01305 239839 Home > News > Excitement Builds As New Observation Wheel Opens on Weymouth Beach the latest attraction to be added to Weymouth Beach will open to the public tomorrow (Tuesday 29th April.) Operators confirmed that following completion of the build final checks have been carried out and the ride will open tomorrow an official launch has been organised at 5pm on April 29th when the operator will open the attraction offering the first 50 people a chance to ride for free on a first come first serve basis It stands at 26 metres high and can accommodate up to 108 passengers when full who will be in for a treat as they take to the sky to enjoy the stunning views It also includes a gondola which is suitable for people with wheelchairs to access the ride said: “The observation wheel is one of the tallest attractions on the beach offering fantastic views of Weymouth’s iconic Jurassic coastline “We are pleased to see this new attraction opening on the beach for the very first time which complements the other seasonal rides It will offer something for all ages for residents and visitors alike.” On launch day – Tuesday 29th April – the wheel will operate from 5pm to 9.30pm Initial opening times will then be between 12pm and 5pm on weekdays and 11am to 7pm at weekends (weather dependent) This is a seasonal attraction on the beach beta This is a new service – your feedback will help us to improve it Dorset Council has issued a formal demand for Weymouth Park Ltd to undertake urgent replanting at Fleet Wood in Chickerell following the illegal felling of trees in January 2023 This call to action aims to restore the ecological integrity of the area which is fully protected by a Tree Preservation Order part of a Section 41 Priority Habitat within the Dorset Natural Landscape and the heritage coast was cleared of over 0.6 hectares of trees—far exceeding the Forestry Commission’s permission to thin 30% of the trees Investigations revealed the timber clearance occurred under the direction of individuals associated with Weymouth Park Ltd leaving a significant ecological void in this cherished habitat Although Weymouth Park Ltd was fined a record £30,000 in February 2025 by Weymouth Magistrates' Court for breaching the felling licence the responsibility for enforcing tree replacement in areas with a Tree Preservation Order lies with Dorset Council Dorset Council is pressing for immediate action informed by Forestry Commission guidelines The plan specifies planting 1,100 trees per hectare and more—ensuring ecological harmony with the surrounding woodland The council has given Weymouth Park Ltd until the end of the planting season Dorset Council will take further action to ensure compliance Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning emphasised the council's commitment to restoring Fleet Wood stating: "Fleet Wood is a vital part of Dorset's natural heritage We expect Weymouth Park Ltd to fulfil their responsibility and reinstate the woodland for the benefit of our environment and future generations Dorset Council will take all necessary measures to ensure this replanting is completed." This case highlights the importance of respecting legal protections for natural habitats and reflects Dorset Council’s dedication to restoring Fleet Wood to its rightful ecological state Categories: Nature recovery Planning Environment and Ecology Chelmsford City brought the curtain down on their 2024–25 National League South season in emphatic fashion and cruised to a 6–1 away victory over Weymouth at the Bob Lucas Stadium The dominant performance ensured outgoing manager Robbie Simpson received the perfect send-off in his final match in charge of the Clarets City’s afternoon got off to a frustrating start when forward Malachi Linton gave the hosts a 15th minute lead the game was soon turned on its head with three Clarets goals in the space of 10 minutes Ruff then netted the first of City’s three second half goals in the 55th minute to complete his hat trick Kane Crichlow added City’s fifth of the afternoon in the 77th minute while academy player Jett Murphy scored his first senior goal to round off the scoring Simpson made two changes from the side that faced Welling United last time out with Sam Oguntayo and Freddie Hockey coming into the starting XI in place of Paul Appiah and Nico Valentine it wasn’t all smooth sailing for City from the outset Weymouth struck first in the 15th minute when Linton latched onto a ball in behind and fired into the top corner past Ted Collins The hosts threatened again eight minutes later but City defender Ruaridh Donaldson made a crucial interception to deny Tom Bearwish what looked like a certain goal These early scares sparked the Clarets into life and Simpson’s side responded by scoring three goals in ten minutes to turn the game around Ruff got City back on level terms in the 24th minute with a fine strike into the bottom corner after being teed up by Bland on the edge of the box Crichlow and Oguntayo then combined down the left and the latter’s cross found Ruff at the back post He took a touch and fired his effort through a crowded six-yard box and into the net Bland got on the scoresheet in the 35th minute when he converted Crichlow’s low cross to the back post gave City a 3–1 lead heading into the break Ruff completed his hat trick in the 55th minute when he rifled a strike into the roof of the net after Archie Tamplin unselfishly squared a pass across the penalty area With the result already in hand and a National League South top-half finish all but secured City still added further gloss to the scoreline Arthur Penney’s long ball forward picked out Crichlow who composed himself and fired home City’s fifth from the edge of the box first-team assistant and academy manager Mickey Spillane had another reason to celebrate as substitute Jett Murphy reacted quickest to a rebound and tapped home from close range scoring his first senior goal for the club Murphy’s strike was the final act of Simpson’s five-year reign as manager and the outgoing Chelmsford City boss received a special reception from the travelling supporters at full-time Weymouth XI: Thomas (GK); Armstrong (Brooks 57’) Chelmsford City XI: Collins (GK); Barbum-Bobb Tamplin (Mupomba 74’); Hockey (Murphy 58’) Match officials: Martyn Mitchell (Referee) Chelmsford City FC © 2025 It looks like you haven't added any items to your cart yet Bring the whole family for an evening of delicious food To kick off the season, there will also be face painting by Glitter and Gore and caricatures by Designs by Dennis It’s the perfect way to enjoy a fun night out with family and friends while supporting local vendors and artists the weather forecast shows that'll be gone by the night of May 2.) Chelmsford City will end the 2024-25 season away at Weymouth this weekend Saturday’s game represents more than just the end of a season – it marks the end of Robbie Simpson’s five-year-long era as Clarets boss. Simpson’s players will be looking to give their manager a memorable final send-off, after marking his last home game in charge with an emphatic 5-1 victory over already-relegated Welling United on Easter Monday This win has left 12th place City knowing that another victory on Saturday will almost certainly see them finish the season in the top half of the National League South table 13th-placed Chippenham Town and 14th-placed Chesham United are level on points with the Clarets but both have significantly inferior goal difference tallies to Simpson’s side.  Weymouth have already been consigned to Step Three football next season having had their relegation from the sixth tier confirmed at the start of this month The Terras will also be unable to climb higher than their current 23rd-place ranking in the table – even if they cause an upset in Simpson’s final game as Clarets manager Here’s everything Clarets supporters need to know ahead of the game… Click below to watch the highlights of our clash against Weymouth from earlier this season.  Warren Feeney’s Weymouth side will be hoping to sign off the season with a memorable performance and result following their disappointing 2024-25 campaign The Terras’ season started in difficult fashion after they lost their opening seven games Although they recorded a shock victory away at Dorking Wanderers to break this losing streak then-manager Mark Molesley’s side failed to build on this win and only secured one more victory before the club let Molesley go in late November Molesley’s successor Feeney has struggled to steer the club away from trouble adding just four wins to the two victories Molesley managed before his departure Attacking duo Jake McCarthy and Malachi Linton have been two of the bright spots in Weymouth’s tough campaign McCarthy and Linton have scored a combined 17 goals this season accounting for nearly half of the 42 National League South goals Weymouth have netted in 2024-25 Jake McCarthy baby 👀❤️ https://t.co/B9Xy34Dznh Paul Appiah could be a doubt for the final game of the season after picking up an injury in the first half of Monday’s win over Welling Simpson will hope he has no other fresh injury issues to contend with ahead of his final game at the helm Supporters traveling by car should be aware that the journey from the EMJ Community Stadium to the Bob Lucas Stadium takes approximately three and a half hours Weymouth railway station is located on King Street meaning a taxi is recommended for journeys between the station and stadium The Chelmsford City Supporters Club coach will be travelling to the game on Saturday Tickets for Saturday’s game can be purchased here Radio Clarets will provide live audio commentary of proceedings at the Bob Lucas Stadium Clarets fans can find pre-match coverage of the game and live updates of the proceedings by following the club’s X (formerly Twitter) page: @OfficialClarets and Instagram page: chelmsfordcityfc Post-match reactions will be found on the club’s website, official social media channels and on ClaretsTV Home > VE Day 80 celebrations in Weymouth Plans to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day in Weymouth are already taking shape with events ranging from a beach concert to a beacon lighting and grants available for community groups to host their own activities Marks 80 years since the end of World War II in Europe Throughout the day: The VE Day flag will be flown at the flagpole next to Weymouth War Memorial for all to observe All of the following will take place at the Jubilee Clock: 9.20pm: Weymouth Town Council will host a brief beacon lighting ceremony 9.30pm: The VE 80 temporary beacon will be lit to mark the anniversary A live music concert takes place on Weymouth Seafront 1pm – Introduction and speech from the Mayor of Weymouth 1.05pm – 1.35pm, Bovington Military Wives Choir  1.50pm – 2.35pm, The Decadettes  2.50pm – 3.20pm, Asha Zee  3.40pm – 4.10pm, Wessex Musical Theatre 5.15pm – 6pm, Modern Disciples  6.15pm – 7pm, Milk & Two  7.30pm – 8.15pm, That Britpop Band  8.45pm – 9.45pm, The Leggomen  A total of £3,500 was made available for community and voluntary groups to put on VE Day 80-themed events a performance takes place at The Nothe Fort 1pm to 1.30pm and is described as a hilarious and heartfelt tribute to the overworked women of the era All Saints Church celebrations and beacon lighting –Thursday 8th May from 6pm. Tickets £10 (u16s £5) from www.parishofwykeregis.org.uk/events Mission Hall Sutton Poyntz celebrations – Thursday 8th May. With fish and chips, a quiz, and a glass of fizz for the beacon lighting offered to ticket holders. Tickets from hillyd54@gmail.com RAFA Afternoon Tea – Thursday 8th May from 3pm serving military and club members at the Weymouth RAFA Club Portraits on Parade – Thursday 8th and Friday 9th May Portraits of WWII veterans on parade on the promenade on Weymouth seafront MV Freedom –Veterans are invited to take a trip on the MV Freedom catamaran on Saturday 10th May. Contact peteryork970@binternet.com to arrange Community Afternoon Tea – Free afternoon tea with sing-along musical entertainment between 2.30pm and 4.30pm on Saturday 10th May at St Nicholas Church Holy Trinity Church Afternoon Tea –Refreshments and cream teas available for the community from 3pm on Saturday 10th May The Veterans Hub memorial mural – Created in the garden of the Veterans Hub in Wyke Regis in collaboration with local artists friends and family members as a quiet reflection space created to memorialise the VE Day anniversary will be long-lasting and is due to be completed this month Weymouth Blind Club – Cream teas and music for members of Weymouth Blind Club Open Air Concert – Saturday 10th May in the St Laurence Church car park Refreshments and live music available to the community in a picnic-style setting beta This is a new service – your feedback will help us to improve it served a closure notice on Amsterdam Market (Esplanade Weymouth) today (Monday 16 December) requiring the premises to be shut down The action follows recent multi-agency partnership working between Dorset Council and the police to tackle the persistent sale of illicit and non-compliant cigarettes Numerous joint visits from Dorset Council and police officers had taken place at Amsterdam Market over the past 12 months and have also included support from Immigration Enforcement officers Despite multiple instances of illegal vapes the business-owners continued their illegal activities the decision was taken to close the shop down The notice will be followed by a Closure Order hearing in court on Wednesday 18 December to ensure the business is shut down with immediate effect Vapes and e-cigarettes are regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which places restrictions on how much nicotine they can contain They also stipulate that child-resistant packaging is used and health and safety warnings are clearly displayed many of the devices seized by Trading Standards teams flout these rules and there are concerns that some may be designed specifically to appeal to children and young people Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Housing said: “There are strict rules in place regarding the sale of vapes and tobacco products to protect customers But the shift away from traditional smoking towards vaping has seen some unscrupulous producers and businesses capitalise on this trend by avoiding safety regulations as well as rules around the import and sale of nicotine-based products “The message here is clear: We will not tolerate businesses that break these laws I want to thank our Trading Standards team and our colleagues at Dorset Police for their hard work in getting this result which I know will be welcomed by the people of Weymouth.” said: “We will continue to work closely with our partners in Trading Standards to target business premises which continue to trade in the illicit sale of illegal vape and tobacco products “We have a duty of care to our communities – particularly young people who end up using these products – and we will endeavour to protect them from the dangers of these illegal items “Our recent action in supporting Trading Standards in the closure of the Amsterdam Market on Weymouth Esplanade demonstrates our officers’ commitment to multi-agency working as we continue to relentlessly pursue those who offer these unlawful items for sale in Weymouth.”  I'm sure those involved would want to work this up the food chain I hope that is the goal These insidious outlets (american candy style) have a supply chain an extensive one I would imagine similar to that in Australia which inundated with smuggled illicit uncontrolled vapes this year banned single use vapes which our government needs to do urgently Below is a link for an Australian broadcast company about the problems in Australia https://youtu.be/HzroOVziCeM?si=OSEfU_PmuHecXsnN FYI - Single use vapes are to be banned in England from June 2025 George Alexander with hat-trick as Borough move up to fourth Borough’s number 9 was spot on with a penalty with two poacher’s finishes completing his treble and taking him to 24 goals for the campaign That came after Yahaya Bamba had put the Sports in front after just five minutes at The ReachTV Stadium never gave up though – with Jake McCarthy’s deflected effort pulling a goal back before half-time But the Sports saw out the game in front of a 1382-strong crowd are firmly back in the mix for top spot in the National League South Adam Murray made one change to the starting line-up with Moussa Diarra coming in for Dominic Odusanya – who was named on the bench alongside Michael Klass and Pierce Bird The Sports got off to the perfect start when they went in front after five minutes Jason Adigun did well to find Bamba in space on the right-hand side and he cut inside before his left-footed effort found the far corner Adigun’s corner from the right picked out Ollie Kensdale in space at the far post and his drive goalwards was turned into the roof of the net by an alert Alexander from six yards Borough then were given the chance to extend their lead on the half hour mark Adigun did well to win possession before being upended in the area by Andreas Robinson and referee Morgan Conn pointed to the spot and sent Lloyd Thomas the wrong way to make it 3-0 The Sports didn’t have it all their own way and Weymouth pulled a goal back before the break when McCarthy was teed up and his drive took a deflection on its way beyond Joe Wright Thomas produced fine saves to deny Bamba and then Adigun in the second half before Borough did make it 4-1 with three minutes to go – Alexander completing his fourth hat-trick of the campaign after turning Jack Clarke’s strike home from close range Defeat for Weymouth confirms their relegation whilst Borough extend their unbeaten home record which had already surpassed a calendar year and close the gap on top spot to just two points Reach TV Stadium Priory Lane Eastbourne East Sussex BN23 7QH