Harbour activity down

Local harbours have seen a dip in activities as a squeeze on spending takes its toll.

Local harbours have seen a dip in activities as a squeeze on spending takes its toll.

At Lyme Regis and West Bay more than 40 moorings have been given up while Weymouth has also seen people cutting back on moorings, although to a lesser extent – with the harbour still holding a waiting list for larger vessels, above 10 metres.

In Lyme Regis safety concerns over visitor moorings has led to harbour staff not deploying those moorings this year, although the loss of income is likely to only be around £500.

Harbour master at Lyme Regis and West Bay, James Radcliffe, says that while the vacant moorings have been offered to other people on a waiting list, to date not all have been taken up.

He told the Dorset Council harbours advisory committee on Monday that other activities at the two west Dorset harbours were also down on previous years.

Overall harbours manager for Dorset Council, Ed Carter, says the wider economic situation, coupled with early season poor weather, has led to some giving up their boats altogether with others, notably at Weymouth, taking on moorings for only the summer season, compared to previous years where they would have paid for a year.

He has also noted a decline in some areas of activities at Weymouth with income, compared to the 24/25 financial year, down by 3.5%.

“Weymouth has particularly seen an impact on smaller boats. Everyone is aware of the economic situation… it is nothing we are doing, we benchmark fees and charges every year and make proportionate changes,” he said.

Mr Radcliffe told the harbours committee that the Lyme visitor moorings were not deployed at the start of the season following a review because their safety for larger vessels above 10 metres could not be guaranteed.

“A review recognised that they could not reliably be guaranteed to hold the size of vessels which regularly visit the harbour, typically in the 12-15 metres range… the current arrangements do not give the level of assurance needed,” he said.

He said that the moorings could be upgraded, but that would come with ‘a significant cost’.

He told councillors: “The consequence of failure could be a vessel driven ashore with a risk to life, pollution and a complex recovery.”