Weymouth Harbour back in demand after months of Covid-19 restrictions
Weymouth, West Bay and Lyme Regis Harbours have all seen an increase in visitors
Harbours at Weymouth, West Bay and Lyme Regis are buoyed up about their future following months of Covid restrictions.
All have bounced back with demand increasing, in some cases at a record high.
Weymouth has seen a £290,000 deficit turned into an expected £201,000 surplus although some of the positive change is due to the way certain items are accounted for.
Dorset Council’s joint harbours committee heard on Wednesday that visiting yachts during the main season were up by 7 per cent compared to 2019 and occupied berths, at 335, now stood at the highest level since 2012, with inquiries still coming in. More than 4,300 visitor nights had been logged during the year.
The good news should mean the harbour reserve fund being increases to around £1.56m by the end of the financial year, although councillors were warned that most of that is already allocated for the cost of future big spend items such as replacement pontoons. Money is also being ear-marked for future dredging with £50,000 set aside each year.
Committee chair Cllr Mark Roberts described the account details as “a very favourable set of figures,” a view echoed by Weymouth councillor David Gray who said he greatly welcomed the news and was feeling positive about the harbour’s results and increased activity.
Some concerns about harbour activities came from harbour consultative group vice chair Dave Caddy who said there were worries about gaining access to the harbourside because of increased seating on the road as pubs, cafes and take-aways took up more space.
He said there had been occasions when RNLI crewmembers were delayed in getting to emergency calls and he asked for a highways representative to attend future meetings.
Cllr Louie O’Leary raised similar concerns about access on the Custom House Quay side of the harbour: “No vehicle access – no commercial harbour,” he said, backing the calls for highways officers to also attend harbour meetings.
At both West Bay and Lyme Regis the end of year figures are also expected to be positive with smaller sums also expected to be put into reserves.
Harbourmaster for both harbours, James Radcliffe, said there had been increases in almost all areas although some of the extra income had been negated by higher costs for fuel, vehicles and maintenance. He said commercial activities remained at full capacity with both commercial divers and commercial fishing boats continuing to operate since the first lockdown.
Mr Radcliffe said the Lyme harbour income would also see a boost from filming, the latest production just getting underway.