Historic fort scoops cash for works

By Dan Goater dan@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Weymouth’s historic Nothe Fort has been awarded £320,000 for vital damp proofing works.

The town’s civic society said Museum Estate and Development (MEND) funding will pay for remedial works to address ‘significant water ingress issues’ that have been ‘holding the organisation back from further developing its heritage interpretation’. A society spokesperson said that during its 150-year history, changes to the fort’s structure and the ‘gradual blocking’ of historic rainwater drains have created an ‘increasingly damp’ environment in the exhibition space.

To address this, external walls

Pic by Cleary Creative need to be repointed, gaps must be sealed and drains and gutters need to be cleared and repaired.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to Arts Council England’s MEND team, as well as to Dorset Council, which supported us in securing the grant,” said Nothe Fort chairman James Farquharson. “We have big plans for Nothe Fort but we have been stymied from moving some of them forward due to the very damp environment in which they would need to be placed. This grant is going to transform what we can do, helping us make Weymouth an even better place in which to live or visit.”

The work is expected to be completed within two years and will be staged to ‘minimise disruption for visitors”.

While works progress, the Nothe team will be developing plans for new displays, including ‘immersive experiences’ in the fort’s Victorian gun deck and the Cold War nuclear fallout shelter.

Fort co-manager Kate Hebditch said: “As a landmark on Weymouth’s coast, the fort gets everything the weather can throw at it. This grant will give us much needed funds to solve the damp problem and preserve this spectacular building for the future. The fort’s growing profile as an events venue demonstrates our importance to the local economy. We had record numbers of visitors in 2022 and we’re working to provide a heritage attraction that is an increasing source of pride in the community.”

In Brief

Dorset Council has expressed ‘serious concerns’ over a proposal to site floating accommodation for asylum seekers in Portland Port.

A spokesman said: “Dorset Council and the local MP Richard Drax have been made aware of conversations between the Home Office and the owners of Portland Port. “We have serious concerns about the suitability of the location for this facility. “The council has had limited input and has no decisionmaking powers on this.” n Dorset Council is raising parking fees in busy tourist areas. The rates will be seasonal, with some only increasing for the spring/summer period. The changes will come into effect from April 28.

Some on-street pay and display rates will increase for non-permit holders on busy seafront roads. Prices in the council’s other car parks will not rise, except for some 6 hour stays in multi-use car park areas used by larger vehicles such as coaches, large motorhomes and lorries. The full list of new rates can be found on the Dorset Council website. n Discount early bird tickets are now available for The Melplash Agricultural Society Show on Thursday, August 24. Enjoy exhibits including livestock, horses, homecrafts and horticulture, plus more than 400 trade stands selling everything from locally produced food to tractors… Book your tickets online now to enjoy a 20% saving on the gate price – go to melplash.ticketsrv.co.uk/tickets n Dorset Council has submitted a planning application proposing to demolish the former Weymouth and Portland n United Diversity Bridport and Sustainable Bridport present: MMMM! Monday Movie, Meal & Mingling every Monday 6-10pm at the Chapel in the Garden, 49 East Street, Bridport DT6 3JX. Inspiring documentaries, short films by local filmmakers, organic veg curries, bar & hot drinks, Starting Monday, April 17 with the Dorset premiere of award-winning documentary Finite: The Climate of Change. FB event: ud.coop/screenings Info and tickets: ud.coop/mmmm n Six new paving slabs have been installed in Weymouth, telling the story of the town, extending the popular Heritage Trail. We Are Weymouth, the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) has now installed 18 of the ceramic slabs. The six new slabs extend the trail to as far as Bowleaze Cove, showcasing the Roman Temple, as well as the Stone Pier, Hope Square and the Pier Bandstand. Head to weareweymouth.co.uk for more details. n Alistair Chisholm, Town Crier extraordinaire and good egg, will be Dorchester’s Mayor for 2023/4.

Borough Council offices at North Quay.

Dorset Council’s previous application to demolish the former council offices and redevelop the site was withdrawn after the area planning committee voted against the proposals in September 2019. The new planning application seeks only to demolish the former council offices, no plans for redevelopment are included. Any plans for future re-development will be brought forward in a separate application at a later date and until that time, the site will be used to create temporary additional car parking spaces.

As Weymouth prepares to mark Anzac Day, military historian ALVIN HOPPER breaks down the integral role Dorset played in helping troops recover from the trauma of conflict

In 2005, 90 years after the first contingent of Australian and New Zealand troops were encamped in the area, a memorial monolith was erected on Weymouth seafront to commemorate Dorset’s part in providing accommodation and respite to exhausted, wounded and psychologically traumatised Anzac troops. The camp at Chickerell was the first to be occupied by Anzac troops in England and was known as part of command depot number two, with the number one command depot at Portisdown. The Chickerell camp was one of four such recoupment camps in and around Weymouth and the surrounding district. The other three local sites were at Westham, Littlemoor and The Verne Citadel on Portland. Other camps coming under the number two depot’s remit were based at Worgret and Bovington.

Many Anzac troops passed through local