To view or not to view!

PLANS to build a giant viewing tower near Weymouth Pavilion have provided rich humour for long-suffering residents.

Opinions seem to be torn over its purpose with some agreeing that a chance to enjoy the area’s stunning coastal views, watch the distant Olympic sailing races or get a bird’s eye view of the town are not to be missed and will be a welcome boost to tourism facilities.

But there are others who quite frankly see things a little more cynically than developer Merlin Entertainments.

They too believe the tower will be a great asset to the town... but not for the reasons Merlin puts forward.

Cynics believe it will be a useful vantage point from which to try and spot a free parking space or an escape route from traffic queues.

Still more believe the tower will confirm Weymouth’s position at the cutting edge of modern architecture… in the same way that the council offices did when they were built a few decades ago!

Whatever your view it will be a high one since the proposed tower will stand 53 metres or 174ft.

This should just be high enough for uninterrupted views of security guards sealing off the Nothe Olympic sailing viewing area so spectators can pay to watch locals trying to find somewhere to picnic or walk their dogs.

We only came to see Des...

ENTRY was free to Weymouth and Portland’s latest full council meeting which offered rich pickings for humour and despair depending on your point of view.

At issue was an honest wish to try and reward the tireless efforts of Harbour Management Board chairman Councillor Peter Farrell by paying him a few extra groats.

Nothing could be simpler. Just say well done and give him the cash, a boost of about £1,200 to just over £3,600 a year.

Councillors mostly wanted to do just that... but this is Weymouth and Portland council we are talking about and so the farce began.

We were treated to challenges because the idea was right but some felt it was being tackled in the wrong way and we heard a great deal about the kindness of Mr Farrell’s heart in currently doing so much extra work without reward although he said he did it because it had to be done.

An increasingly foggy debate soon saw several remaining members of the public leave to whispers that they’d made a mistake and had actually come in to see Des O’Connor!

Those of us left who were still awake were treated to a grand finale when Councillor Simon Bowkett again got to his feet having striven several times to suggest a way forward through the mire of the council’s constitution. So what did he say?

The gist of it was: “Can someone please tell me what I’m proposing!” We followed Des’s fans.

Where has our summer gone?

YOU can’t keep a good toddler down as the faces of smiling adults showed in Weymouth.

They were enjoying watching the youngster frolic but there wasn’t a bucket, spade or sandcastle in sight because this month’s terrible weather had struck again and it was pouring with rain.

Instead they were grinning as the happy child made full use of a pair of colourful blue Wellington boots.

The child was not content with shrieking with delight while jumping up and down through the entire length of a giant puddle, splashing water in all directions.

Oh no! Why do it once when you could go back and do it again… and again.

It was a miserable day but everyone around was smiling as the youngster gamboled in the rain until, with many protests, he was encouraged by a parent to continue walking down the road with many a longing backward glance at the big puddle.

Still, there are plenty more puddles around aren’t there… and it didn’t take the child long to find another play area. Let’s hope they get a chance soon to enjoy a prolonged period of sunshine before everyone suddenly realises that summer is gone.

Support our local lifeboatmen

WEYMOUTH Lifeboat Week is in full swing and tonight (Thursday) there will be an exciting display by the lifeboats, coastguards and rescue helicopter at 7pm in Bowleaze Cove.

The evening will also see Weymouth Sailing Club open its doors at 6pm to one and all for a bar and barbecue with live music from North and South.

A further display will take place on the Nothe by the lifeboats, coastguards and the rescue helicopter tomorrow night (Friday) at 7pm.

There will be many other attractions including a tug-of-war competition, a children’s entertainer, live music, a bouncy castle and a bar and barbecue starting at 4pm.

On Saturday the lifeboat will be open to the public from 10.30am and the Grand Draw will take place outside the Lifeboat Station in the afternoon with many prizes donated by local businesses and companies including £100 voucher from David the Jeweller, half a day in a Kayak, a Jurassic Coast Cruise from White Motor Boats and many other prizes.

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