Traders to move into Weymouth's Brewers Quay (From Dorset Echo)
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Traders to move into Weymouth's Brewers Quay
11:08am Sunday 17th February 2013 in News
By Rachel Stretton
Traders to move into Weymouth's Brewers Quay
BREWERS Quay will reopen by Easter with a restaurant, museums and an antiques emporium.
Life is set to be breathed back into the popular Weymouth tourist attraction with plans for 50 traders selling antiques, collectibles and vintage items from a 5,000 square foot shopping street.
Negotiations are under way between owners Brewers Quay Investments LLP and tenants, who want to bring an Italian restaurant, a military museum, a cafe and offices to the harbourside site.
The former Victorian brewery has been closed since February 2011.
The reopening follows on from the success of pop-up bar Salt and shops in the building last year, which were open during the Olympic sailing events.
Paul Cartlidge, joint manager of the project with Mike Ellery, said the aim is to provide 'a unique shopping experience for tourists and locals alike'.
Alastair Ross, a partner at Brewers Quay Investments LLP, said: “It has always been our aim to do what we can to bring the Hope Square retail frontage back to life, and to maintain support for the museum whilst we consider the building's future and grasp the financial implications and commercial realities of a project of this magnitude.”
The partners are in discussion with Weymouth Museum Trust, and have pledged to offer it long-term security after its current lease expires in 2014, stating that it remains an 'integral part' of the development.
Brewers Quay was closed in 2011 to begin an ambitious renovation project worth £15million, which originally included a hotel, flats, a wet weather tourist attraction, shops and restaurants.
It was hoped the work would be completed in time for the Olympic sailing events, but the deadline was pushed back.
Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce president Anna-Maria Geare said the reopening announcement is ‘fantastic news’ for the town.
She added: “I take courage from the fact that people wish to invest in the area. The town has been pushing for a long time to see the redevelopment of Brewers Quay.
“It complements our town centre, it’s a complementary shopping experience that beings more people into the town.
“People used to come in coaches to go to Brewers Quay and would walk around the harbour and go over the town bridge and into town.
“This to me is a welcome opportunity to get vibrancy back into the town centre.”
Mrs Geare welcomed the new jobs for the town.
She said: “It’s nice to have more jobs and the creation of periphery jobs.”
Councillor John Birtwistle, who represents the Weymouth harbour area, said it has been a long wait to see Brewers Quay reopen.
He said: “I’m delighted something is happening there at last.
“I would welcome something like this that’s going to brighten up Hope Square.
“I see people still arriving to go shopping there and realising it has shut down.”
He said he hoped an Italian restaurant would attract diners to that part of town.
“We’re fairly well stocked with restaurants by the harbour but a restaurant there would probably draw in more people.”
Shoppers welcome news of attraction’s rebirth
Carly Morrissey, 32, from Portland, said: “It used to be really good over there, with all the crafty shops, and it was a real shame when it closed.
“It is a bit dead that side of town so it will be nice to be able to go and have a wander round again.”
Linzi Haddon, 28, from Weymouth, said: “There's nothing there at the moment and I don't think people from out of town know it's there.
“But I think with more shops there, more tourists will go over there, which will be good for other businesses.”
Alan Wilkinson, 54, from Sherborne, said: “That always seems to be the real part of Weymouth that side of the harbour, so it will be nice to see it thriving again.
“I think having some shops and a restaurant there will draw more people over to it.”
Comments(48)
weylad
says...
12:30pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Lots of small and interesting bussinesses were making a living and supplying a need to locals and visitors alike, so why not leave well enough alone?
portlandresident
says...
12:39pm Sun 17 Feb 13
annotator1
says...
1:07pm Sun 17 Feb 13
All I can seem to exclaim is Why did it close in the first place?!
Because of the Olympics and the shops would have got in the way of the Coe lot and their profits, is not good enough even if it is true!
annotator1
says...
1:07pm Sun 17 Feb 13
All I can seem to exclaim is Why did it close in the first place?!
Because of the Olympics and the shops would have got in the way of the Coe lot and their profits, is not good enough even if it is true!
guapisimoboy
says...
1:11pm Sun 17 Feb 13
annotator1
says...
1:57pm Sun 17 Feb 13
guapisimoboy wrote:And why not ... next to the Nothe with the Old Town Hall just up the road. Full of history eager to get out.
It´s a terrific site but a military museum?
bobby1966
says...
2:09pm Sun 17 Feb 13
maybe the tourist information center could also be relocated their.
portlandresident
says...
2:22pm Sun 17 Feb 13
high68
says...
4:28pm Sun 17 Feb 13
But what a farce that after all that time it would appear the best thing is virtually the same as before as this is a winning formula. Shops, museum, cafe .... now that sounds familiar
Simon Nicholas
says...
5:15pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Simon N.
hiraeth
says...
5:21pm Sun 17 Feb 13
bobby1966
says...
6:28pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Antique89
says...
6:36pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Hunterjohn
says...
6:38pm Sun 17 Feb 13
portlandresident
says...
7:10pm Sun 17 Feb 13
littlemissdorch
says...
8:45pm Sun 17 Feb 13
gameon
says...
10:48pm Sun 17 Feb 13
portlandresident wrote:The best thing for the TIC is put it back where it was the most obvious choice in the centre of everything or is that to much for council to realise
It would be great to house a TIC in there, but that just takes the TIC further and further away from all the bus stops, transport connections,and town centre shops (what's left of them).
fastjet
says...
11:40pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Jello Biafra
says...
9:15am Mon 18 Feb 13
If i've told you once, i've told you a million times - Stop exaggerating!
annotator1
says...
9:57am Mon 18 Feb 13
-Wingl-
says...
4:32pm Mon 18 Feb 13
TenBobDylanThomasHardy
says...
5:47pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Simon Nicholas
says...
7:17pm Mon 18 Feb 13
I also hope that they can fill it, and than the traders there will offer something different, and not just an indoor version of a glorified tat market.
Still great to see that it will be open again at least until the long awaited redevlopment finally happens - I understand that revised plans for this are now in the consultation stage.
high68
says...
7:49pm Mon 18 Feb 13
-Wingl- wrote:second fiddle to Dorch !!! True, Dorch is getting the fantastic Brewery Square, but i was walking into town on Saturday in glorious sunshine and turned the corner by the Old Rooms, after having a lovely lunch at the Red Lion, and turned to the person with me and said 'whatever Dorchesters getting, they don't have this' ..meaning the lovely harbour.
Glad something is happening. I hope the investors can hold on - rates vs low revenues. But it all feels a little too late. Playing second fiddle to Dorch? Quality shopping, Quality shops, Quality experience... introducing Quality?
it's time us Weymouthians started the fight back and promoted the positives :-)
Get a grip
says...
8:13pm Mon 18 Feb 13
high68 wrote:Good point well made.
-Wingl- wrote:second fiddle to Dorch !!! True, Dorch is getting the fantastic Brewery Square, but i was walking into town on Saturday in glorious sunshine and turned the corner by the Old Rooms, after having a lovely lunch at the Red Lion, and turned to the person with me and said 'whatever Dorchesters getting, they don't have this' ..meaning the lovely harbour.
Glad something is happening. I hope the investors can hold on - rates vs low revenues. But it all feels a little too late. Playing second fiddle to Dorch? Quality shopping, Quality shops, Quality experience... introducing Quality?
it's time us Weymouthians started the fight back and promoted the positives :-)
PHonnor
says...
6:54am Tue 19 Feb 13
TenBobDylanThomasHarone word, Nandos.
dy wrote:
Wingl, there's Good Quality and bad Quality...just a thought.
shaun blondz
says...
9:56am Tue 19 Feb 13
And do not listen to all the moaners
The Town is changing and slowly very slowly a few quality businesses are making their mark . we have problems just like any town.
But we have the setting the people and the ideas to overcome them and the more businesses arriving in town the easier that job will be.
Of course one has to ask the question
What is happening to the people who mismanaged the whole Brewers Quay debacle ? lets hope they are not directing other ventures and new ways forward in the town !!
stench
says...
10:22am Tue 19 Feb 13
shaun blondz wrote:get your head out from your a r s e!
Welcome to Weymouth all the new traders in Brewers Quay And do not listen to all the moaners The Town is changing and slowly very slowly a few quality businesses are making their mark . we have problems just like any town. But we have the setting the people and the ideas to overcome them and the more businesses arriving in town the easier that job will be. Of course one has to ask the question What is happening to the people who mismanaged the whole Brewers Quay debacle ? lets hope they are not directing other ventures and new ways forward in the town !!
shaun blondz
says...
10:44am Tue 19 Feb 13
argument and opposing view to mine ....
It is good to see the great british tradition of courage is being held up by posters like yourself who hide rather bravely behind a keyboard . Your parents must be so proud of you..
Simon 1965
says...
10:59am Tue 19 Feb 13
I was in the City of Newport (South Wales) on Saturday - if he really wants to see what a derelict centre looks like, he really should go and visit - even Marks & Spencers have left there.
As for Brewers Quay though, the project was not mismanaged, unless you blaim the owners (Brewers Quay LLP) for not forseeing the financial meltdown.
Simon N.
stench
says...
11:24am Tue 19 Feb 13
shaun blondz wrote:you're welcome, i do try ;)
Thank you Stench how very nice and pleasant of you to put such an eloquent argument and opposing view to mine .... It is good to see the great british tradition of courage is being held up by posters like yourself who hide rather bravely behind a keyboard . Your parents must be so proud of you..
But I'm sure you can tell I disagree? Weymouth has fallen into pieces. Other towns havent had opportunites like we have, such as the Olympics (and all the potential it could have brought).
We have large factories closing down, but the council pat themselves on the back when businesses like Screwfix come to town. supplying not many jobs, whilst chasing out small businesss like Eurofasteners.
The town deserves little credit for the state it's in, and many from the council deserve a good slap with from a wet, stinky & cold fish!
And Simon, sadly I have experianced Newport. 2 hours to wait between for my passport was a long 2 hours...
wey_mouth
says...
12:18pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Simon 1965 wrote:It was mis-managed from the moment they bought the building!
Shaun Blondz, I applaud your latest posting regaring the latest post from Stench.
I was in the City of Newport (South Wales) on Saturday - if he really wants to see what a derelict centre looks like, he really should go and visit - even Marks & Spencers have left there.
As for Brewers Quay though, the project was not mismanaged, unless you blaim the owners (Brewers Quay LLP) for not forseeing the financial meltdown.
Simon N.
And so now they are back tracking after making 100 people redundant and leaving the buliding to rot for 2 years...
Greed not the finacial meltdown has been their downfall!
Good luck to the new traders i have a feeling they are going to need it..... as if the building didnt work before with the same set up how is it going to work now??
shaun blondz
says...
2:30pm Tue 19 Feb 13
stench wrote:Stench
shaun blondz wrote:you're welcome, i do try ;)
Thank you Stench how very nice and pleasant of you to put such an eloquent argument and opposing view to mine .... It is good to see the great british tradition of courage is being held up by posters like yourself who hide rather bravely behind a keyboard . Your parents must be so proud of you..
But I'm sure you can tell I disagree? Weymouth has fallen into pieces. Other towns havent had opportunites like we have, such as the Olympics (and all the potential it could have brought).
We have large factories closing down, but the council pat themselves on the back when businesses like Screwfix come to town. supplying not many jobs, whilst chasing out small businesss like Eurofasteners.
The town deserves little credit for the state it's in, and many from the council deserve a good slap with from a wet, stinky & cold fish!
And Simon, sadly I have experianced Newport. 2 hours to wait between for my passport was a long 2 hours...
Weymouth has some very serious problems the main one being incomptant council and weak self serving councillors
We have suffered years of take take take with no looking ahead and planning but As a trader in Town I do see small green shoots of recovery now i accept my business is not an impulse spend type shop . But there are some businesses doing well in Town
I agree with you regarding the small minded shouting regarding new part time jobs that will be at the expense of good full time ones but that is not a Weymouth alone problem that is a national problem
But sadly while the only reports are negative then the shopper or visitor who is thinking of visiting our town may not visit. And while the fools on Westwey Rd continue to milk parking revenue to make up for their own incompetent budgeting who can blame them ?
The town will flourish eventually despite the council not because of it
stench
says...
3:34pm Tue 19 Feb 13
shaun blondz wrote:Can't argue against that.
stench wrote:Stench Weymouth has some very serious problems the main one being incomptant council and weak self serving councillors We have suffered years of take take take with no looking ahead and planning but As a trader in Town I do see small green shoots of recovery now i accept my business is not an impulse spend type shop . But there are some businesses doing well in Town I agree with you regarding the small minded shouting regarding new part time jobs that will be at the expense of good full time ones but that is not a Weymouth alone problem that is a national problem But sadly while the only reports are negative then the shopper or visitor who is thinking of visiting our town may not visit. And while the fools on Westwey Rd continue to milk parking revenue to make up for their own incompetent budgeting who can blame them ? The town will flourish eventually despite the council not because of itshaun blondz wrote: Thank you Stench how very nice and pleasant of you to put such an eloquent argument and opposing view to mine .... It is good to see the great british tradition of courage is being held up by posters like yourself who hide rather bravely behind a keyboard . Your parents must be so proud of you..you're welcome, i do try ;) But I'm sure you can tell I disagree? Weymouth has fallen into pieces. Other towns havent had opportunites like we have, such as the Olympics (and all the potential it could have brought). We have large factories closing down, but the council pat themselves on the back when businesses like Screwfix come to town. supplying not many jobs, whilst chasing out small businesss like Eurofasteners. The town deserves little credit for the state it's in, and many from the council deserve a good slap with from a wet, stinky & cold fish! And Simon, sadly I have experianced Newport. 2 hours to wait between for my passport was a long 2 hours...
And I assume you own Blondz hairdressers? So I assume you provide skilled jobs, all year round :)
The problem with manufacturing, is half the local area is the sea. So I get why places like Dek struggle to survive in these times.
I thought, with the Olympics, we were trying to promote W&P as a sailing town. But it seems we've forgotten that, and I see the council refuse to support sailing events (financially), whilst other councils are.
Look at the state of the harbour! No excuse!
People underestimate our potential as a holiday destination. although the jobs this create are often unskilled and seasonal only.
I've met so many over the years that visit and love the town. Things that we take for granted, are the things some people visit for:
- harbour & fishing industry
- proper fish&chips
- Nothe Fort (for the views, history)
- A sandy beach
- Chesil Beach
- seal life centre
- Portland Bill
I love Weymouth, but I wont agree with any praise towards those running it. Need a big chief to come in and clean out the deadwood! In the public sector, employment legislation should be relaxed so that deadwood can be removed without the risk of being taking to court (but a system that cant be abused to remove anyone i.e. the one who stands up against the system that the manager doesnt like).
We have council staff that preach about the impact of domestic abuse, but then punches her husband in the face... These people dont deserve a wage, paid by taxpayers.
And back the original point of yours, I do not feel many potential visitors will come on here to look at reviews. I wonder what the town looks like on TripAdvisor?
Is it me or is everything rubbish?
says...
4:42pm Tue 19 Feb 13
You will struggle.
This is due to a number of things, but internet shopping, supermarkets and a general change in shopping habits all contribute to this.
I am sure that people have been having discussions of this nature for hundreds of years.
What about the horseless carriage? This new fangled television? They will never last...
TenBobDylanThomasHardy
says...
5:20pm Tue 19 Feb 13
stench
says...
5:36pm Tue 19 Feb 13
Is it me or is everything rubbish? wrote:went off a tangent there didnt you? Horse & Carrage? ha!
Find a town that is booming. You will struggle. This is due to a number of things, but internet shopping, supermarkets and a general change in shopping habits all contribute to this. I am sure that people have been having discussions of this nature for hundreds of years. What about the horseless carriage? This new fangled television? They will never last...
It wasnt that long ago high streets were booming...
Yes, times have changed. But that doesnt mean keep shops empty. Find a better use! Shops havent closed becuase there's no money, they closed cos they were dated i.e. Woolworths, Blockbusters. When i go into a town, it's usually for food or entertainment, not to buy clothes, CDs etc...
stench
says...
5:39pm Tue 19 Feb 13
And we should use the current waekness of the pound to our advantage. Let's get back to being know as Great Britain, a country you turn to for all your manufacturing needs!
EtaoinShrdlu
says...
10:34pm Tue 19 Feb 13
JamesYoung
says...
6:17am Wed 20 Feb 13
stench wrote:Spot on. For years we've been told by successive governments that we can't afford a manufacturing industry because of our high labour costs. Tell that to Germany. Or Norway.
It's the 21st Century, time to get lean!
And we should use the current waekness of the pound to our advantage. Let's get back to being know as Great Britain, a country you turn to for all your manufacturing needs!
Indirectly that's also been a contributor to the house price bubble. Nearly 96% of all UK lending goes to homeowners, while businesses find it tough to borrow. Why? Because when a business goes bust, a company these days, operating from leased premises and with little plant with any resale value, has nothing to repossess. Homeowners represented a safer bet. The sooner we get back to manufacturing and the sooner we start growing our own food, the better. Unfortunately neither can happen until house prices fall.
JamesYoung
says...
6:26am Wed 20 Feb 13
stench wrote:Oh and as an utterly irrelevant aside: the "great" in Great Britain distinguishes us from little Britain, rather than being a recognition of greatness. Little Britain used to belong to the British. It's now known as Brittany.
It's the 21st Century, time to get lean!
And we should use the current waekness of the pound to our advantage. Let's get back to being know as Great Britain, a country you turn to for all your manufacturing needs!
(And even more irrelevant, next to Little Britain sits Normandy. It's called Normandy because it was given to the Northmen (Vikings) by a French king in an attempt at appeasement. The Norse warrior who received it was called Rollo. His great great grandson became William the Conqueror).
stench
says...
10:25am Wed 20 Feb 13
JamesYoung wrote:I won't lie and say I knew that... ;)
stench wrote: It's the 21st Century, time to get lean! And we should use the current waekness of the pound to our advantage. Let's get back to being know as Great Britain, a country you turn to for all your manufacturing needs!Oh and as an utterly irrelevant aside: the "great" in Great Britain distinguishes us from little Britain, rather than being a recognition of greatness. Little Britain used to belong to the British. It's now known as Brittany. (And even more irrelevant, next to Little Britain sits Normandy. It's called Normandy because it was given to the Northmen (Vikings) by a French king in an attempt at appeasement. The Norse warrior who received it was called Rollo. His great great grandson became William the Conqueror).
But i'm glad we agree on something :)
ajsmith99
says...
3:39pm Wed 20 Feb 13
melpear
says...
5:21pm Wed 20 Feb 13
As a regular visitor to the town I have noticed that since it closed something seemed to be missing on that side of the harbour.
What I cannot understand is how businesses can return without a considerable amount of money being spent on the fabric of the building & how this can be achieved within a month, perhaps I am too much of a pessimist.
This could be a make or break year for Weymouth as it gets back to normality after the Olympics as I know a lot of the tour operators missed it from their brochures last year.
dontbuyit
says...
8:16am Fri 22 Feb 13
-Wingl-
says...
1:28pm Fri 22 Feb 13
Get a grip wrote:All fair points. I hope you're correct. Time will tell. But who will notice? I guess if you go back through history, Weymouth has increased in it's 'natural' beauty to date? No, it hasn't.
high68 wrote:Good point well made.
-Wingl- wrote:second fiddle to Dorch !!! True, Dorch is getting the fantastic Brewery Square, but i was walking into town on Saturday in glorious sunshine and turned the corner by the Old Rooms, after having a lovely lunch at the Red Lion, and turned to the person with me and said 'whatever Dorchesters getting, they don't have this' ..meaning the lovely harbour.
Glad something is happening. I hope the investors can hold on - rates vs low revenues. But it all feels a little too late. Playing second fiddle to Dorch? Quality shopping, Quality shops, Quality experience... introducing Quality?
it's time us Weymouthians started the fight back and promoted the positives :-)
melpear
says...
3:56pm Fri 22 Feb 13
I am a regular visitor to Derby where they have a shiny new shopping centre but nearly all the shops outside have closed or been downgraded to discount shops, hope this does not happen in Dorchester.
With regard to Weymouth there is the possibility that it could regenerate as a niche shopping centre, especially if the Brewers Quay development takes off.
I remember visiting Bridport about ten years ago & thought it was on the way out but it has now been voted as one of the best small towns for shopping in the UK, there is always hope, but the Weymouth Wingers need to be put down first & rally round the town, they can always leave, the grass is always greener.
PHonnor says...
12:15pm Sun 17 Feb 13