The Jones family and Weymouth Town Council have agreed to bring the current lease for the Weymouth Beach Facilities to an early end, following a request made to the Town Council’s Finance and Governance Committee on 17 December.
Under the existing arrangement, the family held a lease to operate beach chalets and watercraft provision on Weymouth beach. The lease was due to run until 2029 and will now be surrendered early by mutual agreement, returning responsibility for the area to Weymouth Town Council.
The decision has been taken collaboratively to give the Council flexibility to consider future options for facilities on Weymouth beach, reflecting changing expectations of public spaces and the economic challenges facing seasonal leisure businesses.
The beach facilities have been operated by the Jones family since the early 1960’s, when David Jones began working on Weymouth beach as a teenager, designing and operating the first wooden watercraft, known as floats. Over subsequent decades, the business developed through hard work, innovation and a strong commitment to public safety and customer care, becoming a long-established part of Weymouth’s beach offer. Today, the operation is led by Sam Jones.
Sam Jones said: “This has been a very difficult and emotional decision. Our family has been part of Weymouth beach life since the early 1960s, starting with my grandfather, David Jones. We are immensely proud of the role the business has played over three generations and of the standards and safety record we have upheld throughout that time.”
Sam added: “This decision reflects the reality that operating a seasonal leisure business today is very different to when this all began. Stepping back now allows Weymouth Town Council the opportunity to consider how Weymouth’s prime asset, its stunning beach, should evolve to meet future needs.”
Like many leisure operators, the business has faced increasing pressures in recent years, including increases in the minimum wage, National Insurance, business rates, insurance premiums and more stringent health and safety requirements. These pressures are particularly acute for seasonal operations. Despite ongoing efforts to manage costs through efficiencies, investment and economies of scale in areas such as storage and transportation, long-term sustainability has become increasingly challenging.
Sam Jones continued: “We are grateful to Weymouth Town Council, and to its predecessor authority, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, for the opportunity to operate on Weymouth beach for so many years. As a family with long standing ties to the town, we remain committed to supporting initiatives that help Weymouth thrive and continue to be a welcoming and vibrant place for businesses, residents and visitors alike.”
Weymouth Town Council will now consider future options for Weymouth beach as part of its wider approach to managing and enhancing the town.
Cllr David Harris, Leader of Weymouth Town Council, said: “It is very sad that this traditional, family-run business will not be returning to Weymouth Beach for the 2026 season, and we appreciate this has not been an easy decision for the owners to make.
“The request to surrender the lease by the Jones family was considered by the Finance and Governance Committee on Wednesday evening (17th December) when Councillors agreed to an early end of the current lease.
“The committee also agreed that other income generation ideas could be developed in conjunction with partners and businesses, and any suitable ideas would be brought back to a future meeting of the Environment and Services Committee to consider.”
