http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/14446658._Weymouth_would_continue_to_flourish_outside_the_EU___Commons_leader_Chris_Grayling_visits_Dorset/?action=success#comment_16066943 "Weymouth would continue to flourish outside the EU": says Chris Grayling Chris Grayling The choice of "continue to flourish" seems a strange choice of words for Chris Grayling to use in describing Weymouth. Even a short stroll around the town reveals a rather different reality. The number of empty shops with "To let" signs continues to increase, as does the amount of derelict or run-down buildings. Many of the back streets of the town have become increasingly seedy over the past years and the Park and Ride facility at Mount Pleasant remains closed since before Christmas last and now the site seems destined to be sold (provided of course that a buyer can be found). Hardly the signs of a "flourishing" seaside economic community. Closed and ...
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http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11668325.Waste_partnership_is_standing_firm_on_rubbish_bags_despite_vermin_fears/ Waste partnership is standing firm on rubbish bags despite vermin fears East Street, Weymouth I drove past this stack of rubbish yesterday 15th December 2014,(and it was not the only one which I passed while in Weymouth). It seems that the waste has been put into the "wrong sacks". The thought occurred to me that rather than buy "black plastic" sacks to cram the rubbish into, why do the people putting the bags out, not put it into "blue plastic" sacks? That is of course, provided that the DWP have actually delivered a supply of blue plastic sacks to be used for the purpose. However, so far the performance of DWP in the catalouge of errors, screw ups and general poor management and administration of the "new system" is less than adequate. Moreover, they seem to be demanding more money from the Council to cover ...
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10820077.Olympic_legacy_for_Weymouth_and_Portland_is_going_begging_says_House_of_Lord_report/ Olympic legacy for Weymouth and Portland is going begging says House of Lord report What legacy? There never was and never will be an "Olympic legacy", for Weymouth or for any other town or city in the United Kingdom. The whole idea of some tangible benefits for the British people extending for years to come, was a myth generated by government propaganda to justify £millions of expenditure of tax payers money to convince everybody that it was "a good idea and good for Britain". The fact is that a few big companies and the Corporate hospitality industry made a great deal of money and a few short term employment opportunities were created, but many of these were in fact, filled by foreign workers. The "Weymouth Tower" is a classic example. The United kingdom is learning what other host nations in cities like Vancouv...
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10645974.Gridlock_chaos_hits_Weymouth/?ref=mr Gridlock chaos hits Weymouth Crossing at the top of King Street Weymouth Esplanade The harbour crossroads outside Asda in Weymouth When "intelligent traffic lights" with their associated spaghetti of white lines painted seemingly at random on the road surface, replaced the roundabouts back in 2010-11, many people predicted that they would only cause confusion and delay. Tragically, not only has this has been proved to be correct but at least two people have been killed, a number of people have been injured and there have been countless accidents and near misses particularly at the "Asda" junction. This is in addition to the general congestion reported in this article. Who ever drew up this "improved" traffic scheme for Weymouth and incidentally the surrounding approach roads, has created infinitely more problems than the scheme was...
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10635801.Disruptions_after_Condor_breaks_down/?action=success Condor Vitesse suffers engine trouble Condor Vitesse Déjà vu. When will Condor get rid of these troublesome ferries, which incidentally are now looking well past their sell by date both mechanically and in the lounges, and replace them with proper vehicle ferries built for the prevailing conditions and traffic, rather than for the very different conditions around Australia or the Caribbean? We have been on both the "Express" and the "Vitesse" on a number of occasions since April of this year and the standard of both vessels has declined rapidly.The ships are generally grubby, (including the Rapide which we have also travelled on frequently) the reclining seats are mostly broken and remain un repaired, and Club Class travel now only provides complimentary coffee and a muffin, which has usually seen better days. The condition of the ships, particularly ...
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10531951.Updated__Man_injured_in_Weymouth_Town_Bridge_horror_fall/ A MAN was seriously injured after plunging from Weymouth Town Bridge and landing on a concrete parapet. A paramedic with the injured man Weymouth Town Bridge Paramedics, Police, Fire crews, A&E (at Dorchester presumably), hydraulic platform, bridge closed all because some morons ignored the signs saying that it’s an offence to jump off the bridge. Perhaps these people had been drinking (there are pubs at either end of the bridge), but even if they were sober its a still stupid thing to do. There must be a cost associated with all the emergency services involved, so who picks up the bill?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/baroness-sue-campbell-we-have-wasted-the-olympic-legacy-8591206.html Baroness Sue Campbell: 'We have wasted the Olympic legacy' This was always going to be the case. This, with the numerous other examples of the waste of taxpayer money funding the Olympics, which were never more than an exercise in money making by the "corporate entertainments" industry, a number of sycophantic MP's and a collection of other public figures and "celebs" promoting themselves, has, as predicted by many, turned out to be a gigantic waste of £billions. Some athletes may have enjoyed the experience. Some of the public who managed to get seats may have enjoyed it. (Why were there so many empty seats in most of the stadiums ?) The vast majority of people however, small traders, visitors, general public etc gained no benefit from the Olympics at all. Just go to Weymouth as an example, and ask around. ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/23/athletics-glory-and-cuts-lead-to-clubs-crisis After the Olympic glory, cash crisis hits athletics clubs The legacy The "Olympic legacy", was always nothing more than a myth, a mirage generated by the government and the myriad vested interests, all conspiring to sell the proposition that if we, the taxpayers, spent £ billions there would be long term benefits for public and sports facilities across the country. Anyone at the time or since, arguing that the Olympics were a waste of money, particularly at a period of national austerity, were labeled as killjoys, or worse, as the level of overspend on the project grew and grew out of control. The taxpayers in this country do not have an " Olympic legacy" other than the millstone of paying for the extravaganza for years to come, while the athlete's go back to trawling round the charities and local councils with the begging bowl.
http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=502377 Operations director Fran Collins said regular fast ferry services to the Channel Islands, and on to St Malo in France, would return to Weymouth from 17 July 2013. Fast ferry Condor Express alongside in Weymouth As we live only about 16 miles from Weymouth, this would certainly be more convenient for us. However, recent visits to the town reveal no visible signs of activity on the quay, apart from one Condor fast ferry apparently parked for the winter. As for a Condor return to Weymouth, we shall see.
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/9962408.May_finish_for_Weymouth_harbour_wall_repairs/?ref=mc May finish for Weymouth harbour wall repairs Yesterday, I commented on a story in the "Dorset Echo" which questioned the return of Condor Ferries to their Weymouth operation. "From conversations I have had with people who work for Condor, it seems to me that this story has some credibility. I under stand that the work on rebuilding the quay at Weymouth is far from completion, and the March return date looks very uncertain. Add to the is the fact that Poole council are making very strong representations to Condor to remain in Poole, a return to the Weymouth operation seems less and less likely." Today, Friday 5th October 2012 , Dorset Echo carries this story of the repairs not being completed until May 2013 "at the earliest". It seems to me that Weymouth has seen the last of the Condor Ferry operations from the town, together with the employment and f...
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/9893687.Top_retailer_quits_Weymouth_town_centre/?ref=mr WEYMOUTH’S high street has been dealt another blow as it is revealed a major retailer will leave town after more than 25 years. Never mind the "Olympic legacy". Weymouth is dying. Charity shops and "here today, gone tomorrow" shops, in many cases selling only tack and cheap rubbish do nothing for the town. There will soon be yet another "To let" sign in St Mary Street.
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/9889734.Weymouth_Bayside_Festival_Organisers_apologise_for_flop/?ref=mr ORGANISERS of the failed Bayside Festival have apologised for leaving people out of pocket. Joe Hall, managing director of Mainsail, the company that ran the stricken venture, spoke to the Echo as administrators for his firm announced it will go into voluntary liquidation at the end of the month. from DORSET ECHO: 19th July 2012. " Weymouth and Portland Olympic travel advice row It comes after hoteliers and traders told the Echo that radio adverts telling people the area will be congested has put visitors off. Weymouth taxi driver Eddie Hawkins fears the ‘fiasco’ will destroy summer-time trade as people will be put off from coming to the area at all. He said: “The council have been telling people not to come in their cars and now South West trains are telling them to drive as the trains will be busy. It is absolutely ludicrous. ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19232124 Condor Ferries delays after engine refit Here we go again. This type of ship seems to have had more than its fair share of "engine trouble" over the years. Back in the 1990's I remember a Condor Ferry out of Weymouth was running on only one engine for months as engineer's tried to repair it as the ship was on route. On more than one occasion, the ferry took 14 hours or more to travel from Weymouth to Jersey. Fortunately, if it can be called fortunate, the majority of ships my wife and I traveled on were only delayed by "a few" hours. Since then, there has been a series of problems annually, resulting in delays in both directions. I have always been of the opinion that this type of ferry, albeit that it substantially reduces the travelling time by sea, is probably not the best solution for the UK, Guernsey/Jersey/France routes. Perhaps I am a bit of a traditionalist but I would dearly...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-19108734 A major attraction that was a part of Weymouth's celebrations for the Olympic sailing events has closed after lower than expected visitor numbers. The organisers of the Weymouth Bayside Festival have gone into liquidation. On Saturday, June 9th I wrote on "New Agenda" under the title " Can the Olympics work for Weymouth ?" that , " No matter what the pro Olympics publicity machine may churn out for public consumption, there is not as much enthusiasm for the extravaganza as they would like us to believe.". Sadly, the closure of this attraction, results in traders and employees being left out of pocket. One trader said, "It's been quiet in Weymouth since the beginning of the Olympics but now there's nothing going on at all." It seems that after all the pre games hype, reality is now beginning to dawn.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk- A very sad footnote to the item which I posted yesterday morning both on Facebook and "New Agenda" under the heading of "Can the Olympics work for Weymouth". The junction where this accident occurred is close to the Asda supermarket, and is in my view, the most confusing and dangerous junction on the new system. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.
Where have all the parking bays gone? Just a comment on parking. The promenade has had a number, actually most, of the parking bays on the left side when facing the Clock tower, removed and replaced by enlarged pavements containing tables, chairs and other bistro type adornments, as a front extension to the pubs, restaurants and hotels along that side of the road.Having "lost" at least 50 parking bays, many of which were "Blue Badge" I am still looking for the replacements. Incidentally, all the Blue Badge bays outside Marks and Spencer have now gone to be replaced by........................a Bus Stop !
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012 The Weymouth tower is an example of how the Olympics "will bring employment" to this country. The Tower, was built in sections in Hungary, shipped over to this country and assembled by Hungarian "technicians" on site after the foundation works at the sea end of Weymouth harbour had been completed by foreign workers sent specifically for that part of the project. Bring employment to the UK ? I do not think so. The rest of this story seems to be be centered more on wishful thinking rater than reality. The majority of people we have spoken to (and as we live just a few miles from the town, that is quite a few) are not overly impressed with the prospect of the Olympics and its legacy. The town is in fact dying with many retail outlets in the town centre now closed. The recent departure of Condor Ferries, the main employer in the town, due to "structural problems" with the ferry terminal quay has not helped. Not...