Bridge preferred stock, each with equivalent rights and preferences, which we refer to as the “Bridge preferred stock.” The common stock of Bridge trades on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BDGE.” The common stock of Dime also trades on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “DCOM.” The preferred stock of Dime also trades on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “DCOMP.”Following the merger, the common stock of the resulting company will be listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “DCOM.” The newly issued shares of Bridge preferred stock are expected to trade on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “DCOMP.” Bridge will hold a virtual special meeting of its shareholders, which we refer to as the “Bridge special meeting,” on December 3, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. local time, where the Bridge shareholders will be asked to vote on a proposal to approve the merger agreement, which we refer to as the “Bridge merger proposal,” a proposal to amend the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation to effect the name change of Bridge to “Dime Community Bancshares, Inc.,” to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock of the resulting company, to create a series of preferred stock of the resulting company designated as Series A Preferred Stock, to set forth the rights, preferences, privileges and limitations pertaining to such series of preferred stock, and to remove the previous Section 8 of the certificate of incorporation entitled “Indebtedness”, which we refer to as the “Bridge Certificate of Incorporation amendment proposal,” and a proposal to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation that may become payable to the named executive officers of Bridge in connection with the merger, which we refer to as the “Bridge merger- related compensation proposal”and other related matters. The approval by Bridge’s shareholders of the merger agreement as well as the Bridge’s Certificate of Incorporation amendment proposal are required to complete the merger. The Bridge special meeting will be held exclusively via a live webcast at www.meetingcenter.io/248386694, on December 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., local time. To participate in the virtual meeting, a Bridge shareholder of record will need the fifteen-digit control number included on your proxy card or instructions that accompanied your proxy materials, if applicable, or to obtain a proxy form from your broker, bank or other nominee. The Bridge special meeting webcast will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m., local time. Bridge shareholders are encouraged to access the Bridge special meeting prior to the start time. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting or during the meeting time, please call the technical support number that will be posted on the virtual meeting login page.

Dime will hold a virtual special meeting of its shareholders, which we refer to as the “Dime special meeting,” on December 3, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. local time, where the Dime shareholders will be asked to vote on a proposal to adopt the merger agreement, which we refer to as the “Dime merger proposal,” and a proposal to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation that may become payable to the named executive officers of Dime in connection with the merger, which we refer to as the “Dime merger-related compensation proposal” and other related matters. The Dime special meeting will be held exclusively via a live webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/DCOM2020SM, on December 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., local time. To participate in the virtual meeting, a Dime shareholder of record will need the sixteen-digit control number included on your proxy card or instructions that accompanied your proxy materials, if applicable, or to obtain a proxy form from your broker, bank or other nominee. The Dime special meeting webcast will begin promptly at è0:00 a.m., local time. Dime shareholders are encouraged to access the Dime special meeting prior to the start time. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting or during the meeting time, please call the technical support number that will be posted on the virtual meeting login page.

The merger cannot be completed unless, among other things, holders of two-thirds of the issued and outstanding shares of Bridge common stock vote to approve the Bridge merger proposal, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Bridge common stock vote to approve the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation amendment proposal, and holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Dime common stock vote to approve the Dime merger proposal. Bridge and Dime are sending you this joint proxy statement/prospectus to ask you to vote in favor of these and other matters described in this joint proxy statement/prospectus.

Each of our boards of directors unanimously recommends that holders of common stock vote “FOR” each of the proposals to be considered at the respective meetings. We strongly support this combination of our companies and join our boards in their recommendations.

This joint proxy statement/prospectus provides you with detailed information about the merger agreement and the merger. It also contains or references information about Bridge and Dime and certain related matters. You are encouraged to read this joint proxy statement/prospectus carefully. In particular, you should read the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 21 for a discussion of the risks you should consider in evaluating the proposed merger and how it will affect you. You can also obtain information about Bridge and Dime from documents that have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are incorporated into this joint proxy statement/prospectus by reference.

We look forward to your participation in the special meetings and we appreciate your continued support.

Kevin M. O’Connor Kenneth J. Mahon President and Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer Bridge Bancorp, Inc. Dime Community Bancshares, Inc.

The securities of Bridge to be issued in the merger are not deposits or savings accounts or other obligations of any bank or savings association subsidiary of Bridge or Dime and are not insured by the FDIC or any other governmental agency. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved the merger described in this document or the Bridge securities to be issued in connection with the merger or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this document. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this joint proxy statement/prospectus is October 16, 2020, and it is first being mailed or otherwise delivered to shareholders of Bridge and Dime on or about October 21, 2020. ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

This joint proxy statement/prospectus, which we refer to as “this document,” forms part of a registration statement on Form S-4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (which we refer to as the “SEC”) by Bridge, and constitutes a prospectus of Bridge under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which we refer to in this document as the “Securities Act,” with respect to the shares of Bridge securities to be issued to Dime shareholders, as required by the merger agreement. This document also constitutes a proxy statement under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to in this document as the “Exchange Act,” and a notice of meeting with respect to the special meeting of shareholders of Bridge and the special meeting of shareholders of Dime.

You should rely only on the information contained in this document. No one has been authorized to provide you with information that is different from the information contained in this document. This document is dated October 16, 2020. You should not assume that the information contained in this document is accurate as of any date other than that date. Neither the mailing of this document to either Bridge shareholders or Dime shareholders nor the issuance by Bridge of its common stock in connection with the merger will create any implication to the contrary.

This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, or the solicitation of a proxy, in any jurisdiction to or from any person to whom it is unlawful to make any such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. Information contained in this document regarding Bridge has been provided by Bridge and information contained in this document regarding Dime has been provided by Dime. BRIDGE BANCORP, INC. 2200 Montauk Highway Bridgehampton, New York 11932

Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held December 3, 2020

To the Shareholders of Bridge:

Bridge will hold a virtual special meeting of shareholders (which we refer to as the “Bridge special meeting”) at 10:00 a.m. local time, on December 3, 2020, to be held exclusively via webcast at www.meetingcenter.io/248386694, to consider and vote upon the following matters:

1. a proposal to approve the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 1, 2020, which we refer to as the “merger agreement”, by and between Bridge Bancorp, Inc. and Dime Community Bancshares, Inc., pursuant to which Dime will merge with and into Bridge, which we refer to as the “merger proposal.” A copy of the merger agreement is included as Annex A to the accompanying joint proxy statement/prospectus;

2. a proposal to approve an amendment to Bridge’s Certificate of Incorporation to effect the name change of Bridge to “Dime Community Bancshares, Inc.,” to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock of the resulting company, to create a series of preferred stock of the resulting company designated as Series A Preferred Stock, to set forth the rights, preferences, privileges and limitations pertaining to such series of preferred stock; and to remove the previous Section 8 of the Certificate of Incorporation entitled “Indebtedness”, which we refer to as the “Bridge Certificate of Incorporation amendment proposal.” A copy of the proposed Bridge Bancorp, Inc. Restated Certificate of Incorporation is included as Annex D to the accompanying joint proxy statement/prospectus; 3. a proposal to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation that may become payable to the named executive officers of Bridge in connection with the merger, which we refer to as the “Bridge merger-related compensation proposal”; and 4. a proposal to adjourn the special meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation of proxies if there are not sufficient votes at the time of the special meeting to approve the merger agreement and the merger, which we refer to as the “Bridge adjournment proposal.” All of these items are described in more detail in the accompanying joint proxy statement/prospectus and its annexes. We urge you to read these materials carefully and in their entirety. The enclosed document forms a part of this notice. The Bridge board of directors unanimously recommends that Bridge shareholders vote “FOR” the Bridge merger proposal, “FOR” the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation amendment proposal, “FOR” the Bridge merger-related compensation proposal and “FOR” the Bridge adjournment proposal. Bridge shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 12, 2020 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Bridge special meeting and any adjournments or postponements of the Bridge special meeting. Your vote is very important. Your proxy is being solicited by Bridge’s board of directors. For the proposed merger to be completed, the proposal to approve the merger agreement must be approved by a vote of two-thirds of the issued and outstanding shares of Bridge common stock and the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation amendment proposal must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Bridge common stock. The amendments to the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation will become effective only if the merger agreement is approved by the shareholders and the merger is completed. The Bridge merger-related compensation proposal will be approved if a majority of the votes cast by the Bridge shareholders at the Bridge special meeting are voted in favor of such proposal. The Bridge adjournment proposal will be approved if a majority of votes cast on such proposal at the Bridge special meeting are voted in favor of such proposal. Whether or not you plan to attend the Bridge special meeting virtually, we urge you to vote. Shareholders of record may vote: • By internet — access www.investorvote.com/BDGE and follow the on-screen instructions; • By telephone — call 1-800-652-8683 and follow the instructions; • By mail — complete, sign, date and mail your proxy card in the envelope provided as soon as possible; or • By voting at the virtual special meeting — access www.meetingcenter.io/248386694 and follow the on- screen instructions.

If you plan to attend the Bridge special meeting virtually, you will be required to take certain actions ahead of the meeting so that you can participate. Please carefully read the sections in this document regarding attending and voting at the special meeting to ensure that you comply with these requirements.

If you hold your stock in “street name” through a banker or broker, please follow the instructions on the voting instruction card furnished by the record holder.

If you have any questions or need assistance voting your shares, please contact our proxy solicitor, Equiniti Services Company, toll free at 1-833-503-4127. By Order of the Board of Directors,

Howard H. Nolan Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary Bridgehampton, New York October 21, 2020 DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. 300 Cadman Plaza West, 8th Floor Brooklyn, New York 11201

Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held December 3, 2020

To the Shareholders of Dime:

Dime will hold a virtual special meeting of shareholders (which we refer to as the “Dime special meeting”) at 10:00 a.m. local time, on December 3, 2020, to be held exclusively via webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/DCOM2020SM, to consider and vote upon the following matters:

1. a proposal to approve the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 1, 2020, which we refer to as the “merger agreement,” by and between Bridge Bancorp, Inc. and Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. and the merger, pursuant to which Dime will merge with and into Bridge, which we refer to as the “merger proposal.” A copy of the merger agreement is included as Annex A to the accompanying joint proxy statement/prospectus;

2. a proposal to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation that may become payable to the named executive officers of Dime in connection with the merger, which we refer to as the “Dime merger-related compensation proposal”; and

3. a proposal to adjourn the special meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation of proxies if there are not sufficient votes at the time of the special meeting to approve the merger agreement and the merger, which we refer to as the “Dime adjournment proposal.”

All of these items are described in more detail in the accompanying joint proxy statement/prospectus and its annexes. We urge you to read these materials carefully and in their entirety. The enclosed document forms a part of this notice.

The Dime board of directors unanimously recommends that the Dime shareholders vote “FOR” the Dime merger proposal, “FOR” the Dime merger-related compensation proposal and “FOR” the Dime adjournment proposal.

Dime shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 12, 2020 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Dime special meeting and any adjournments or postponements of the Dime special meeting.

Your vote is very important. Your proxy is being solicited by Dime’s board of directors. For the proposed merger to be completed, the proposal to approve the merger agreement and the merger must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Dime common stock. The Dime merger-related compensation proposal will be approved if a majority of the votes cast on such proposal at the Dime special meeting are voted in favor of such proposal. The Dime adjournment proposal will be approved if a majority of the votes cast on such proposal at the Dime special meeting are voted in favor of such proposal.

Whether or not you plan to attend the Dime special meeting virtually, we urge you to vote. Shareholders of record may vote: • By internet — access www.proxyvote.com and follow the on-screen instructions; • By telephone — call 1-800-690-6903 for registered shareholders and 1-800-454-8683 for beneficial shareholders; • By mail — complete, sign, date and mail your proxy card in the envelope provided as soon as possible; or • By voting at the virtual special meeting — access www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/DCOM2020SM and follow the on-screen instructions. If you plan to attend the Dime special meeting virtually, you will be required to take certain actions ahead of the meeting so that you can participate. Please carefully read the sections in this document regarding attending and voting at the special meeting to ensure that you comply with these requirements.

If you hold your stock in “street name” through a banker or broker, please follow the instructions on the voting instruction card furnished by the record holder.

If you have any questions or need assistance voting your shares, please contact our proxy solicitor, Equiniti Services Company, toll free at 1-833-503-4129.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

Patricia M. Schaubeck Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Brooklyn, New York October 21, 2020 REFERENCES TO AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Both Bridge and Dime file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other business and financial information electronically with the SEC. In addition, this document incorporates important business and financial information about Bridge and Dime from documents filed with the SEC that have not been included in or delivered with this document. You can obtain any of the documents filed with or furnished to the SEC by Bridge or Dime at no cost from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You will also be able to obtain these documents free of charge from Bridge at Bridge’s website at https://www.bnbbank.com/ under the “About — Investor Relations” tab, and then under “SEC Filings,” or from Dime by accessing Dime’s website at www.Dime.com under the “About — Investor Relations” tab, and then under “SEC Filings.” See “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 157.

You also may request orally or in writing copies of these documents at no cost by contacting the appropriate company at the following addresses:

Bridge Bancorp, Inc. Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. 898 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite 560 300 Cadman Plaza West, 8th Floor Hauppauge, New York 11788 Brooklyn, New York 11201 Attention: Howard H. Nolan Attention: Patricia M. Schaubeck Telephone: 631-537-1000 Telephone: 718-782-6200

If you are a Bridge shareholder or Dime shareholder and would like to request documents from Bridge or Dime, please do so by November 25, 2020 to receive them before the special meetings. The information on Bridge’s and Dime’s websites is not part of this document. References to Bridge’s and Dime’s websites in this document are intended to serve as textual references only.

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] TABLE OF CONTENTS

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE MERGER AND THE SPECIAL MEETINGS . . . 1 SUMMARY ...... 9 RISK FACTORS ...... 21 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ...... 33 SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF BRIDGE BANCORP, INC...... 35 SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC...... 37 PURCHASE PRICE DETERMINATION ...... 41 SUMMARY SELECTED UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED DATA . . . 42 UNAUDITED PRO FORMA COMBINED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA ...... 43 UNAUDITED COMPARATIVE PRO FORMA PER SHARE DATA ...... 51 SPECIAL MEETING OF BRIDGE SHAREHOLDERS ...... 52 SPECIAL MEETING OF DIME SHAREHOLDERS ...... 58 DESCRIPTION OF THE MERGER ...... 62 DESCRIPTION OF BRIDGE CAPITAL STOCK ...... 134 DESCRIPTION OF NEW BRIDGE PREFERRED STOCK ...... 137 COMPARISON OF RIGHTS OF SHAREHOLDERS ...... 145 OPERATIONS OF THE RESULTING COMPANY AND THE RESULTING BANK AFTER THEMERGER...... 149 MARKET PRICE AND DIVIDEND INFORMATION ...... 151 STOCK OWNERSHIP OF BRIDGE ...... 152 STOCK OWNERSHIP OF DIME ...... 154 LEGAL MATTERS ...... 156 EXPERTS ...... 156 SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS AND NOMINATIONS ...... 156 WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ...... 157 Annex A Agreement and Plan of Merger by and between Bridge Bancorp, Inc. and Dime Community Bancshares, Inc., dated as of July 1, 2020 ...... A-1 Annex B Opinion of Raymond James & Associates, Inc...... B-1 Annex C Opinion of Piper Sandler & Co...... C-1 Annex D Form of Bridge Bancorp, Inc. Restated Certificate of Incorporation ...... D-1

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[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE MERGER AND THE SPECIAL MEETINGS

The following are answers to certain questions that you may have regarding the merger, the Bridge special meeting or the Dime special meeting. We urge you to read carefully the remainder of this document because the information in this section may not provide all the information that might be important to you in determining how to vote. Additional important information is also contained in the annexes to, and the documents incorporated by reference in, this document.

Q: WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS DOCUMENT?

A. You are receiving this document because you are either a shareholder of Bridge as of October 12, 2020, the record date for the Bridge special meeting, or a shareholder of Dime as of October 12, 2020, the record date for the Dime special meeting. This document is being used by the boards of directors of Bridge and Dime to solicit proxies of the shareholders of Bridge and Dime, as applicable, in connection with the approval of the merger proposal and related matters. This document also serves as the prospectus for shares of Bridge common stock to be issued in exchange for shares of Dime common stock in the merger and the prospectus for shares of Bridge preferred stock to be issued in exchange for shares of Dime preferred stock in the merger. Holders of Dime preferred stock are not entitled to, and are not requested to, vote at the Dime special meeting.

In order to approve the merger agreement and the merger, Bridge has called the Bridge special meeting and Dime has called the Dime special meeting. This document also serves as a notice of the Bridge special meeting and the Dime special meeting and describes the proposals to be presented at each special meeting.

You should read this document carefully and in its entirety. The enclosed materials allow you to have your shares voted by proxy without attending your special meeting. Your vote is important. We encourage you to submit your proxy as soon as possible.

Q: WHAT AM I BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON?

A: For Bridge Shareholders: You are being asked to vote on the approval of the merger agreement that provides for the merger of Dime with and into Bridge. You are also being asked to vote on a proposal to amend the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation to change the name of the resulting company to “Dime Community Bancshares, Inc.”, to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock of the resulting company, to create a series of preferred stock of the resulting company designated as Series A Preferred Stock, to set forth the rights, preferences, privileges and limitations pertaining to such series of preferred stock, and remove Section 8 of Bridge’s existing certificate of incorporation. You are also being asked to vote on a non-binding advisory resolution approving the compensation that may become payable to the named executive officers of Bridge in connection with the merger. Youare also being asked to vote on a proposal to adjourn the special meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation of proxies if there are not sufficient votes at the meeting to approve the merger agreement and the merger. Completion of the merger is conditioned upon approval of the merger proposal and the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation amendment proposal. Completion of the merger is not conditioned upon approval of the Bridge merger- related compensation proposal or the Bridge adjournment proposal. The amendments to the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation will become effective only if the merger agreement is approved by the shareholders and the merger is completed.

For Dime Shareholders: You are being asked to vote on the approval of the merger agreement that provides for the merger of Dime with and into Bridge. You are also being asked to vote on a non-binding advisory resolution approving the compensation that may become payable to the named executive officers of Dime in connection with the merger. Youare also being asked to vote on a proposal to adjourn the special meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation of proxies if there are not sufficient votes at the meeting to approve the merger agreement and the merger. Completion of the merger is not conditioned upon approval of the Dime merger-related compensation proposal or the Dime adjournment proposal.

1 Q: WHAT VOTE DOES BRIDGE’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMEND?

A: Bridge’s board of directors has determined that the proposed merger is in the best interests of Bridge shareholders, has unanimously approved the merger agreement and the merger and unanimously recommends that Bridge shareholders vote “FOR” the approval of the merger proposal, “FOR” the Bridge Certificate of Incorporation amendment proposal, “FOR” the Bridge merger-related compensation proposal and “FOR” the Bridge adjournment proposal.

Q: WHAT VOTE DOES DIME’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMEND?

A: Dime’s board of directors has determined that the proposed merger is in the best interests of Dime shareholders, has unanimously approved the merger agreement and the merger and unanimously recommends that Dime shareholders vote “FOR” the approval of the merger proposal, “FOR” the Dime merger-related compensation proposal, and “FOR” the Dime adjournment proposal.

Q: WHAT WILL DIME SHAREHOLDERS RECEIVE IN THE MERGER?

A: If the merger is completed, holders of Dime common stock will receive 0.648 shares of Bridge common stock (which we refer to as the “merger consideration”) for each share of Dime common stock held immediately prior to the merger. Bridge will not issue any fractional shares of Bridge common stock in the merger. Bridge will pay to each former Dime shareholder who holds fractional shares an amount in cash determined by multiplying the average of the closing sale prices of Bridge common stock for the 10 consecutive trading days ending on the fifth trading day preceding the closing date of the merger by the fraction of a share (rounded to the nearest cent) of Bridge common stock that such shareholder would otherwise be entitled to receive. If the merger is completed, holders of Dime preferred stock will receive one share of newly issued Bridge preferred stock for each share of Dime preferred stock held immediately prior to the merger. If the merger is completed, the shares of common stock and preferred stock of the resulting company are expected to trade on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbols “DCOM” and “DCOMP,” respectively.

Q: WHAT WILL BRIDGE SHAREHOLDERS RECEIVE IN THE MERGER?

A: If the merger is completed, Bridge shareholders will not receive any merger consideration and will continue to hold the shares of the resulting company’s common stock that they currently hold. Following the merger, shares of Bridge common stock will be traded on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “DCOM.”

Q: WHAT EQUITY STAKE WILL BRIDGE AND DIME SHAREHOLDERS HOLD IN BRIDGE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE MERGER?

A: Immediately following completion of the merger, current Bridge shareholders will own in the aggregate approximately 48% of the outstanding shares of Bridge common stock. Immediately following completion of the merger, Dime shareholders will own in the aggregate approximately 52% of the outstanding shares of Bridge common stock.

Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A FRACTION OF A SHARE OF BRIDGE COMMON STOCK AS PART OF THE MERGER CONSIDERATION?

A: If the aggregate number of shares of Bridge common stock that you are entitled to receive as part of the merger consideration includes a fraction of a share of Bridge common stock, you will receive cash instead of that fractional share. See the section entitled “Description of the Merger — Consideration to be Received in the Merger.”

Q: HOW DO DIME SHAREHOLDERS EXCHANGE THEIR STOCK CERTIFICATES?

A: Shortly after the merger, Bridge’s exchange agent will send instructions to Dime’s shareholders on how and where to surrender their Dime stock certificates after the merger is completed. Please do not send your Dime stock certificates with your proxy card.

2 Q: ARE EITHER DIME’S OR BRIDGE’S SHAREHOLDERS ENTITLED TO APPRAISAL RIGHTS?

A: No. Because Dime common stock is traded on The NASDAQ Global Select Market, the Delaware General Corporation Law does not provide for appraisal rights in connection with the merger. Dime is incorporated under Delaware law. Similarly, under the New York Business Corporation Law, and pursuant to Bridge’s Certificate of Incorporation, holders of Bridge common stock are not entitled to appraisal rights in the merger with respect to their shares of Bridge common stock because Bridge common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market and Bridge’s Certificate of Incorporation does not provide for appraisal rights unless specifically granted by Bridge’s board of directors. Bridge is incorporated under New York law.

Q: IS COMPLETION OF THE MERGER SUBJECT TO ANY CONDITIONS BESIDES SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL?

A: Yes. The merger must receive the required regulatory approvals, and there are other customary closing conditions that must be satisfied. For more information about the conditions to the completion of the merger, see the section entitled “Description of the Merger — Conditions to Completing the Merger.”

Q: WHEN IS THE MERGER EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED?

A: The merger agreement and the merger must be approved by Bridge’s shareholders and Dime’s shareholders and we must obtain the necessary regulatory approvals, among other conditions. According to the terms of the merger agreement, the closing of the merger cannot occur prior to January 1, 2021. Thus, assuming timely receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals, we expect to complete the merger in the first quarter of 2021.

Q: ARE THERE RISKS THAT I SHOULD CONSIDER IN DECIDING WHETHER TO VOTE TO APPROVE THE MERGER AGREEMENT AND THE MERGER?

A: Yes. You should consider the risks set out in the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 21 of this document.

Q: WHAT VOTE IS REQUIRED TO APPROVE THE MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETINGS?

A: For Bridge Shareholders: The proposal to approve the merger agreement and the merger must be approved by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the issued and outstanding shares of Bridge common stock. Consequently, abstentions and broker non-votes with respect to the merger agreement will have the same effect as a vote “against” such proposal.

The proposal to approve various amendments to Bridge’s existing certificate of incorporation must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Bridge common stock. Abstentions and broker non-votes with respect to the amendments to Bridge’s existing certificate of incorporation will have the same effect as a vote “against” such proposal.

Approval of the Bridge merger-related compensation proposal and the Bridge adjournment proposal require that the votes cast in favor of each such proposal at the special meeting exceed the votes cast against such proposal at the special meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of such proposals.

For Dime Shareholders: The proposal to approve the merger agreement and the merger must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Dime common stock. Consequently, abstentions and broker non-votes with respect to the merger agreement and the merger will have the same effect as a vote “against” such proposal.

Approval of the Dime merger-related compensation proposal and the Dime adjournment proposal will require the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast by the Dime shareholders at the Dime special meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not affect the outcome of such proposals.

3 Q: WHAT IS THE QUORUM REQUIREMENT FOR THE BRIDGE VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETING? A: The presence at the Bridge special meeting, virtually or by proxy, of shareholders representing a majority of the total number of the outstanding shares of Bridge common stock entitled to vote is necessary in order to constitute a quorum. Abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will be included in determining the number of shares present at the meeting for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum. Q: WHAT IS THE QUORUM REQUIREMENT FOR THE DIME VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETING? A: The presence at the Dime special meeting, virtually or by proxy, of shareholders representing a majority of the total number of outstanding shares of Dime common stock entitled to vote is necessary in order to constitute a quorum. Abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will be included in determining the number of shares present at the meeting for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum. Q: WHEN AND WHERE IS THE BRIDGE VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETING? A: The Bridge virtual special meeting is scheduled to take place at 10:00 a.m., local time, on December 3, 2020. The Bridge special meeting will be held exclusively via a live webcast at www.meetingcenter.io/248386694. To participate in the virtual meeting, a Bridge shareholder of record will need the fifteen-digit control number included on your proxy card or instructions that accompanied your proxy materials, if applicable, or to obtain a proxy form from your broker, bank or other nominee. The Bridge special meeting webcast will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m., local time. Bridge shareholders are encouraged to access the Bridge special meeting prior to the start time. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting or during the meeting time, please call the technical support number that will be posted on the virtual meeting login page. Q: WHEN AND WHERE IS THE DIME VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETING? A: The Dime virtual special meeting is scheduled to take place at 10:00 a.m., local time, on December 3, 2020. The Dime special meeting will be held exclusively via a live webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/DCOM2020SM. To participate in the virtual meeting, a Dime shareholder of record will need the sixteen-digit control number included on your proxy card or instructions that accompanied your proxy materials, if applicable, or to obtain a proxy form from your broker, bank or other nominee. The Dime special meeting webcast will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m., local time. Dime shareholders are encouraged to access the Dime special meeting prior to the start time. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting or during the meeting time, please call the technical support number that will be posted on the virtual meeting login page. Q: WHO IS ENTITLED TO VOTE AT THE SPECIAL MEETINGS? A: Holders of shares of Bridge common stock at the close of business on October 12, 2020 are entitled to vote at the Bridge special meeting. As of the record date, 19,748,837 shares of Bridge common stock were outstanding and entitled to vote. Holders of shares of Dime common stock at the close of business on October 12, 2020 are entitled to vote at the Dime special meeting. As of the record date, 33,049,882 shares of Dime common stock were outstanding and entitled to vote. Holders of shares of Dime preferred stock do not have voting rights with respect to any of the proposals to be considered at the Dime special meeting. Q: IF I PLAN TO ATTEND MY SPECIAL MEETING VIRTUALLY, SHOULD I STILL RETURN MY PROXY?

A: Yes. Whether or not you plan to attend your special meeting virtually, you should promptly submit your proxy so that your shares will be voted at your special meeting. The failure of a shareholder to vote virtually or by proxy will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the merger agreement and the merger.

4 Q: WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NOW TO VOTE MY SHARES OF COMMON STOCK? A: For Bridge Shareholders: If you are a “shareholder of record,” you can vote your shares as follows: • via internet at www.in