Category: Stream Trains

What are you looking forward to?

BOOKING A HOLIDAY…………YEAH!

Very soon we will all be able to go on holiday. Wales, Scotland and England all have different opening up dates, but the important one for us here in West Somerset is the 12th April. This is the earliest date that you will be able to take a break in self catering accommodation. So if you’re planning to get away at your earliest convenience best make sure you’ve booked with someone who will honour your booking if for any reason it all changes for the glorious 12th!

Speaking with a friend who works at one of the local holiday parks I was informed that caravan sales have been steady all through lock down with people buying using virtual tours to make their decisions. I was also told that holiday bookings were going really well with some weeks completely booked up already.

So it looks like it could be quite a busy season. I’m sure that it will start slowly  (I wouldn’t want to book for the 12th and find I might not be able to get away) but the momentum is already building.

RIDING THE TRAIN…………YEAH!

The West Somerset Railway is re-opening on Saturday 22nd May. Great news for all those in need of a train fix. I was however upset to discover that although the WSR is reopening, the limited service will not get as far as Watchet! The first trains will run from Bishops Lydeard to Williton and return. The plan is that as Government restrictions are lifted the train service will extend to Watchet and Blue Anchor on Saturdays. It is hoped that by July the whole line will be available. The line needs to be fully open for September so that the 1940’s weekend can go ahead. YEAH!

VISITING THE MUSEUM…………YEAH!

The Watchet Boat Museum and Market House Museum will be open from the 17th May.

NEW FOR 2021…………YEAH! YEAH! YEAH?

The new East Quay development is due to open during the summer. With 12 workshops, a papermill, geology lab. art gallery, café and with plenty to do for the family, the East Quay will be the place to visit this summer.  YEAH!

Watchet Marina has new owners and they are promising great things. Looking forward to saying goodbye to the mud and ‘Hello’ to the Sailors!!   YEAH!

Your visit!  See you in the Visitor Centre…………..YEAH?

Watchet 1940s Weekend 2019

ARE YOU READY FOR THE INVASION?

The clocks go back at the weekend to the 1940s.

The bunting has been sewn, plans have been made, props have been built, dresses have been bought, menus selected and panic has taken over!

The 13th, 14th and 15th September will see Watchet invaded by large groups of re-enactors. As part of the West Somerset Railway ’40s Weekend, Watchet once again goes all out to re-create a 1940s town. Shops and businesses will have bomb taped windows, shop windows will be dressed, cafes and pubs will serve 40s fare.

The air raid sirens will sound and the trains will carry military hardware.

FRIDAY INVASION

Friday sees the invasion of 140 evacuees! They will arrive by train and be taken to the Methodist hall where they will be allocated their families. Receive a lunch of spam sandwiches and cake and their allotted sweet ration.

In the Boat Museum, music from Betty Bluebird will be part of the evening celebration.

SATURDAY INVASION

The arrival of the re-enactors from all over the country  will see Watchet’s population explode! Saturday has a full program of entertainment on the Esplanade, with Brass bands, community choir, stalls, 40s singing groups and individuals. Military vehicles and personnel moving around the town. Tea shops filled with cake and pubs with liver and onions!!!

SUNDAY INVASION

Uniformed personnel will attend a church service on Sunday morning at the war memorial this will start the day rightly remembering those who gave their lives for our freedom. Then the music will begin once again on the esplanade, time for dancing and having fun. Drinking tea, eating cake and enjoying the afternoon sun (which has been booked!)until we can do no more.

By 5 o’clock we’ll all be full of cake, feet will ache, heads will be pounding and we’ll ll be totally exhausted!! Don’t forget……………….

ONLY A YEAR TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ONE!!

Welcome to our Website!

 

Welcome to our beautiful Watchet website! Take a look around!

The lovely bright Watchet Scratch the Surface logo and colour coded signage is Watchets own branding and marketing strategy.

Central government funding helped set up the Coastal Communities Team back in 2015. As part of the initial funding CCT set up a Branding Committee which set out to produce a logo and colour coding strategy for the promotion of Watchet. This logo and strategy was agreed by CCT,  Watchet Town Council and Onion Collective (Fund holder) as a joint town marketing strategy. The Watchet Scratch the Surface logo is available for use to promote our lovely town, please contact info@lovewatchet.co.uk if you would like to use this logo on your promotional information.

This website was funded by a grant from LEADER, a European Union initiative funding community-led local development for rural areas. Its aim is to promote Watchet, support Watchet businesses and advertise Watchet Events.

Watchet Visitor Centre actively promote Watchet using the Watchet Scratch the Surface branding.