News & Views

SEATON

What next for Visitor Centre

Should Seaton Jurassic Visitor Centre be redesigned, sold or used as another type of visitor attraction? These are the options being looked at East Devon District Council (EDDC) following the closure of the venue on September 17, 2021 after Devon Wildlife Trust left. The centre will now remain closed until a decision can be made on the future of the site by cabinet next year. The visitor attraction, which is made up of a gift shop, meeting rooms, café, office, exhibition rooms and gardens, was greatly affected by the pandemic with the number of visitors dropping substantially. The council are now investigating various options for what the centre could become.

BRIDPORT

First Unitarian woman Minister

In October the Chapel in the Garden in Bridport celebrated the ordination of Elizabeth Harley. She had been the Lay Leader for the past eight years but following a threeyear course at the Unitarian College she has been welcomed at the Chapel as their Minister. ‘There have been Unitarians in Bridport for over 350 years’ said Lizzie ‘so it felt like a piece of history to be welcomed as the first Unitarian woman to be Minister at the chapel. Interestingly, there have been Unitarian women Ministers in the UK since 1904 but Bridport somehow missed out.’

DORSET

Digital advice expansion

More people in Dorset can now access free technical advice thanks to the expansion of Dorset Council’s volunteer digital champion service. The volunteer champions will be available, at 13 centres across Dorset including Dorchester, Beaminster, Bridport and Weymouth. Dorset Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Peter Wharf, said: “The hotline is a fantastic service but you cannot beat face to face help and showing people in person how to get around their technical problems.’ The Digital Hotline phone service is open five mornings a week for anyone who would like help over the phone. All face to face sessions must be booked by contacting 01305 221048 Mon - Fri, 10am to 12 noon.

SIDMOUTH

New look TIC opens

Sidmouth Town Council has celebrated the reopening and refurbishment of its new look Tourist Information Centre. Simon Jupp, MP for East Devon performed the cake cutting to mark a new chapter in tourism promotion in the town whilst commenting ‘It is so heartening to see the town council and its tourism information centre project with such a collaborative spirit in wanting to work together for the good of our town. I live here, I love our town, it’s a fantastic place. And now we have a very special brand to promote it—it is amazing.’ The new centre also has a new range of high quality and environmentally aware Visit Sidmouth merchandise for visitors to take home.

DORCHESTER

Play cancelled

A much loved community event, Dorchester’s seventh community play, Spinning the Moon, has been postponed until spring 2023. The ongoing effects of Covid, as well as other logistical concerns, prompted the managing board of the Dorchester Community Plays Association to delay the production by another 12 months. Spinning the Moon was due to be performed over Easter 2020, but rehearsals were brought to an abrupt halt by the first lockdown. There were hopes that the cast of more than 120 performers would stage the play by spring 2022, but uncertainties still surrounding rising Covid numbers have put the play back another year.