Weymouth: Chesil Rocks festival future looks uncertain

The Chesil Rocks Festival, which has been a mainstay at Tim and Hilary Warren’s Higher Farm House in Langton Herring near Weymouth for the past 11 years, looks unlikely to return next year.

A statement from the organisers said that the event will not return on ‘as big a scale’ after recently holding three days of entertainment including a comedy night and a classical evening.

When the Echo asked Mr Warren about whether a festival will take place next year, he said: “We don’t know- we’re not getting any younger.

“Organising something like this takes nine months of the year and it’s such hard work- we’re taking a raincheck on next year.

“We will take stock, and we are unlikely to have an event at our house- we are open to options and suggestions as the Samaritans constantly need our support.”

Since the pair set up the festival in 2012, it has raised £108,000 for the Samaritans Dorset branch, which relies on donations to support their annual budget of £40,000. It is supported by a band of volunteers and local sponsors.

Mr Warren said: “In the Weymouth Samaritans branch there are 51 volunteers who take on 14,000 calls each year.

“The branch is self-financed and needs to raise around £40,000 a year from donations, street collections and quizzes. Our donations have enabled them to worry less about the financing and bring help to the people that need it.”

The figures of the amount raised for the local branch from this year’s festival has yet to be revealed by the organisers, however art that was donated by local artists which adorned the marquee walls was sold at a silent auction during the event, raising £940.

Top local acts and artist lit up the stage across the three days at the festival culminating in a musical celebration on the Saturday which featured the likes of Vanilla Radio, Steve Wilson and the Innocent Bystanders, Trip Guitars, Dorset Wrecks, Evolution Dance Studio and Chris Davies.