Weymouth councillors defer decision on popular swimming rafts as residents push for their return
Weymouth’s cherished swimming rafts could return after councillors showed unanimous support for them
A decision on whether to remove Weymouth’s popular swimming rafts has been put on hold after a public backlash.
councillors voted unanimously to delay a decision on whether they should be removed permanently, following confusion over their sudden disappearance earlier this year.
The floating platforms, long considered a cherished part of local beach culture, were taken out at the start of the summer after Weymouth Town Council said concerns had been raised by the RNLI.
Their removal sparked an immediate backlash, with sea swimmers staging a protest and a petition calling for their return.
This week, council officers recommended that the rafts be axed altogether but councillors pushed back, agreeing instead to defer the decision in the hope of finding a compromise that balances safety concerns with residents’ wishes.
Cllr Jon Orrell told a committee meeting: “When I grew up, I used to swim out to the rafts. My own children have now been able to repeat that experience.
“The rafts have become a really integral part of Weymouth life and the loss of them is very keenly felt.”
An open-water swimmer urged councillors to listen to local voices: “The rafts need to go back. You need to listen to the public and do something positive for them.”
Several councillors stressed that none of them had sought the rafts’ removal, with one uttering: “I haven’t spoken to a single councillor or officer who has a desire to remove the rafts.”
However, officers warned that safety concerns remained significant and pointed to the 13 rescues that occurred at Greenhill last year.
The final decision on the rafts’ future will be made at a later meeting, leaving the town divided between sentiment and safety as it awaits a verdict.