Residents have reacted with sadness over a popular seafood festival cancelling its 2024 event.

As reported, the Dorset Seafood Festival, also known as SEAFEAST, will not be held in 2024.

The popular festival has been held in Weymouth since 2008 and would draw visitors to the town from across the region. 

Festival organisers cited a rise in costs, including the Peninsula site fee, as a reason for the decision.

Starting as a free event on the harbour, the festival has been a ticketed event for the past three years.

It features a wide range of locally sourced seafood dishes, cooking classes and music.

The festival, which runs over two days, is held in early September and covers the Dorset Council-owned car park at the Peninsula site - and a fee is paid to the authority for its use.

However, organisers say that almost all costs to hold the event have gone up year after year, adding that recent increases to car parking prices from Dorset Council have seen the site fee alone "surpass £15,000."

In a statement, organisers called the fee a 'staggering increase' that helped 'make the decision for this year'. 

They would not disclose how much the fee had gone up by compared to the previous year.

Dorset Council has refused to comment.

In 2023 tickets were £10 per adult per day, with a discounted rate on one of the days for locals, with children under 16 free of charge. The 2023 festival saw a record crowd of around 10,000 people.

No information has been given either as to whether the event will be held in 2025.

Weymouth residents have reacted with disappointment to the news of the cancellation.

Lisa Ashworth-Hansford, from Weymouth, is a regular attendee of the festival where she seeks out her seafood favourites - mussels and whitebait.

She said: "It is something that I would go to. I do like my seafood, it is a shame that it is not being held this year. 

"It is something else that is going to be missed from Weymouth. I would have gone this year. I am disappointed."

Karl Sankey from Weymouth said: "It is another thing that is not happening. We attended when it was in the harbour.

"The seafood is pricy enough without having to pay for a ticket to get in."

Another town resident, Karla Gillicker, said: "People say they loved it but to pay the entry and then pay inside for food is not fair.

"I went before when it was on the harbour and absolutely loved it."

Organisers say a study into the economic impact of the 2022 festival showed it brought £3.1 million into the town.

In 2023, SEAFEAST raised £6,600 for The Fishermen's Mission. This charitable organisation is dedicated to supporting fishermen and their families during times of need.

A spokesperson for The Fishermen's Mission said: "We are deeply saddened to hear that the Dorset Seafood Festival will not be returning this year.

"We had the privilege of attending many times, meeting some wonderful organisations and individuals and sharing what we do and the impact we make on the lives of fishermen.

"Over £90,000 had been raised for us by the Dorset Seafood Festival throughout the years, we’ve been so grateful for their support and wish them all the best."

Festival Director Laura Avant issued a full statement, saying organisers were 'proud' to have kept the festival going through 'difficult times' over the past few years.

She added: "We know ticketing wasn’t an approach approved of by everyone, but it just about enabled us to cover costs and keep the event going.

"The new format came with some great benefits too, with a less crowded space and the ability for us to provide much more seating, children’s cookery workshops, art activities etc, we’ve had some amazing feedback.

"The festival has always been a labour of love, everyone who gets involved ends up putting in more time than they really should. The reward for our small team has always more about a sense of achievement than anything else. However the recent cost increases are such that we must now go with our heads and not our hearts.

"The festival has raised more than £90,000 for the Fishermen’s Mission charity over the years and has been the biggest annual event contributor to their funding. The charity is close to the heart of everyone involved with the Festival, and we’re truly sorry that fundraising efforts won’t continue next year.

"Thank you to everyone who has attended the festival over the years, please continue to enjoy sustainable local seafood! A huge thank you to our sponsors, stall holders, partners, chefs, musicians and local contractors too – it’s been a real team effort (and a blast!) hosting the event and we couldn’t have done it without you.”