WITH just weeks until the start of the school summer break, Weymouth is in high demand amid a revival of the classic British seaside holiday.
The town is fighting back from the ravages of the pandemic thanks to hard work, grit and determination from people working to rebuild their businesses, and the tourism industry - sometimes against all odds.
According to Dorset Council, this summer is 'unprecedented' - it's impossible to predict visitor numbers, although there are early indications that the holiday season will continue long into the autumn.
We've spent the last month in conversation with businesses and industry experts to hear their real-life stories, the challenges that have been overcome - and how the coronavirus has been a catalyst for innovation and positive change.
Staycations boost
"We’ve been very busy since we’ve been allowed to reopen, said Vicky Cordell of The Leam Hotel on Weymouth Esplanade.
“We’re fully booked every weekend and already taking bookings for September, which is fantastic.
“I think upcoming events such as the Seafood Festival, Ironman are helping.
“We’ve had people in who’ve chosen to come to Weymouth after their holidays abroad were cancelled to places like Croatia and Portugal. We’ve had guests staying for just a couple of nights - for example, to see the cruise ships - and then when they see how much there is to do round here, decide to return soon afterwards.
“There’s definitely an increase in staycations and I think newcomers to the town will certainly return - everyone says how beautiful it is, they love the award-winning beach, nearby attractions such as Abbotsbury Swannery and picturesque villages - as well as the harbour, which looks great now with all the changes so people can sit and eat outside.
“Weymouth and wider Dorset are stunning - if you have good weather, why would you need to go abroad?”
Staycations - and interest in the visiting cruise ships - are also providing a welcome boost to the team behind Weymouth Bay Rib charter.
The pleasure cruise and speedboat ride company has come out fighting despite a series of challenging circumstances. Due to not having a bricks-and-mortar premises they were not eligible for the Government's business support grants during lockdown - but owner Ben Taylor was determined to weather the storm, investing in the business to adapt and survive.
“Covid restrictions have been very, very hard - not having a building or premises meant we didn’t get the help that everyone else did - that side of it was very difficult," he said. "As a business that pays rates to the council but at the same time doesn’t have premises, that was a bit of a struggle.”
Weighing up the risks, Ben decided to invest in a new, larger boat during the second lockdown to enable social distancing, realising there was a unique opportunity to offer tours of the cruise ships moored in the bay - often with an entourage of Weymouth's resident dolphins, to the delight of passengers.
“The pandemic allowed us to expand into a niche in the market, to see cruise ships,” added Ben's partner Storm Wallace. “We realised that was what people wanted to see - it’s a once in a lifetime experience.”
The new vessel was completely rebuilt over the winter - but while this was ongoing, very sadly, Ben's father was gravely ill, and passed away in April. The new boat, ‘Buck,’ has been named in his father's honour. “It was built and designed to be dependable - just like he was,” Ben said.
Since returning to the water, Weymouth Bay Rib Charter has taken on a crew of new staff members, helping keep the economy afloat.
Change in fortunes
Meanwhile, another local attraction and famous landmark for the town, the Nothe Fort, has also come through challenging times and has been transformed as a result of the pandemic.
In 2019 the Fort recorded around 70,000 visitors - last year that figure halved - and although the attraction is not back to pre-pandemic numbers, chairman James Farquharson remains optimistic that the rise in staycations will not only help recoup lost incomn - but could also see a turnaround in the town’s fortunes in future years.
“Potentially millions of people, as a result of this year’s rise in domestic tourism, will experience the seaside for the first time,” he said. “Weymouth is a really great seaside resort - first-time visitors will now have created memories and built up an attachment - the knock on effect is that new generations start to visit and pass on recommendations.”
Mr Farquharson also believes the influx of city-dwellers moving to the area - which has raised concerns about rising house prices - could in fact prove beneficial for the town.
“Weymouth is starting to become more connected to the rest of the country,” he said. “If we’re talking about the local economy, getting people with energy, drive and ideas coming down here from elsewhere, this could be a major boost.”
The heavy artillery on display at the Fort is a testament to how, throughout history, times of conflict lead to technological innovation - and the coronavirus 'battle' has had a similar affect. Social distancing measures, and the need to adapt, have seen “at least five years’ worth of improvements” being made at the Fort, its chairman said.
- READ MORE: Dorset set for staycation boom in 2021
“Finding ways to overcome some of the barriers has meant we’ve changed our mindset - and in turn, barriers to delivering change are just falling away - it feels really positive,” he added.
“In a sense, covid has pushed us into being a different kind of place - I really have to congratulate our volunteers for doing jobs such as stewarding - which has highlighted areas such as tours that we can do more of, to enhance the visitor experience.”
Part of the recent Nothe Fort experience has included hosting ceremonies for Veteran’s Day, D-Day and VE Day to enable respects to be paid under social distancing measures after the town’s annual large-scale events had to be cancelled.
And as well as hosting a series of socially-distanced events of its own - including the town’s first-ever ‘MelWey Games’ - the Fort also became a temporary venue for Weymouth Pavilion’s Christmas pantomime - enabling the show to go on after indoor performances were cancelled during successive lockdowns.
Theatre's new role in beating the virus
It was during a performance of the pantomime that this winter's Tier 3 lockdown decision was revealed - audiences at the Pavilion were informed during an emotional interval announcement that the show could not go on.
“We think we were one of the last theatres to finish - and when lockdown ends on July 19 we think we’ll be one of the first to hold a performance,” explained Pavilion boss Phil Say.
Those new measures include larger audience sizes. Although performances resumed at the venue in spring - bringing patrons a much-needed dose of escapism and entertainment after lockdown - the main auditorium has currently only been operating at around 35 per cent capacity.
But around a quarter of a million pounds has been invested in the building during the pandemic to ensure the show can (safely) go on - helping lift spirits and support performing arts.
Grants such as the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund have helped pay for a refurbishment of public areas such as the foyer, to allow greater social distancing, while hi-tech air filters and ozone technology (“to help kill any nasties”) have been installed.
And the technology - supplied by a Dorchester firm that subsequently went on to fit out many other UK theatres - also came to good use when the theatre took centre stage in the recovery from the pandemic as a mass vaccination clinic.
More than 46,000 doses of the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine were administered at the Pavilion between February and May this year.
And, as a result of the Government's Culture Recovery Fund, around quarter of a million pounds has been invested in the building, which has undergone a major refurbishment.
During the refit, original features such as an original Portland stone balustrade were uncovered in the foyer - as well as part of an exterior wall that had been covered up when an extension was built to the theatre in the 1970s.
Meanwhile the revamped upstairs piano bar regularly hosts intimate evenings with local musicians, with proceeds from ticket sales split equally between the venue and performers.
“We’re feeling positive the Pavilion still plays an important role as part of Weymouth’s visitor offering and is somewhere that locals still want to enjoy and feel proud of,” Mr Say added. “We’re seeing bookings for new shows returning to something similar to before - and the building is safer than pre-pandemic. Things like the air filters will continue to provide extra reassurance in future for patrons.”
Does he think Weymouth and its traditional seaside offering could enjoy a renaissance among holidaymakers?
“I think this season will be very, very busy. Ahead of the summer holidays there’s already an unusually high number of school-aged children at the beach - Weymouth’s facilities, golden sands, unrivalled views - and to some small extent, the theatre - will all help attract return visitors to the area. I think for a number of years people will remain cautious about going on planes and there will be more staycations - which is good for the resort generally.”
Eyes and ears of the beach
And if there are two women who know all about school-aged youngsters and golden sands, it’s Janice Smith and Muriel Worden, who have, between them, around 40 to 50 years’ experience re-uniting lost children with parents on Weymouth Beach.
We visited the new Esplanade Beach Office to find out how income is generated to help keep the beach safe and worthy of its Blue Flag award - as well as being treated to arguably one of the best views across the bay.
While we didn’t get the chance to speak with Janice and Muriel, their praises were sung by Weymouth Beach supervisor Will Holmes who gave us a glimpse at what day-to-day life is like for the handful of staff who act as the eyes and ears of the beach.
“A large part of our role involves hiring out deckchairs and windbreaks - which helps fund our other activities, such as lost children, first aid, lost property and assisting lifeguards, and generally making sure the beach is a safe and enjoyable place that keeps visitors coming back each year,” he explained.
Illustrating his point, just that moment, a wallet was brought in by one of the attendants, who explained how items of potential value are checked for identifying features and stored in a safe for 28 days, before being handed over to police.
The beach office facility was revamped when the new ‘Weymouth superloo’ was built last year. It is run and staffed by Weymouth Town Council.
“Every day is different,” Will said. “We’ve had to deal with some major events - from people giving birth on the beach, to weddings, bomb scares and deaths."
Mr Holmes explained how the beach staff played a crucial role during a tragic event last year, when a woman died after suffering a medical emergency on the beach.
He was involved in a major emergency response, as police closed roads and cordoned off the area so that the air ambulance could land on the beach.
“Anything can happen,” Will said. “Deckchair hire is our bread-and-butter - without it, staffing levels would likely be halved. But there’s a lot more that goes on than meets the eye. I love my job so much - we have a really strong team and every week is different. I’m looking forward to welcoming more people back to Weymouth this year.”
Trouble ahead?
The start of the summer season usually signals a rush for jobs in the local hospitality sector - but we learned that this year many businesses are struggling to fill these roles.
Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce president Craig Oakes provides insight: “There’s real concern among local pubs, bars and restaurants,” he said.
“The staff shortage has been well documented nationally and affects a range of sectors, not just hospitality - but locally, I’m speaking to businesses who are having to reduce opening hours because they’re just not able to find waiting staff, or are having to take on people who are inexperienced.”
According to Mr Oakes, who has been in conversation with local recruitment firms, it is understood that part of the problem may be due to people becoming accustomed to having more free time whilst on Universal Credit during lockdowns - while free online training courses could mean people have upskilled and are now looking for work in other sectors.
Due to the shortage, the Chamber is now urging diners and drinkers to be "respectful" whilst visiting the town's hospitality businesses.
"Many are not necessarily ready for the busy season due to these issues,” Mr Oakes added.
But he is feeling positive about the coming season: "I think, just as we had the English Riviera of the 1970s and 1980s, it’s easy to imagine how people visiting Weymouth for the first time could fall in love with our beautiful beaches, harbour and scenery, and choose to return in subsequent years.
“Many are still likely to think twice about going abroad - and with the impact of the pandemic upon livelihoods, it’s easier and also cheaper to jump into a car.”
Commenting on the picture for local tourism, councillor Noc Lacey-Clarke - Dorset Council lead for covid recovery - explained that on a normal year, Weymouth's population levels double during summer.
While 2021 is 'unprecedented' due to the pandemic and factors such as staycations, cllr Lacey-Clarke expects a similar number to pre-pandemic tourism - "if not higher."
"We really hope that the measures we've put in place, everyone who visits will have a safe, fabulous stay. With so much to offer, we think newcomers to the town will want to return year after year."
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