13th December news update
from Weston Central Ward Councillors Mike Bell, Robert Payne and Caroline Reynolds
Hello everyone - welcome to issue 82 of our regular local email newsletter.
This edition we’ve got news of the (re) opening of Weston’s new cinema - The Plaza, an early chance to book tickets for GLOW 2024 and useful information for the festive season.
However you choose to celebrate, or not, over the season, we hope you get the chance to take a break, spend some time with family and friends and reflect on the year past and the times ahead.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours.
Best wishes
Mike Bell, Robert Payne and Caroline Reynolds
Your Liberal Democrat councillors for Weston-super-Mare Central Ward
Plaza, Weston-super-Mare opening this week!
Weston-super-Mare’s new cinema - the Plaza - opens on Friday 15th December and tickets are on sale now. Formerly the Odeon, the Plaza has been opened by independent cinema chain Merlin Cinemas and will be offering a range of blockbuster and independent movies. You can find out more and book tickets here: https://wsm.merlincinemas.co.uk
Christmas and new year recycling dates
Don't forget that your waste and recycling collections over Christmas and New Year will be on slightly different days. Check the revised dates below or visit the council website for your up to date calendar.
GLOW light festival tickets on sale
GLOW light festival is returning to Weston for a third edition to fill the town with light, colour and play featuring spectacular installations and illuminations designed to appeal to all ages. Following its previous sell-out success, GLOW is back bigger and brighter to dazzle Weston-super-Mare. Book tickets here: https://superculture.org.uk/listings/glow-2024/
Over five evenings during the February half-term, from 13 – 17 February 2024, GLOW will showcase some of the UK’s most exciting light artworks alongside new commissions, heart-warming community collaborations and interactive GLOW favourites.
Entry to GLOW in Grove Park is from 5.30pm to 9pm each night, with the event running until at 10pm. Tickets for GLOW to Grove Park are available on a Pay What You Decide basis with a suggested price of £6 (minimum £2) for adults and free for under 16s and carers. Under 16s need to be accompanied by an adult.
Real Christmas tree recycling
Don’t forget that if you’ve got a real Christmas tree this year you can recycle it through one of North Somerset’s local schemes. Trees will be chipped for land regeneration or donated for animal enrichment within their habitat depending on the scheme.
Noah's Ark Zoo Farm is accepting trees between Wednesday 3 and Sunday 21 January. Trees should be left in the main car park strictly during these dates and zoo opening times only (10.30am to 4pm).
Weston Hospicecare's Pines for Pounds will collect trees in return for a donation on Saturday 6 January in the BS22, BS23, BS24, BS25, BS26, BS27, BS29, BS40, BS49, TA8 and TA9 postcode areas. Tree collection must be prebooked online at www.westonhospicecare.org.uk/event/pinesforpounds
St Peter's Hospice will collect trees in return for a donation on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 January from selected postcodes across Clevedon, Nailsea, Portishead and Bristol: BS4, BS5, BS7, BS9, BS15, BS16, BS20, BS21, BS30, BS41 and BS48. Tree collection must be prebooked online at www.stpetershospice.org/treecollection
Christmas trees can also be taken to recycling centres where they will be treated as garden waste. Check the council’s website for advice and opening times www.n-somerset.gov.uk/recyclingcentres
Residents signed up to the garden waste collection service can also put their trees out for collection when the service resumes from Monday 15 January 2024. Trees can either be chopped up and put in green garden waste bins or left whole alongside the bin. They can be up to two metres in length and must have the pot and all decorations removed.
Have your say on Weston’s Christmas Lights
The holiday season is upon us and one of the key ingredients is the Christmas lights display. As we look ahead to 2024, we want to ensure that our town shines even brighter during this time of year. That’s why Weston-super-Mare Town Council, who fund and organised the lights are inviting you to give your thoughts on a new Christmas lights design.
Closing date 20th January 2024.
New bus service
People living in Weston-super-Mare will be able to start the new year with a trip to the shops on a new bus service designed to help them get to the town’s supermarkets and central shopping areas.
The new number 9 service will run Monday to Friday, three times a day between West Wick and the bus interchange at Alexandra Parade. The route will include Worle retail park, Worle Lidl, Queensway, Lower Kewstoke Road, Church Road, Worlebury, Ashbury Drive, Baytree Road, Aisecome Way retail park, Winterstoke Road retail parks and the town centre.
Journeys will run between 10.20am and 3pm with the service starting on Tuesday 2 January and will be free for travel card holders or a maximum of £2 each way for other passengers.
New bus service - another one!
An essential bus service linking Wells to Weston-super-Mare will run again in the new year thanks to a partnership between North Somerset Council and Somerset Council.
The 126 service between Wells and Weston-super-Mare was discontinued in October 2022 due to low passenger numbers. Operator First West of England will run the service from Tuesday 2 January after winning a tendering process.
North Somerset and Somerset Councils are jointly subsidising the route, which will operate Monday to Saturday, approximately every two hours. The funding is being split 50/50 between the authorities.
The service is funded using ring-fenced Government money from the councils’ Bus Service Improvement Plans.
As well as continuing to serve the communities along the route, the new, jointly-funded 126 service connects Wells to Weston-super-Mare via Winscombe, Sandford Banwell, Hutton and Weston Hospital. It will provide journeys timed for schools and college students, including Strode College connections at Wells, Wells Blue School and Weston College.
The timetable and route map for the new services will be available at www.travelwest.info later this month.
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.