1 August news update
from Weston Central Ward Councillors Mike Bell, Robert Payne and Caroline Reynolds
Hello everyone - welcome to the 75th edition of our regular email newsletter.
This weekend sees the return of the Weston Sea Shanty and Folk Festival at venues across town - plus the Dairy Festival on the Beach Lawns. So there are lots to see and do if the weather is kind!
As always, if there are any issues we can help, please get in touch.
Best wishes
Mike Bell, Robert Payne and Caroline Reynolds
Your Liberal Democrat team for Weston-super-Mare Central Ward
Sea Shanty and Folk Festival hits town this weekend
The Weston-super-Mare Sea Shanty and Folk Festival is at venues across the town from 4 to 6 August. You can find a full list of venues and acts on their website: https://wsmshantyfest.com/
The main stage in the Italian Gardens is packed with acts from Friday through to Sunday and numerous venues including the Stable Games Room, Brunello Lounge, The Brit Bar, Fork n Ale and more.
Dairy Festival
The Dairy Festival returns to Weston-super-Mare Beach Lawns from 3rd-6th August - a celebration of livestock, agriculture, local food & crafts!
Live music, children's entertainers, calf parades, sheep shearing, milking demos and much more!
New See Monster-themed garden opens
A new SEE MONSTER public garden and pétanque court has officially opened at the Beach Lawns in Weston. The garden and court are at the southern end of the Beach Lawns, next to Royal Sands, and will be open to the public every day.
The site was chosen to accommodate many of the plants from the SEE MONSTER installation held in the Tropicana Weston last year. The garden, which contains a selection of different plants suited to the exposed coastal location, also represents a lasting legacy for SEE MONSTER and is the first entirely new public garden in Weston since the creation of Jill’s Garden in Grove Park 22 years ago.
Pétanque is also known as boules. The pétanque court contains eight playing surfaces, each known as a piste, so multiple games can be played at the same time. The facility is free for people to enjoy using their own equipment. Weston-super-Mare Petanque Club is already planning local, regional and national events!
If you’d like to find out more about the sport, please email the club at wsmpetanqueclub@btinternet.com.
You can find out more about the space at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/seemonstergarden.
New temporary toilets for Marine Lake
North Somerset Council has installed some temporary toilets at Marine Lake, Weston to help manage increased demand over the summer from lake users.
We’re working to expand the permanent toilet block at the lake thanks to our successful Levelling Up Fund bid, but these temporary loos will be in place over the holidays and will be free to use.
Please bear with us as there will be inevitable teething problems on with hours of operation and cleaning etc.
But we’re listening to feedback and trying to help
Birthday bus scheme launches
Residents in North Somerset can get an extra birthday gift starting today (Tuesday 1 August) - a month of free bus travel, part of a scheme designed to grow passenger numbers.
From today, all one million-plus residents in the West of England and North Somerset area can travel on buses across the West’s 350-plus square mile network in the month of their birthday - completely for free. Passengers can make as many journeys as they like at any time of the day.
You can sign up here: https://birthdaybus.co.uk/register
North Somerset Council is hoping residents will feel inspired to travel across the West of England and share pictures of where free bus travel can take you using #BirthdayBus.
All the main bus companies, including First and Stagecoach, have signed up to the first of its kind initiative, and the region’s WESTlink bookable minibuses will also offer free travel.
Get in touch
Contact Councillor Mike Bell on 07881 320 279 or email mike.bell@n-somerset.gov.uk or follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Mike serves on North Somerset Council and Weston Town Council.
Contact Councillor Robert Payne on 07904 026 096 or email robert.payne@n-somerset.gov.uk or follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Robert serves on North Somerset Council and Weston Town Council.
Contact Councillor Caroline Reynolds by emailing caroline.reynolds@wsm-tc.gov.uk. Caroline serves on Weston Town Council.