Weymouth Town Council scraps popular beach rafts after 87 years with health and safety ‘killjoys’ blamed

Weymouth Beach’s much-loved swim rafts, which have been a fixture in the Dorset resort for nearly 90 years, are being scrapped due to health and safety concerns.

Weymouth Borough Council has announced that two platforms anchored in the sea off Weymouth since 1939 and used by generations of swimmers will not return this summer.

The decision followed consultation with a law firm specializing in health and safety issues, which concluded the rafts posed a “significant risk to the public”.

The company warned that the municipality could face criminal liability in the event of a serious accident.

The expert advice came with a warning from the RNLI that the pontoons were “outside the ‘primary response area’ of beach lifeguards and therefore pose a risk”.

A council officer’s assessment also described the rafts as “an artificial offshore attraction rather than a natural feature of the sea”, citing Occupiers’ Liability Acts and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The assessment noted that breaching health and safety regulations is a criminal offense and prosecution is possible “even without an incident” if serious risks are not managed.

The move has led some to blame health and safety “arbitrary” for the loss of popular comfort.

Constable Ian Milne concluded in his report: “On the available evidence, removal of the rafts is not only the lowest risk option, but also the only option that reduces the risk to a level that is reasonably defensible in law.”

Liberal Democrat-led Weymouth Councilors supported the recommendation and voted for the rafts not to return.

The decision sparked outrage among beachgoers, who said there had never been an accident linked to them.

Christine James, from sea swimming group Weymouth Bluetits, said: “The rafts are apparently dangerous but they have been there for over 80 years and have not previously been considered dangerous.

“Health and safety has gone crazy. The council is scared for health and safety.

“What happened to people taking personal responsibility? We’re not allowed to do anything for ourselves anymore.

“Rakes were something that was fun for everyone and helped people stay fit.

“We went out there, pushed the kids away and sat and chatted for a while before swimming back.

“Most people who have been here all their lives will say they have never had a problem.

“Anyone who goes into the sea does so at their own risk. Why doesn’t the council put up signs saying ‘use rafts at your own risk’?”

The loss of the rafts follows the withdrawal of pedal boats from Weymouth beach due to health and safety rules and government tax increases on small businesses.

Christine said: “We’ve lost the paddle boats, and now the rafts. Basically anything fun other than cycling has been banned.”

The news that the rafts would not return this summer also caused concern on social media.

One commenter said: “Why don’t you close the beach, I mean come the water might be unsafe.

“These rafts have been sitting there for years without any problems, then a little nuisance comes along and creates a problem that wasn’t there.

“No wonder Weymouth is dying, we don’t need people coming in and having them driven away by these stupid bureaucratic procedures.”

A spokesman for Weymouth Borough Council said: “The council has sought legal advice from a law firm specializing in health and safety.

“We have provided them with all the RNLI reports and correspondence the Council has received, as well as other background information including committee reports and correspondence with our insurance company.

“Lawyers concluded that the documents provided clear and convincing evidence of a significant risk to the public.

“The report they provided shows that effective mitigation measures for rafts cannot realistically be achieved in practice.

“No operator is willing or able to provide the necessary oversight or operational support and key risks remain highest.

“This situation is compounded by the cancellation of insurance cover for rafts that cannot currently be reinstated.

“In these circumstances, Weymouth Borough Council will be exposed to significant liability risk if the rafts are redeployed.

“Given the identified risks to public safety, any claims made against us will be difficult to defend.

“Based on the legal advice received, removing the rafts is not only the lowest risk option but also the only option that can be considered legally and operationally defensible.

“This was a painful decision and not one taken lightly.”