The Somerset seaside town of Weston-super-Mare has been criticised as a “bleak” remnant of a once “thriving” beach resort which is now not worth leaving the motorway for. In a scathing attack online, a visitor returning to the town on the Bristol Channel after a 30-year absence bemoaned boarded up, graffiti covered Georgian buildings as well as fish and chip shops “galore”.
Taking to Tripadvisor to share their criticisms, Birmingham based Jan V wrote: “Weston Super Mare (sic) has often been described as a dump with a sea view, and from my experience yesterday following an absence of 30 years, nothing has changed much, except there is now the burned out crumbling remains of the abandoned old pier left to photograph.”
Jan V said it was “so desperately” sad to see the remnants of once gracious Victorian and Georgian buildings boarded up, covered in graffiti, and simply neglected alongside “cheap” beach trinket tat shops and chippies.
They added: “Weston town itself has become a sad, featureless, cheap and tacky environment, and a bleak remnant of a once thriving popular English beach resort.”
Described as the “seaside heart of North Somerset”, Weston-super-Mare boasts beautiful beaches including Uphill Beach, Marine Lake, Anchor Head and its main stretch of coast where visitors can take donkey rides or ride the waves on blo-karts or have a paddle.
The town’s Grand Pier offers family favourites, including dodgems, laser challenges and a ghost train. Banksy’s pinwheel, from the artist’s Dismaland theme park, has also been on show at Weston Museum.
While Weston-super-Mare remains a popular spot for visitors, as with many of Britain’s coastal towns, it has its fair share of challenges. Neighbourhoods in the town were identified as some of the poorest in England in 2019.
Despite the criticism, other visitors to the seaside town have been full of praise, hailing Weston’s clean beaches, attractions and wide promenade.
Tripadvisor reviewer, Andy G, said he returned to Weston-super-Mare after 50 years and enjoyed an “excellent” fish and chip meal.
Fellow visitor, reviewing from an account named Roam12432756680, said of the place: “Great for the kids in the summer with plenty of attractions and places to eat close by, always good fish & chips.”
Others, however, complained about the price of parking in the town and only being able to pay via an app. _jj_west2 wrote: “We only wanted a walk, bag of chips and an ice cream but because paying for parking became so difficult we left without doing anything in Weston.”
In their review, GlnaB wrote: “Weston-super-mare is a place close to my heart and [I] have spent lots of time here. It’s really improved over the last decade: the town is smart with lots of places to eat.”
AClark64 said in August: “Lovely two day break! Plenty to do, pier, donkey rides, shops and restaurants all close by. Adults and children will all find something to do.”
A North Somerset Council spokesperson said: “We have a vibrant town centre with a wide range of independent shops and high street names. Our town centre is not just reliant on retail though, and we have a burgeoning arts and culture scene with a year-round programme of events.
They added the town has seen a multi-million pound investment in recent years and has now been awarded £20million from the government’s Levelling Up Fund.
This means Birnbeck Pier now has “a bright future” and the Tropicana venue is about to undergo major investment, according to the council.
On parking, the spokesperson said: “Like many councils across the country we are replacing parking machines to cashless payment, although cash continues to remain a current option. Cashless parking can be made by a variety of methods and there is no need to have a smart phone.
“Visitors can also easily extend their stay at a car park without having to return to their vehicle. There’s also free on street parking around the town centre for anyone who’d prefer not to pay to park.”
