Hoteliers say a lack of parking and street drinkers are putting people off Weymouth

With the high season in full swing, hoteliers say a lack of parking and anti-social behaviour are putting tourists off Weymouth.

Hotel and bed and breakfast owners said this year had been an ‘odd’ year for business with a busy start but quieter-than-usual summer and issues with street drinkers and parking spaces needing to be addressed.

Proprietor of Weymouth Bay Hotel, Albert Rowe, who has entertained guests in the heart of the town for 17 years, said the departure of Condor Ferries and the rise in anti-social behaviour had seen Weymouth change for the worse over the years.

“It’s not what it used to be. I used to have regular older clients that came in September and October but now they come and see the layabouts and the drinkers and they don’t come back. It’s a nightmare,” he said.

Weymouth Bay booking manager, Mike Ellis said that although efforts had been made to improve the station, the problem had just been moved to the seafront.

He added that the proposed charges for seafront toilets could see more people urinating in back alleys.

Chairman of the Weymouth Hoteliers, Guesthouses and Leaseholders Association and owner of the Channel View Guesthouse, Alison Weller said there was a major issue with anti-social youths congregating in the beach huts. 

"This is my fifteenth summer and its undoubtedly the worst for anti-social behaviour," she said. 

She said she had been liaising with community officers but the youths were often abusive.

Gresham Hotel owner, Karen Harris, said guests felt uneasy walking back at night while one hotelier said they were frustrated with people constantly shouting and swearing on the street, disturbing guests.

Leader of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, Jeff Cant said a council board had produced a cross agency action plan to deal with issues created by street drinkers and the ongoing noise disruption which he said "makes the town a less attractive prospect particularly after dark."

Global space-sharing site Airbnb has come under fire for driving up property prices and disrupting communities, and with more than 200 listings now in Weymouth alone, is the rental powerhouse affecting local hoteliers?

Owner of Birch House, Kathy Maybery does not think so. She said in recent years business had only got better and better and she had seen a growing number of foreign visitors staying at her boutique hotel. 

"If anything, Airbnb might be promoting the town. I've never know it busier," she said.

She added she had an advertisement on the site but had not received a single booking through it. 

Another hotelier said they did not think Airbnb specifically had affected business but the rise in accommodation sites and a change in booking habits had. 

"Guests used to book eight or nine months in advance for a long summer holiday but now it's only six weeks before and only short stay," they said.

Mr Rowe said changes in tourist habits had also affected his business.

“In the summer, I’m not getting the weekly bookings. All I get is people coming for two or three nights. It means there’s more housekeeping to do, it costs more and the money on profits goes down,” he said.

Jo Southgate, who has run the Carlton Hotel on the Esplanade for 17 years said: “There’s no door work anymore, it’s all online through booking.com and the like but if that’s what people want I’ll have to go with it.”

One hotel owner said the loss of the tourist information centre had stopped last minutes trade as guests looking for accommodation were now forced to hike the Esplanade, often giving up and going home. 

However, owner of No.98, the three-year-old upmarket boutique hotel, Gail Franks said business owners and the council needed to change their attitude and stop seeing Weymouth as a seasonal town.

She said mass closures in winter prevented people from coming year-round.

"If everyone closes no one will come. I’ve stayed open all winter since I’ve been here. It’s a completely different place in winter and you get a completely different clientele,” she said.

She added business had been good for the triathlon and the seafood festival and similar events out of high season would help attract visitors.

Cllr Richard Kosior, borough council spokesman for Tourism, Culture and Harbour, said it was a challenging time for the tourism industry.

“We all have role to play in making Weymouth a great place to live, work and visit. It’s up to everyone – the council, businesses and residents – to do all we can to promote the town. By doing this, we’ll see more investment and better facilities for residents and visitors to enjoy,” he said.

PROBLEMS WITH PARKING  

With its stunning Georgian houses and long sweeping esplanade, Weymouth seafront has long drawn crowds on a sunny day.

But despite its beauty, the major bugbear of hoteliers is the lack of parking they can offer their guests.

Albert Rowe, who has owned the Weymouth Bay for 17 years, said: “People don’t come down here because of the parking.”

He said he offered guests free parking in a garage but it often caused issues with people getting blocked in.

Owner of the Gresham Hotel, Karen Harris said the number of permits issued was greater than the number of available spaces and there was a lack of parking near to most hotels and B&Bs.

“Most people comment on the parking. If you are a family with three kids it’s a lot of luggage to lug all the way from the Pavilion car park,” she said.

Channel View Guesthouse owner, Alison Weller said parking outside her business was limited to an hour and she often had to park guests on back streets ten to fifteen minutes’ walk away.

"We would like to see the restriction removed. It's constantly commented on in our reviews and it could be different," she said.

However, another hotelier who did not wish to be named, praised the council’s new parking scheme where scratch cards could be bought in bulk at a low rate to offer guests.

“It’s in its second year now and its done really well,” they said.

A spokesman for WPBC said the scratch card system was brought in by the council as an additional option to help try to alleviate parking issues.

Cllr Kosior said parking charges were comparable with other seaside towns and any charges went back into town improvements. 
 

'BRING BACK TRADITIONAL SEASIDE FARE'

Lesley Buller who owned the Alendale Guest House from 2012 until 2016 said traditional seaside fare should be reinstated on the seafront.

“Bring back the fairy lights. They’re free and make people come from out of town to see them. The lasers are a bit something or nothing and you can only really see them from out at sea,

“Personally, I think the Punch and Judy man should be supported by the council and the Pavilion is amazing for drawing people in,” she said.

Owner of the Channel View Guesthouse, Alison Weller said Weymouth was a beautiful seaside town without being tacky and the fairy lights added a certain charm.

No.98 owner Gail Frank said Weymouth’s controversial deckchairs were part of its seaside allure but the town needed a more continental attitude and in the summer deckchairs should be available and bars on the beach should remain open into the evening.

Jo Southgate, who has run the Carlton Hotel said the council had done a fantastic job with the beach and the prom but Weymouth needed more attractions for guests.

“There’s nowhere in bad weather for people to go. Even in the summer it rains and we need indoor things to do,” she said.

A W&PBC spokesman said they were pushing ahead with plans to develop the peninsula and hoped to include more leisure facilities to increase the number of activities available to locals when the weather was poor.

Tomorrow we hear from you on your views on the challenges facing Weymouth.

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