MAJOR changes proposed at Custom House Quay on Weymouth harbourside have been described as the final nail in the coffin for some businesses. As reported, Dorset Council is consulting over a range of traffic proposals, which include a new contra-flow cycle lane, widening of pavements, and removal of 39 one-hour free parking bays. The council says it hopes to find a compromise to meet the needs of as many people as possible. However, following an initially positive response when the plans were unveiled, harbour users and business chiefs have since expressed a range of concerns - with many saying they had no idea a plan was being drawn up until the proposal was made public.
ANOTHER shop has disappeared from Weymouth s high street as town centre jeweller Warren James closes down. The high street jeweller, based on St Mary Street, is part of a national chain owned by brother and sister business partners John Coulter and Ann Jones, who founded the company in 1979. It is understood that the closure of the Weymouth branch is not part of a national closure, however all stores remain temporarily shuttered due to the current lockdown, as non-essential shops have been ordered to close. Warren James has been contacted for comment on how many staff are affected by the closure.
Craig Oakes, President of Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, said: Personally, I was quite optimistic we might slip through the net, bearing in mind cases are still some of the lowest in the country down here but unfortunately not. “I know the announcement won’t come as a huge surprise to businesses, but they will be disappointed they cannot operate over New Year’s Eve. “I feel that this last-minute approach where restaurants and pubs were gearing up to do New Year’s Eve and then pulling the rug from under them at the last minute is unfair and upsetting.
Rendezvous general manager Keith Treggiden Restaurant and pub bosses in Dorset will miss the “buzz” and financial boost of Christmas parties this year – as the county’s Tier 2 restrictions have effectively cancelled them. In normal times, the weekend before Christmas, is the most popular period for work and social Christmas parties. It is one of the busiest periods during the year for the hospitality industry, but this year, things are drastically different. Dorset, including both Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council areas, will remain in Tier 2 after a Government review, meaning Christmas parties cannot feasibly happen. There was some hope that the county would be moved into Tier 1 restrictions, which allow indoor and outdoor mixing between different households, and provide a boost to struggling hospitality businesses.