A tourism service’s message urging people not to visit Weston has quite literally hit home.
Visit Weston adopted a temporary logo to state the town is ‘closed’ to holidaymakers and tourists after hundreds of people flocked to the beach before the country was put into lockdown on March 23.
With good weather predicted for the coming weekends, Visit Weston is repeating its call for people to stay away.
Its latest efforts call upon iconic artwork from two of Weston’s adopted sons, Alfred Leete and Lord Kitchener, designed to deliver the call to arms that everyone should ‘do their bit’ and stay at home.
Its spokesman said: “We know it’s hard being stuck at home, but please do not even think about leaving the safe environment of your four walls to come to our beach.
“Unfortunately, too many people are choosing not to take this message seriously and it is still the case that when the sun shines, our open spaces fill up with visitors and it is not safe.
“Do not risk the health of your family and the families of others by making unnecessary journeys and crowding our beaches, promenade and parks.
“The more stringently we follow the advice from the government and the experts, the sooner we will defeat coronavirus and the sooner Weston will welcome everybody back.”
The town’s theatres, cinemas, restaurants, coffee shops and pubs are closed for the foreseeable future.
Avon and Somerset police sent the same message on BBC Points West; stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to do otherwise.
Caroline Darlington, tourism manager for the town council, said “It goes against the grain to discourage visitors to Weston; we have wonderful fresh air and superb beaches and we want everyone to be able to enjoy them in health when the time is right.
“At the moment, the time is definitely not right so all we can do is ask for patience.
“We’ll be happy to welcome visitors with our usual friendly smiles just as soon as the government tells the country that it’s safe to travel again.
“Even those of us locals who live in Weston outside reasonable walking distance to the beach can’t enjoy the pleasures of our home town, but it’s a small sacrifice to pay in order to keep one another safe and well.”
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