The Bridge at 90
On 4th July 2020, Weymouth’s beloved Town Bridge will turn 90! At 12:30 on 4th July 1930, a grand opening ceremony took place and was attended by HRH Duke of York, later to become King George VI. The first passage through the twin leaf bascule bridge was undertaken by the Cosens paddle steamer, EMPRESS.
In 2010 we celebrated the 80th year with a procession of boats, exhibition of memorabilia, choral accompaniment to the bridge lifting, amongst other events. Whilst we are unable to celebrate 90 years with as much style as previous birthdays, such a momentous occasion deserves some acknowledgement! Hence, we will be holding a series of online events which we are asking members of the public to be a part of.
A brief history of Weymouth Town Bridge and full details of our online 90th Birthday celebrations can be found at www.weymouth-harbour.co.uk/townbridge/
Leisure Vessels Permitted at Weymouth Harbour
From Saturday 4th July, Weymouth Harbour will be accepting limited numbers of visiting leisure vessels, including overnight stays. If you are planning to visit Weymouth, please ensure that you refer to Notice to Mariners 08/20 (T), Update 4.
Key points from the NTM include the following:
• Rafting of vessels will not be permitted. Numbers of visitors will therefore be very limited.
• Advanced bookings are strongly recommended and are subject to a non-refundable deposit of £20 per night up to 14 days in advance. Weather will not be considered as an exception for returning deposits.
• The maximum number of consecutive nights per booking will be 3.
• No rally bookings will be accepted.
• Booked berths will be held until 1900 on each day before being made available wider if there has been no arrival or firm contact.
• If the harbour is full, alternative destinations of Weymouth or Portland Marinas should be considered.
• There will be limited opportunities for short stays and will be considered on a case by case basis.
Every individual is responsible for social distancing and the other government safety measures at all times: 1m+ separation, no blocking the pontoon, careful passing, washing hands etc.
All leisure vessel movements are permitted subject to:
• Trips as an individual, members of 2 households or with up to 6 people from different households who are social distancing outside (only applicable for larger private boats to achieve 1m+ separation)
• Quarantine rules apply to any vessel returning from European countries not covered by International Travel Corridors.
For booking enquiries please contact the Berthing Office at weymouthharbour@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or 01305 838422 .
