Nice one, good to see both sides of the town. All seaside towns are run down, as you said with £50 tickets to Spain, international travel and the Internet have played their part. There is however NO reason for us not to improve them and restore some of the stunning architecture. Even if the use changes, the history will remain.
Spanish holidays and air travel had no effect on British resorts; Seaside tourism industry always gradually expands. And Weston-super-Mare had one of the biggest increases in its visitor economy in the most recent estimates that were published online, from four years previous to those.
I agree with a lot of what you said, Uphill, Sand Bay and Brean Down are very pleasant down have some great walks, with some notable ancient and recent history and are lovely places to visit. And as you mentioned at the end, so many places within 30 minutes on either side are beautiful and we are within reach of so much near here. There are some bad parts, but just to update on what you showed, while looking at the shops next to the old Dolphin square you said there was nothing there, but please note your camera was staring at the voluntary run Front Room theatre which offers some great shows at great prices, and in the same block there's the Clip and Climb for Kids to the left and the Bowling to the right. You showed Birnbeck Pier and that refurb has now been funded so we should expect some changes there over the next few years. I suspect that will help regenerate that end of town. I hope they eventually sort the Tropicana out. It's not all doom and gloom.
I have memories of Weston Super Mare in the 60's and 70's, as a child. My late grandparents used to live in the town, as did my great grandparents. Back then, it was a beautiful, orderly, seaside town and popular with UK holiday makers. After the 70's I lost touch with the town, as my grandparents moved to a village near Taunton. In 2010, I had new reason to visit the town, after reconnecting with a lost aunt. I was quite shocked at the deterioration, although some areas maintained their splendour, it was evident the town was in decline. I regularly visited up until 2020. I left the UK in August 2020 and emigrated to Bulgaria, where I now live with Bulgarian wife and kids. Wanting to show my wife a typical seaside town and needing to visit my aunt, I returned for a short visit in December 2022, only to witness more decay. I think there are some individuals, both in the council and, as you say, the "Cult" that can be held partially responsible for the town's downfall. The rest of the responsibility, lies with the Government, that has made UK living ludicrously expensive and, therefore, has meant nobody has had the funds to keep properties in good order. When a town declines visually, so does the behaviour of visitors and residence, as property prices slump and rents become unaffordable - more reasons to add to dereliction. Will the town ever see good days again? Arguably, it has slumped too far, for that to happen and with the horrendous and heinous Globalist Agenda ideology followed by the government, I think Weston Super Mare is one of many UK town casualties, that have fallen and will fall still further. What will happen in the end? A lot of the town will be bulldozed, with remnants left as a memory, as more and more cheap, poor quality housing is built on flood plains, for its inhabitants to commute to cities for work and to shop at supermarkets and super stores. Many of us know where Britain is headed - a certain religion will take over, with no regard for British heritage, or history.
Thanks for sharing this video I used to go on holidays as a kid with my folks about 50 years ago I haven't been to Weston-super-Mare for 8 years now sad to see it like this 😢
Give me the wilderness any day of the week. I avoid towns and cities at all cost, sadly many in this day and age are incredibly depressing. Government/councils, I'd put the whole lot of them on trial for the mess of this country, dirty dealing and corruption. It's an absolute disgrace. Beautiful historic character buildings just left to rack and ruin. At least you care...The Wessex Nomad.
Weston is really little different to pretty much all seaside towns that had their hay day during Victorian times and post-war Britain. Like Weston, Whitley Bay catered to folk from nearby industrial cities, folk who can more easily now fly to cheap seaside resorts abroad. I do think however, given the housing shortages in many cities and indigenous people’s desire to escape urban sprawl, with some good town planning, proper central government involvement and investment incentives, places like Weston could rise from the ashes. Let’s hope so anyway.
I’ve lived in Weston almost all my life, the nightlife in the 80’s was fantastic, I moved to Bracknell in 2001 and worked in Slough, imagine what a shock that was, I only lasted a few years before returning to Weston, everyone does, it seems to draw you back. Having said weston has been in slow decline for many years, I live in a small 200 year old house overlooking the bay and grand pier backing onto Weston woods, there’s no where else I’d wish to be.
good video! Bristolian 20-something here who has family in Weston and spent a good deal of time there in my childhood, I have nostalgia and fond memories of the place, but on the rare occasions I've visited in my adulthood I've seen it change for the worse.
Good review of Weston. I moved to Weston when I was 6/7 (I'm 38 now) and have been here since. Like you, I've seen the decline over the many decades and really miss Hobbits and the record store that used to be in the indoor market used to pick up some excellent obscure metal albums from that. I agree it's a really good national location; I can get to London, B'ham, Forest of Dean, Woolacombe Bay (Devon), Bristol, New Forest etc, all within a 30-minute - 2hrs drive.
Martian Records was the record store, and like you, picked of loads of metal from there. It was the only place to buy metal without having to jump on a bus to Bristol to then go to HMV and Virgin Megastore. I'd sometimes go to Bristol JUST to buy CDs!
I've never heard it being referred to as that, but I like it! It's a place people love to come visit, but those who grow up here among the depravity of the town always have a different story.
Lived in Weston for 10 years and there's loads of positives. Although I did get attacked by Birbeck Pier and mugged in meadow street but loads of positives. Worked for North Somerset CAB. Did outreach on the Bournville. Some great characters.
Great video. I moved to Weston when I was middle-aged because it is well-linked and cheap. What is evident is that the town still perceives itself as a retirement place. Weston council needs to acknowledge that it is now part of Bristol's commuter belt and fix the town to suit the needs of younger families. Also, now that Birnbeck Pier is to be rebuilt, re-establish a sea-link to Cardiff to add to Weston's attractions. And, yes, Dolphin Square is a disgrace.
Restoration work is being carried out on those old buildings. I was there a couple of weeks ago and they had workmen doing some plastering inside. So progress is being made.
This video is a far more truthful portrayal of Weston. The videos from other peoples channels have been outright lies designed to make fake shocking videos more likes. All they did was edit in all the rough places. Weston as you know is a place many people want to move because it has loads of nice houses in lovely areas. Of course it has some rough corners like most towns all over the UK. Thanks for being more truthful.
The curse of the town bit made me laugh, as it reminded me of a village in Wales, where there was a sign which said welcome to Skewen, you'll never leave.
A nice contrast to your usual videos. Thank you. I feel your disillusionment with the town where you grew-up, and this will no doubt strike a chord with others. Though with my home town (Brighton), it is not the standard of infrastructure that is decaying - but the standard of the people.
Went to Weston Super Mare when on holiday in West country. Been there on various occasions when on holiday either there or nearby. was in 2000s possibly 2007. Didn't see so rough then. Those lovely vintage houses can be fixed and reset up.
You always bring interesting facts up. I had a very evil grandfather who lived there as a child. I think he was born there… He was an Occultist, later became a Freemason and I remember couples visiting my childhood home in Sussex when I was very young. When I asked my mum who the people were she told me they were Rosicrucians. I’m not sure what they did there but they seemed focused on mum. There was definitely something missing in regards to mum. I’m not saying all Freemasons and Rosicrucians are evil, but some of them seem to be. I never knew WSM was associated with those “clubs”… Aaaanyway… in more recent times I’ve noticed many towns plummeting. There will always be nicer areas and shite areas in every town. For me, any towns by the sea have a huge plus. I think it’s the air and brisk winds. Lots of foraging to be had on quieter coastal areas too. ps If you fully dehydrated a hard turd, it can be polished 🤭
That's really interesting! It's definitely in the air here in Weston. Well, even then, the turd would be so big, there wouldn't be enough polish in the world for it 😆
I quite like Weston tbh. I proposed to my wife in Sand Bay a few years ago, Brean Down is a really nice with a bonus free fort which you often can get to yourself. Town's a bit ropey (where isn't) but the front's still nice as a visitor. Even the old pier is a bit of a romantic ruin to look at. Hopefully the plans go ahead and that regenerates the area a bit, I think they've already started the work on the shore side so I imagine it will.
Loved weston in the 80`s, Tropicana was amazing as a kid, pubs and nightclubs were great, there are still some lovely parks there, i pop back to see family now and again since moving away around 2000, its not much better in many places in the uk, those people who live in weston and moan need to see other towns up and down the country and then they will realise how its not so bad at all, i couldn`t afford to move back
What is the address of the Osiris Temple in Weston? We live just up the road in Burnham, and go there for some shopping, Food Markets at Italian Quarter, Greek Food, Café Nero, etc. We also go to Kewstoke for some "Truther Meetings!"
So sad to see the tropicana, It's a memory from the mid 60s for me, I can still conjure up a mental picture of the first time I saw it.I was 6 or 7 then.
5.44 at the entrance to Birnbeck Pier is a small building. In the mid-1980s, I'm pretty sure there was a little shop there, curios, antiques, We bought an old violin there and we still have it! (sadly not a Strad but it's been much played.) Love Weston - hope it can be brought back to its former seaside wonder and beauty.
This was a fascinating watch. Really appreciate the non sensationalist approach. And of course the alternative history etc. When i was quite young, I'd misheard the name, and called it Weston Superman 😂
8:29 The Tropicana. If you ever visit just to let you know you DO NOT have to pay to park on that road, Marine Parade, the council like to tell you have to but you DO NOT HAVE TO PAY.
Every time I catch up with your vids I say to myself 'this is the best one yet, time to share again' then you out do it. Loved it and learnt a lot. Interesting fact, AC declared the same curse over Leamington Spa as he was born there and it still gets the odd mention from those in the know to this day. It's been 6 years now since I lived there but it still makes me think every time life throws a curve ball where I could end up again 😅 All the best.
Funny, I'm a French dude and I lived in both Leamington Spa for 6 months and Weston for a year back in 1999-2000... a f*%&ing one and a half year nightmare! ;-) I barely survived, my brother got me outta there and I left the island for good... These are cursed towns, I totally agree, my opinion about England is based on those only 2 towns so my tendency is to think that the whole island is cursed... Never will put a foot on those grounds ever again.
Good video,it’s a shame the council/government doesn’t start investing in the town ,renovate the run down unused housing ,reduce the rent on shops ,that big area in front of cinema start a farmers market general market again ,the other pier invest in it or pull down so much could be done such a shame
Interesting video and one of a few I've seen about Weston. I've lived near Sand Bay having moved from Bristol 3 years ago. I found I got on better with the locals if I didn't mention I lived in Bristol as Weston seems to get a bashing from press and media based in the city. However, Brummies seem to be treated almost like distant cousins. On place I really like is Sand Point and Middle Hope is a hidden gem.
That was good that you ended on a high note there. This is indeed a wonderful land which our ancestors fought so hard to defend over the centuries. With thought, planning and the right political leadership towns like Weston and even my long suffering hometown of Gosport can improve. Rather than throwing up 1.5 million newbuilds on Green Belt sites, why can't old existing properties be purchased and renovated for the locals...providing employment and accommodation ?
Been coming to weston for over 50 years ,i never knew about the golden dawn connect, is it on hill side area. Weston as well as weymouth have been hit by drug rehabilitation hmo's without any rehabilitation involved but if im correct eeston has more than any other coastal town. Still sort of love the place though.
It's all down to social engineering to accommodate United Nations Agenda 30 - "the abolition of mankind." Save your sole while you still can..................
Dolphin Square.....nooooooo!!!! Used to love the bakery, The cheap shop..... Jackie's Corner I think, those memories gone! Great videos, a new subscriber ❤
Great video, straight onto googling the Osiris temple. I'd heard of the Golden Dawn before, I don't know where from. Off on a tangent: I e-mailed our local Masonic hall in Cheltenham out of interest, it's right in the centre of town and is the second oldest purpose built masonic lodge in the country, it's always grabbed my interest since I heard about it. It turns out, from the response I got that there are actually 9 lodges in Cheltenham but they all meet at the central hall. Or it could've been looking into the ONA and other occult stuff happening in the depths of the South West, no idea as they aren't related! or maybe it was just typing in "Occult south west england" on google and irrelevant to anything I've just stated, no idea. Anyway, this is a great video and I'm certain you'll have your 15 minutes of fame as the face of Weston.
There is a big movement of Free Masonry down here. Coming from a family of Free Masons, I know all about that! There's been plenty of sightings of occult practices in Worlebury Woods, too. It definitely lingers around here!
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ I've typed two responses which have disappeared now. Probably for the best, I'll try to whittle it down further. There are many conspiracies about Freemasonry, one being that because lodges have no windows bad stuff must be taking place inside. I e-mailed the aforementioned lodge, simply requesting any reading material they'd read to get a grasp on what it's all about. The man seemed nice, he asked if I was looking to join or just get educated. People seem to think you need to be wealthy or have sleight-of-hand deals to be involved, that you need to be invited in. It appears pretty clear nowadays that due to declining membership numbers, as long as you can afford the annual subscription fee (£100-200 or so, depending on the lodge) you're welcome to join. I'm not looking to join, just to get an understanding of what they believe and practice. I've been wanting to visit Savernake Forest for a while now and places linked to the occult, conspiracy or not, Chateau des Armerois and mysterious places. From this channel, I've bought 4 books on Gloucestershire, it's sparked an interest in what's going on around me. So, cheers!
The integrity of Free Manonry has watered down over the years, with membership not being as hard to obtain as it used to be. What it is now is very different to what it used to be, but then I'm not fully sure what it used to be, or is now for that matter!
The town seems centred around the main pier. Tacky shops. I love the Birnbeck end with its victorian past. The council would bring in revenue if they concentrated on restoring the Victorian end. Those colonial style houses. The crescent is so grand. All that incredible history literally left to rot.
As a resident of Uphill, this seems an interesting video
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Every British seaside town has gone downhill. It began when Britons started to take advantage of cheap European package holidays to find good weather. The British towns now have a tired image. It's difficult to see how they can re-invent themselves. Mass immigration might finally kill them off.
You forgot to mention that the greatest Guitarist of the planet was born there. Ritchie Blackmore. . Thanks for posting and also sad to see whats happening to this once so great country.
I holidayed in Weston and Brean as a kid in the 69's/70's. Many happy memories. In 1979 I was moved down to Weston by my employers to be chief accountant for Compression Joints Ltd on Oldmixon. It was heaven, we bought a house on Bleadon Hill. Sadly had to move back to the Midlands. But I returned last December 2023. I was really disappointed. The town was run down, scruffy, people looked down at heel, homeless, drug rehab residents. Obviously all my old haunts were either gone or completely changed. Left me feeling very sad Oh, and I remember the drive in off the motorway down Locking Rd with the rows of blossom trees and cider farm on Summer Lane...all ruined by development and Bristol overspill housing.
Dolphin Square must be what I called the precinct. I had the worst fish and chips ever from there in the early 80s. I couldn’t even get the pigeons to eat them
I went to Weston a few years ago. What a dump. As you say, it was the only option for many before cheap air travel. Your comment on the algae covered, rocky mudflat that is sand bay "definitely not a dump". I disagree strongly!
hi i also live in weston i went on the pier before it burt down so i did not pay the cafe in the market was excelent took family up town most saterdays always popped in for a brew now the hotels full of migrents weston has gone downhill since we moved here in the 90s its a shame but never mind summer is comming we hope lol
We probably head banged together in Hobbits if you went there in 99-2000, was there every week. You forgot to mention that people seem to love trouble as it's the only thing you see and hear,. That shops are closed, it's one thing, but people's behaviours reflect a drastic lack of good parental education, just not enough to get and stay out of trouble or get and stay out of this town, it's just hopeless... Never will I return to Weston... It is cursed, 100%. Everybody there has a dramatic life, ... I feel sorry for the people that are stuck there...
Osiris Temple lol? My brother lived there for 30 years. They were all bonking in that temple. An associate used to make good coin off them with the Escorts with "privileges".
, just dont knock Weston(-Super-Mare) its not the place or the history that hurt anyone, its more recent affairs, and, she will come back, to Blighty ✌🏻❤️🙏🏻
😂 Alastair Crowley didnt curse Weston-Super-Mare the bloke was a charlaton and nothing more than someone who could read books and sway his opinion, much like Politicians he was no different....the curse pre dated him, it was once said Henry Butt who was cursed the town, because the locals mistreated him and spoke ill of him and his work in the town, I myself am related to the historical family of Weston-Super-Mare before Weston-Super-Mare was Weston-Super-Mare, a family known as the Counsel family where pretty much all who where there, they lived and worked to fish off the shore, theyd use wooden rafts to skiff across the mud to their nets to haul the fish.
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ the Counsel family where originally the first exhibit in Weston Heritage Museum, from which I can't find is still there, but I don't live there anymore, I just watch all these programmes appalled but I knew it was on its way out to some degree, but, to be fair it's a fun and exciting place to grow up, if you know the area well enough for sure.
Being from a beach area where the beaches have actual sand (Miami/Fort Lauderdale), I'm laughing at what Weston calls "Sand Bay." Where is the sand? It looks like seaside property completely littered with construction debris. Are those rocks? Can they be cleared out to make an actual beach? (If not, why not...) It looks like the same type of rocks at the top of the hill path where Worleby Woods was pointed out, so a good chance they can be used elsewhere. You call it a "hidden gem" but say not a lot of people come there. I can see why they don't - it looks treacherous to even walk on, and I certainly wouldn't risk my dog's paw pads on those rocks. I'm looking at old photos of the town, and the beaches are all actual clean sand. I don't understand the town being left to rot when 50-quid flights became available to Spain. Here, that's when local business & government would have made sure to spruce up everything so that it wouldn't lose residents, tourists or businesses. Where I live, you can get to the Bimini or the Bahamas for that cheap and very quickly, and while they are popular in their own right, Florida makes sure that it keeps enhancing what it has to offer instead of letting trade, visitors & residents be lured away and you can see the result.
We are all witnessing this down full of our land, with out a hint of racism on what I'm saying ,this is due to forgetting our own peaple and the mass of drugs and drug dealers immigration brings seeking wealth mixed with our once great weekend culture, they have put the drugs with the alcohol and so many have fallen victim to this scerg and rendered our peaple brain dead ,its an attack on our society and our own brothers don't give a hoot..I like your video because I no what you feel.
I know WSM as quite a regular visitor there from North Wales. Although the video isn't as vicious an attack on a seaside resort as others I've watched, it's still filled with poor information from a jaded local. WSM has more tourist industry than it's ever had. There have been estimates for a while giving the number of jobs entirely attributable to the effects of seaside tourism. The figures are exoressed as an average year-round figure - which eliminates the questiin of seasonality. In 2,008, 2,400 jobs were attributable entirely to seaside tourism and in 2012 that had risen, by 500, to 2,900.. Unfortunately, the studies lag by two years and haven't been published online since 2014, so those are the most recent I have, but disprove the video's claim of a decline at that time. Picking out one derelict former hotel and an empty shop unit is not a good argument against record visitor survey figures and the estimates of the UK's leading academics in economic geography. Somehow, I don't think the Grabd Pier's pavilion would have been replaced on such an expensive scale if there were hardly any visiting customers. The jaded locals might not have any interest in it - or other visitor attractions, but you need to be objective. There's nothing to say that locals who've grown up in the resort are necessarily lovers of popular British resorts. Blackpool is a grand mecca for seaside holidays and day-trips and the fact that it is also inhabited by people with drug and alcohol addictions who hate their lives doesn't change that.
Those figures are high, most likely because of the likes of T4 On The Beach, Dismaland, the beach race, etc, of which I said brought tourism into Weston. And I didn't say tourism died down in 2010, I said the night life did, of which it definitely did, as I was there to witness! There were Sands, Senoritas, Madisons, Hobbits, Phoenix, and now they're all gone. What does that tell you? The derelict hotels are an eyesore and showcases the decline of Weston. It's not a place you'd take the family for a week anymore, but somewhere to go for the odd Saturday here and there, or whenever the Tropicana has some stupidly expensive ride going on. Plus, the likes of Premiere Inn opening up in the centre really didn't help... But hey, what do I know? I'm just a 'jaded local'.
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ The figures I have available put the number of jobs (as a year-round average) directly attributable to the effects of seaside tourism in hotels and restaurants - which includes bars/nightclubs at 1,100. That's 1,100 more than it would have if it wasn't a seaside resort and had little or no tourism. That economy sector is one of four that are used to measure and the rough estimate increase over the four was 500 over 4 years. I don't know whether it increased in hotels and bars/restaurants but I imagine it did if there was that overall increase. The facts don't back you up.
All those empty properties are begging for some investment. What better than some tax payers money, which as we know, is a bottomless pit, to spruce the place up a bit. It'll mean taking one for the team but lets make WSM, Rwanda by the sea. The illegal boat people only have the best of accomadation so it's a win win. First class property, money flooding in, druggies needing their fix and a new class of people to help out. What could go wrong? Sounds like Shangri La to me.
Please watch this video I made reacting to the growing trend of "British Shitholes" on UA-cam: ua-cam.com/video/a1mAnGCQweU/v-deo.html
Nice one, good to see both sides of the town. All seaside towns are run down, as you said with £50 tickets to Spain, international travel and the Internet have played their part. There is however NO reason for us not to improve them and restore some of the stunning architecture. Even if the use changes, the history will remain.
100% mate. On your side all the way!
Spanish holidays and air travel had no effect on British resorts; Seaside tourism industry always gradually expands. And Weston-super-Mare had one of the biggest increases in its visitor economy in the most recent estimates that were published online, from four years previous to those.
I agree with a lot of what you said, Uphill, Sand Bay and Brean Down are very pleasant down have some great walks, with some notable ancient and recent history and are lovely places to visit. And as you mentioned at the end, so many places within 30 minutes on either side are beautiful and we are within reach of so much near here. There are some bad parts, but just to update on what you showed, while looking at the shops next to the old Dolphin square you said there was nothing there, but please note your camera was staring at the voluntary run Front Room theatre which offers some great shows at great prices, and in the same block there's the Clip and Climb for Kids to the left and the Bowling to the right. You showed Birnbeck Pier and that refurb has now been funded so we should expect some changes there over the next few years. I suspect that will help regenerate that end of town. I hope they eventually sort the Tropicana out. It's not all doom and gloom.
I have memories of Weston Super Mare in the 60's and 70's, as a child. My late grandparents used to live in the town, as did my great grandparents. Back then, it was a beautiful, orderly, seaside town and popular with UK holiday makers.
After the 70's I lost touch with the town, as my grandparents moved to a village near Taunton.
In 2010, I had new reason to visit the town, after reconnecting with a lost aunt. I was quite shocked at the deterioration, although some areas maintained their splendour, it was evident the town was in decline. I regularly visited up until 2020. I left the UK in August 2020 and emigrated to Bulgaria, where I now live with Bulgarian wife and kids.
Wanting to show my wife a typical seaside town and needing to visit my aunt, I returned for a short visit in December 2022, only to witness more decay.
I think there are some individuals, both in the council and, as you say, the "Cult" that can be held partially responsible for the town's downfall. The rest of the responsibility, lies with the Government, that has made UK living ludicrously expensive and, therefore, has meant nobody has had the funds to keep properties in good order. When a town declines visually, so does the behaviour of visitors and residence, as property prices slump and rents become unaffordable - more reasons to add to dereliction.
Will the town ever see good days again? Arguably, it has slumped too far, for that to happen and with the horrendous and heinous Globalist Agenda ideology followed by the government, I think Weston Super Mare is one of many UK town casualties, that have fallen and will fall still further.
What will happen in the end? A lot of the town will be bulldozed, with remnants left as a memory, as more and more cheap, poor quality housing is built on flood plains, for its inhabitants to commute to cities for work and to shop at supermarkets and super stores. Many of us know where Britain is headed - a certain religion will take over, with no regard for British heritage, or history.
Thanks for sharing this video I used to go on holidays as a kid with my folks about 50 years ago I haven't been to Weston-super-Mare for 8 years now sad to see it like this 😢
Give me the wilderness any day of the week. I avoid towns and cities at all cost, sadly many in this day and age are incredibly depressing. Government/councils, I'd put the whole lot of them on trial for the mess of this country, dirty dealing and corruption. It's an absolute disgrace. Beautiful historic character buildings just left to rack and ruin. At least you care...The Wessex Nomad.
Completely agree. What will become of our towns and cities is anyone's guess, but I don't see it improving any time soon, or ever...
Weston is really little different to pretty much all seaside towns that had their hay day during Victorian times and post-war Britain. Like Weston, Whitley Bay catered to folk from nearby industrial cities, folk who can more easily now fly to cheap seaside resorts abroad. I do think however, given the housing shortages in many cities and indigenous people’s desire to escape urban sprawl, with some good town planning, proper central government involvement and investment incentives, places like Weston could rise from the ashes. Let’s hope so anyway.
I’ve lived in Weston almost all my life, the nightlife in the 80’s was fantastic, I moved to Bracknell in 2001 and worked in Slough, imagine what a shock that was, I only lasted a few years before returning to Weston, everyone does, it seems to draw you back. Having said weston has been in slow decline for many years, I live in a small 200 year old house overlooking the bay and grand pier backing onto Weston woods, there’s no where else I’d wish to be.
good video! Bristolian 20-something here who has family in Weston and spent a good deal of time there in my childhood, I have nostalgia and fond memories of the place, but on the rare occasions I've visited in my adulthood I've seen it change for the worse.
This was a really well delivered and interesting video. Cheers! Seriously refreshing these days. Subscribed 👍
Many thanks, and welcome!
Good review of Weston. I moved to Weston when I was 6/7 (I'm 38 now) and have been here since. Like you, I've seen the decline over the many decades and really miss Hobbits and the record store that used to be in the indoor market used to pick up some excellent obscure metal albums from that. I agree it's a really good national location; I can get to London, B'ham, Forest of Dean, Woolacombe Bay (Devon), Bristol, New Forest etc, all within a 30-minute - 2hrs drive.
Martian Records was the record store, and like you, picked of loads of metal from there. It was the only place to buy metal without having to jump on a bus to Bristol to then go to HMV and Virgin Megastore. I'd sometimes go to Bristol JUST to buy CDs!
This is a really fair video… We call it The Brummie Riviera up here… Personally, I love the place and the surrounding areas/ countryside is amazing!!
I've never heard it being referred to as that, but I like it!
It's a place people love to come visit, but those who grow up here among the depravity of the town always have a different story.
Lived in Weston for 10 years and there's loads of positives. Although I did get attacked by Birbeck Pier and mugged in meadow street but loads of positives. Worked for North Somerset CAB. Did outreach on the Bournville. Some great characters.
Great video. I moved to Weston when I was middle-aged because it is well-linked and cheap. What is evident is that the town still perceives itself as a retirement place. Weston council needs to acknowledge that it is now part of Bristol's commuter belt and fix the town to suit the needs of younger families. Also, now that Birnbeck Pier is to be rebuilt, re-establish a sea-link to Cardiff to add to Weston's attractions. And, yes, Dolphin Square is a disgrace.
Restoration work is being carried out on those old buildings. I was there a couple of weeks ago and they had workmen doing some plastering inside. So progress is being made.
This video is a far more truthful portrayal of Weston. The videos from other peoples channels have been outright lies designed to make fake shocking videos more likes. All they did was edit in all the rough places. Weston as you know is a place many people want to move because it has loads of nice houses in lovely areas. Of course it has some rough corners like most towns all over the UK. Thanks for being more truthful.
Thanks for the kind words!
The curse of the town bit made me laugh, as it reminded me of a village in Wales, where there was a sign which said welcome to Skewen, you'll never leave.
Great video! Good to see you do something a little different now and then.
Thank you mate! Seems people are more interested in our shithole towns than our beautiful countryside 😅
Say that once more and you're getting blocked.
A nice contrast to your usual videos. Thank you. I feel your disillusionment with the town where you grew-up, and this will no doubt strike a chord with others. Though with my home town (Brighton), it is not the standard of infrastructure that is decaying - but the standard of the people.
Same can be said about Bristol, hence why I left!
Thanks for watching ✌️
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ In Bristol, the place is full of "joggers".
Went to Weston Super Mare when on holiday in West country. Been there on various occasions when on holiday either there or nearby. was in 2000s possibly 2007. Didn't see so rough then. Those lovely vintage houses can be fixed and reset up.
You always bring interesting facts up. I had a very evil grandfather who lived there as a child. I think he was born there… He was an Occultist, later became a Freemason and I remember couples visiting my childhood home in Sussex when I was very young. When I asked my mum who the people were she told me they were Rosicrucians. I’m not sure what they did there but they seemed focused on mum. There was definitely something missing in regards to mum. I’m not saying all Freemasons and Rosicrucians are evil, but some of them seem to be. I never knew WSM was associated with those “clubs”…
Aaaanyway… in more recent times I’ve noticed many towns plummeting. There will always be nicer areas and shite areas in every town. For me, any towns by the sea have a huge plus. I think it’s the air and brisk winds. Lots of foraging to be had on quieter coastal areas too.
ps If you fully dehydrated a hard turd, it can be polished 🤭
That's really interesting! It's definitely in the air here in Weston.
Well, even then, the turd would be so big, there wouldn't be enough polish in the world for it 😆
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ 😂
I quite like Weston tbh. I proposed to my wife in Sand Bay a few years ago, Brean Down is a really nice with a bonus free fort which you often can get to yourself. Town's a bit ropey (where isn't) but the front's still nice as a visitor. Even the old pier is a bit of a romantic ruin to look at. Hopefully the plans go ahead and that regenerates the area a bit, I think they've already started the work on the shore side so I imagine it will.
It'll certainly be interesting to see where the town ends up.
Great video and exploration. Love the message at the end as well.
Cheers, bro!
Loved weston in the 80`s, Tropicana was amazing as a kid, pubs and nightclubs were great, there are still some lovely parks there, i pop back to see family now and again since moving away around 2000, its not much better in many places in the uk, those people who live in weston and moan need to see other towns up and down the country and then they will realise how its not so bad at all, i couldn`t afford to move back
What is the address of the Osiris Temple in Weston?
We live just up the road in Burnham, and go there for some shopping, Food Markets at Italian Quarter, Greek Food, Café Nero, etc.
We also go to Kewstoke for some "Truther Meetings!"
Nice portrait of Weston - and you are a very sympathetic guy! All the best!
So sad to see the tropicana, It's a memory from the mid 60s for me, I can still conjure up a mental picture of the first time I saw it.I was 6 or 7 then.
5.44 at the entrance to Birnbeck Pier is a small building. In the mid-1980s, I'm pretty sure there was a little shop there, curios, antiques, We bought an old violin there and we still have it! (sadly not a Strad but it's been much played.) Love Weston - hope it can be brought back to its former seaside wonder and beauty.
This was a fascinating watch. Really appreciate the non sensationalist approach. And of course the alternative history etc.
When i was quite young, I'd misheard the name, and called it Weston Superman 😂
Thanks! And yes, that's a common mistake 😁
8:29 The Tropicana. If you ever visit just to let you know you DO NOT have to pay to park on that road, Marine Parade, the council like to tell you have to but you DO NOT HAVE TO PAY.
Great Video, very informative, thank you 👍👍👍, i was only filming down by Birnbeck yesterday
Every time I catch up with your vids I say to myself 'this is the best one yet, time to share again' then you out do it. Loved it and learnt a lot. Interesting fact, AC declared the same curse over Leamington Spa as he was born there and it still gets the odd mention from those in the know to this day. It's been 6 years now since I lived there but it still makes me think every time life throws a curve ball where I could end up again 😅
All the best.
Cheers, mate! Appreciate the support. I think Crowley put that curse on a lot of places he went!
Funny, I'm a French dude and I lived in both Leamington Spa for 6 months and Weston for a year back in 1999-2000... a f*%&ing one and a half year nightmare! ;-) I barely survived, my brother got me outta there and I left the island for good... These are cursed towns, I totally agree, my opinion about England is based on those only 2 towns so my tendency is to think that the whole island is cursed... Never will put a foot on those grounds ever again.
Good video,it’s a shame the council/government doesn’t start investing in the town ,renovate the run down unused housing ,reduce the rent on shops ,that big area in front of cinema start a farmers market general market again ,the other pier invest in it or pull down so much could be done such a shame
Indeed, so many wasted opportunities.
Interesting video and one of a few I've seen about Weston. I've lived near Sand Bay having moved from Bristol 3 years ago. I found I got on better with the locals if I didn't mention I lived in Bristol as Weston seems to get a bashing from press and media based in the city. However, Brummies seem to be treated almost like distant cousins. On place I really like is Sand Point and Middle Hope is a hidden gem.
That was good that you ended on a high note there. This is indeed a wonderful land which our ancestors fought so hard to defend over the centuries. With thought, planning and the right political leadership towns like Weston and even my long suffering hometown of Gosport can improve. Rather than throwing up 1.5 million newbuilds on Green Belt sites, why can't old existing properties be purchased and renovated for the locals...providing employment and accommodation ?
Seeing Dolphin Square gone makes me so sad. As a kid I loved going to the joke shop in there. At least replace it with something.
I know! It's all such a depressing sight to see what it is now.
Been coming to weston for over 50 years ,i never knew about the golden dawn connect, is it on hill side area.
Weston as well as weymouth have been hit by drug rehabilitation hmo's without any rehabilitation involved but if im correct eeston has more than any other coastal town.
Still sort of love the place though.
Good video - honestly done. The issue is not with the town - it's societal....will get worse before better. Nature is your friend.
It's all down to social engineering to accommodate
United Nations Agenda 30 - "the abolition of mankind."
Save your sole while you still can..................
Subscribed, great video over all 👌🏻
Thanks mate...always nice to get a local viewpoint.
Pleasure. Thanks for watching 🤙
I guess we get lovely sunsets and there is fantastic history in weston
Great video man, class black metal posters on your wall too. 🤘🏻🐐🗡️
Haha, cheers. The grimness of the town matches the grimness of my musical taste 😆
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ fully agree, awaiting the Trve necro one man metal release 🤘🏻😎🐐🗡️
@mrlnstrousden I've actually already done plenty of that, but keeping that separate from this (at least I'm trying 😅)
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ 🤣 fair enough man. which bands where you in?
Keeping that under my hat 😉 want to keep it as separate as I can.
Dolphin Square.....nooooooo!!!! Used to love the bakery, The cheap shop..... Jackie's Corner I think, those memories gone! Great videos, a new subscriber ❤
Cheer mate, and welcome!
Troll town keyboard warriors
Great video, straight onto googling the Osiris temple. I'd heard of the Golden Dawn before, I don't know where from. Off on a tangent: I e-mailed our local Masonic hall in Cheltenham out of interest, it's right in the centre of town and is the second oldest purpose built masonic lodge in the country, it's always grabbed my interest since I heard about it. It turns out, from the response I got that there are actually 9 lodges in Cheltenham but they all meet at the central hall. Or it could've been looking into the ONA and other occult stuff happening in the depths of the South West, no idea as they aren't related! or maybe it was just typing in "Occult south west england" on google and irrelevant to anything I've just stated, no idea. Anyway, this is a great video and I'm certain you'll have your 15 minutes of fame as the face of Weston.
There is a big movement of Free Masonry down here. Coming from a family of Free Masons, I know all about that!
There's been plenty of sightings of occult practices in Worlebury Woods, too. It definitely lingers around here!
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ I've typed two responses which have disappeared now. Probably for the best, I'll try to whittle it down further.
There are many conspiracies about Freemasonry, one being that because lodges have no windows bad stuff must be taking place inside.
I e-mailed the aforementioned lodge, simply requesting any reading material they'd read to get a grasp on what it's all about. The man seemed nice, he asked if I was looking to join or just get educated. People seem to think you need to be wealthy or have sleight-of-hand deals to be involved, that you need to be invited in. It appears pretty clear nowadays that due to declining membership numbers, as long as you can afford the annual subscription fee (£100-200 or so, depending on the lodge) you're welcome to join. I'm not looking to join, just to get an understanding of what they believe and practice.
I've been wanting to visit Savernake Forest for a while now and places linked to the occult, conspiracy or not, Chateau des Armerois and mysterious places. From this channel, I've bought 4 books on Gloucestershire, it's sparked an interest in what's going on around me. So, cheers!
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ I do in some parts wish that my actual bloody name wasn't linked to this account.
The integrity of Free Manonry has watered down over the years, with membership not being as hard to obtain as it used to be. What it is now is very different to what it used to be, but then I'm not fully sure what it used to be, or is now for that matter!
Seems to have down hill after they shut the in door market to make the town better!!!!
Was that near the main post office
I lived in wsm for 10 years, came back to London and hated it, one day hopefully I will go back to wsm for good
Potentially such a nice place
Great to see your perspective. Weston isn’t that bad, it’s just like many coastal towns that need to find their feet again
Love the jacket by the way!
The town seems centred around the main pier. Tacky shops.
I love the Birnbeck end with its victorian past. The council would bring in revenue if they concentrated on restoring the Victorian end. Those colonial style houses. The crescent is so grand. All that incredible history literally left to rot.
Yes , great vid dude 👍😎
Cheers mate 🫡
As a resident of Uphill, this seems an interesting video
Every British seaside town has gone downhill. It began when Britons started to take advantage of cheap European package holidays to find good weather. The British towns now have a tired image. It's difficult to see how they can re-invent themselves. Mass immigration might finally kill them off.
Wrong
You forgot to mention that the greatest Guitarist of the planet was born there. Ritchie Blackmore. . Thanks for posting and also sad to see whats happening to this once so great country.
Funny you say that, I was planning of mentioning that but it slipped my mind!
And no worries, thanks for watching!
Great video mate, love the black metal posters 👌
Cheers brother!
I liked what you said whilst walking through piss alley, a place is what you make it, older people realise it.
It really is. For a young person, your whole world is your hometown. You see it for what it REALLY is.
Fly tipping alley too
Also known as Weston Super Mud. At the lowest of low tides the waters edge is closer to Wales than England.
I holidayed in Weston and Brean as a kid in the 69's/70's. Many happy memories.
In 1979 I was moved down to Weston by my employers to be chief accountant for Compression Joints Ltd on Oldmixon. It was heaven, we bought a house on Bleadon Hill.
Sadly had to move back to the Midlands.
But I returned last December 2023. I was really disappointed. The town was run down, scruffy, people looked down at heel, homeless, drug rehab residents.
Obviously all my old haunts were either gone or completely changed.
Left me feeling very sad
Oh, and I remember the drive in off the motorway down Locking Rd with the rows of blossom trees and cider farm on Summer Lane...all ruined by development and Bristol overspill housing.
Off the Rails pub by the station, what a shame it closed down in the pandemic 😢
I remember that place!
I like Weston, coming down in a couple of days, came last year realy liked it 😊
I'll buy you a pint :)
excellent as always, isnt this where COIL lived ?
Yep, the flat John Balance jumped out of to kill himself is right next to the old Golden Dawn temple.
thats so wyrd, thank you @@_the_wessex_nomad_
Dolphin Square must be what I called the precinct. I had the worst fish and chips ever from there in the early 80s. I couldn’t even get the pigeons to eat them
Enjoyed this video. 👍
Cheers, mate!
The demise of Scallys Pub was a the final nail in the coffin of Weston.
I miss that pub!
Martial Records was shop you we're on about in folphin square. I think he's over on St James Street.
I loved that place!
I went to Weston a few years ago.
What a dump.
As you say, it was the only option for many before cheap air travel.
Your comment on the algae covered, rocky mudflat that is sand bay "definitely not a dump".
I disagree strongly!
Shame you think that. I always find it a pretty, relaxing, and tranquil place.
It’s enough to make you…, incandescent with rage🤔
hi i also live in weston i went on the pier before it burt down so i did not pay the cafe in the market was excelent took family up town most saterdays always popped in for a brew now the hotels full of migrents weston has gone downhill since we moved here in the 90s its a shame but never mind summer is comming we hope lol
I remember the trop when it was still a pool before they made it with the stupid plastic pinaple😂😂😂
We probably head banged together in Hobbits if you went there in 99-2000, was there every week. You forgot to mention that people seem to love trouble as it's the only thing you see and hear,. That shops are closed, it's one thing, but people's behaviours reflect a drastic lack of good parental education, just not enough to get and stay out of trouble or get and stay out of this town, it's just hopeless... Never will I return to Weston... It is cursed, 100%. Everybody there has a dramatic life, ... I feel sorry for the people that are stuck there...
I started going there from 2004. And yes, people in Weston that don't get outside of their bubble live a dull, dramatic life indeed.
Im not too far away, and I went to Dismal Land. i love the place and Burnham new sub appreciate
looks like dolphin square was levelled up
Osiris Temple lol? My brother lived there for 30 years. They were all bonking in that temple. An associate used to make good coin off them with the Escorts with "privileges".
Haha, interesting!
camped in my campervan there many a time last few years..never had a problem at all apart from parking wardens slapping a ticket on ya van
Living in the town centre, I know all about the traffic wardens around here! They really don't mess about.
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ yeah but i never paid them and never got bothered by the council bailiffs
, just dont knock Weston(-Super-Mare) its not the place or the history that hurt anyone, its more recent affairs, and, she will come back, to Blighty ✌🏻❤️🙏🏻
A heavy metal nightclub? I've never heard of such a place. Sounds a bit like the Blue Oyster Bar to me 😂
😂 Alastair Crowley didnt curse Weston-Super-Mare the bloke was a charlaton and nothing more than someone who could read books and sway his opinion, much like Politicians he was no different....the curse pre dated him, it was once said Henry Butt who was cursed the town, because the locals mistreated him and spoke ill of him and his work in the town, I myself am related to the historical family of Weston-Super-Mare before Weston-Super-Mare was Weston-Super-Mare, a family known as the Counsel family where pretty much all who where there, they lived and worked to fish off the shore, theyd use wooden rafts to skiff across the mud to their nets to haul the fish.
Very interesting. Thank you.
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ the Counsel family where originally the first exhibit in Weston Heritage Museum, from which I can't find is still there, but I don't live there anymore, I just watch all these programmes appalled but I knew it was on its way out to some degree, but, to be fair it's a fun and exciting place to grow up, if you know the area well enough for sure.
Being from a beach area where the beaches have actual sand (Miami/Fort Lauderdale), I'm laughing at what Weston calls "Sand Bay." Where is the sand? It looks like seaside property completely littered with construction debris. Are those rocks? Can they be cleared out to make an actual beach? (If not, why not...) It looks like the same type of rocks at the top of the hill path where Worleby Woods was pointed out, so a good chance they can be used elsewhere. You call it a "hidden gem" but say not a lot of people come there. I can see why they don't - it looks treacherous to even walk on, and I certainly wouldn't risk my dog's paw pads on those rocks. I'm looking at old photos of the town, and the beaches are all actual clean sand. I don't understand the town being left to rot when 50-quid flights became available to Spain. Here, that's when local business & government would have made sure to spruce up everything so that it wouldn't lose residents, tourists or businesses. Where I live, you can get to the Bimini or the Bahamas for that cheap and very quickly, and while they are popular in their own right, Florida makes sure that it keeps enhancing what it has to offer instead of letting trade, visitors & residents be lured away and you can see the result.
No where to park.tide is usually out.😊
Is depravity the correct word? And wasn't it The Romans that spoke latin?
GREAT VIDIO BUDDY
GOOD HONEST REVUE OF WSM THANK YOU WESSEX NOMAD
Well at least I could keep warm😢
Nice to meet u mate guess where im from lol 👍
The original Hobbits was iconic
West supper mud
Is scallys still there?
Unfortunately not! I used to really like that pub.
Bleadon village is nice too
david aldridge MP is committed to making a difference - let's see if he can
14:38 '6 bed house in the country' All Saints Road isn't in the country🙄
We are all witnessing this down full of our land, with out a hint of racism on what I'm saying ,this is due to forgetting our own peaple and the mass of drugs and drug dealers immigration brings seeking wealth mixed with our once great weekend culture, they have put the drugs with the alcohol and so many have fallen victim to this scerg and rendered our peaple brain dead ,its an attack on our society and our own brothers don't give a hoot..I like your video because I no what you feel.
Stop worrying about being called racist. It's exploited by others to silence criticism.
Sand? As a Dane it isn't at all what we call sand on a beach!
Hence, why this town is often referred to as Weston-super-Mud!
😢
I know WSM as quite a regular visitor there from North Wales. Although the video isn't as vicious an attack on a seaside resort as others I've watched, it's still filled with poor information from a jaded local.
WSM has more tourist industry than it's ever had. There have been estimates for a while giving the number of jobs entirely attributable to the effects of seaside tourism. The figures are exoressed as an average year-round figure - which eliminates the questiin of seasonality. In 2,008, 2,400 jobs were attributable entirely to seaside tourism and in 2012 that had risen, by 500, to 2,900.. Unfortunately, the studies lag by two years and haven't been published online since 2014, so those are the most recent I have, but disprove the video's claim of a decline at that time.
Picking out one derelict former hotel and an empty shop unit is not a good argument against record visitor survey figures and the estimates of the UK's leading academics in economic geography. Somehow, I don't think the Grabd Pier's pavilion would have been replaced on such an expensive scale if there were hardly any visiting customers. The jaded locals might not have any interest in it - or other visitor attractions, but you need to be objective. There's nothing to say that locals who've grown up in the resort are necessarily lovers of popular British resorts. Blackpool is a grand mecca for seaside holidays and day-trips and the fact that it is also inhabited by people with drug and alcohol addictions who hate their lives doesn't change that.
Those figures are high, most likely because of the likes of T4 On The Beach, Dismaland, the beach race, etc, of which I said brought tourism into Weston. And I didn't say tourism died down in 2010, I said the night life did, of which it definitely did, as I was there to witness! There were Sands, Senoritas, Madisons, Hobbits, Phoenix, and now they're all gone. What does that tell you?
The derelict hotels are an eyesore and showcases the decline of Weston. It's not a place you'd take the family for a week anymore, but somewhere to go for the odd Saturday here and there, or whenever the Tropicana has some stupidly expensive ride going on. Plus, the likes of Premiere Inn opening up in the centre really didn't help...
But hey, what do I know? I'm just a 'jaded local'.
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ The figures I have available put the number of jobs (as a year-round average) directly attributable to the effects of seaside tourism in hotels and restaurants - which includes bars/nightclubs at 1,100. That's 1,100 more than it would have if it wasn't a seaside resort and had little or no tourism.
That economy sector is one of four that are used to measure and the rough estimate increase over the four was 500 over 4 years. I don't know whether it increased in hotels and bars/restaurants but I imagine it did if there was that overall increase. The facts don't back you up.
All those empty properties are begging for some investment. What better than some tax payers money, which as we know, is a bottomless pit, to spruce the place up a bit.
It'll mean taking one for the team but lets make WSM, Rwanda by the sea. The illegal boat people only have the best of accomadation so it's a win win.
First class property, money flooding in, druggies needing their fix and a new class of people to help out. What could go wrong? Sounds like Shangri La to me.
Not to mention Sands night club.
Got to admit, I never went in!
wahid samady of cnm estates has a lot to answer for
All m.p.s....lying Bastard,s
Welcomr,..to the common wealth,...every thing common,...no one wealthy,....except the M.p.s.
They're deluded into thinking that having wealth is the solution. No one to be envious of.
Dark!
oh cmon dolphin square was shit too
Nah, I used to really like it. Some fond memories.
@@_the_wessex_nomad_ i used to run around hide and seek with my friends in the market amongst all the clothes lol
There all crap....all mps are crooks.
Aye corrupt bent politicians.