2023 has been designated the 'Year of the Pier', and in our final podcast of the season, we are celebrating Weston's piers. Of the 60 piers left in the UK, four can be found on North Somerset's 19-mile coastline, and three of them are in Weston!

We chat to pier experts Michelle Michael, one of the owners/directors of The Grand Pier and Revo, and Simon Talbot-Ponsonby, Director of  Birnbeck Regeneration Trust, about the history and future of Weston's three very different, iconic piers.

They discuss:

- The evolution of entertainment at The Grand Pier, from its Victorian beginnings to the present day
-  Michelle's family's aspirations for The Grand Pier and Weston
- The importance The Grand Pier places on hiring and training young people in Weston-super-Mare
- Large-scale events: The Grand Pier can seat up to 1,000 people, making it the biggest venue in the town
- The charity work Michelle, her team and The Grand Pier are involved with - at their recent charitable ball, they raised a staggering £410,000
- Celebrity visitor anecdotes from The Grand Pier
- Upcoming events, recent developments (including new feature lighting) and future investment happening at The Grand Pier.

- The history of Birnbeck Pier from its days as an enormous funfair to being commandeered as a secret weapons research establishment.
- How the implementation of modern transport lead to its demise.
- Birnbeck Pier's importance for the RNLI
- North Somerset Council's recent ownership of Birnbeck Pier after years of uncertainty.
- Funding,  grants and future plans for the restoration of the pier.
-Michelle and Simon's favourite places to eat out, shop and go in Weston-super-Mare.

You can also read a transcript of the podcast here.

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

This week, we talk to Simon Price, a partner at Alder King, and Jane Harrison, Head of Economy at North Somerset Council, about the increasing appeal of Weston-super-Mare as a place to locate a business, and for developer investment.

During the episode they discuss:

• Trends for business growth and interest in Weston, including industrial sector growth, particularly in advanced manufacturing. 
• How KMW and Rockhaven are collectively developing sites of over 130,000 sq. feet, speculating on positive market demand. 
• The attractiveness of locating a business in Weston, thanks to staff availability, good transport connections, culture-led regeneration and government investment, alongside ease of access to local government support, advice and business networks. 
• The great value for money of commercial property in Weston, where average top-end rents are £18 - £20 per sq. metre, whereas just 20 miles away in Bristol, they are £42 - £50 per sq. metre.  
• The importance of the Weston Enterprise Area and the handholding and support for any business moving into the area.  
• The many environmental and community groups in the town focused on areas like trees, plastics reduction, and sustainability that businesses may want to partner with for ESG goals.
• Investment in the High Street, the increase in independent businesses coming into the town centre and why large empty units like TJ Hughes remains empty. 

They also share with us some interesting facts about Weston, and their favourite places to go, eat and drink.

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

This week, host Becky Walsh chats with guests Fay Powell and Alan Smith, to discover what Weston has to offer this Christmas.

Alan Smith, Manager of The Sovereign, shares what the shopping centre has been up to over the past year, and their grand festive plans for December, including late night shopping and a Christmas light switch-on (30th November 2023).

Fay Powell,  Central Services Manager of Weston Town Council, shares the Christmas activities she has planned with her family including pantomimes, markets, workshops, and festive activities, and reveals her favourite local shops. 

Fay also talks about:

• Weston's grand Christmas lights switch-on  (2nd December 2023), funded by the town council and Weston BID, which will see the mayor, competition winners and celebrities from the Blakehay pantomime illuminating the town!
• eat: Food Festival, taking place in Winter Gardens and Italian Gardens on Small Business Saturday (2nd December). 
• Weston Museum's extended Christmas Market weekend (2nd-3rd December)

For more information about what’s on this Christmas in Weston head to the Visit Weston website.

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

The Stable is a vibrant hub that has woven itself into the fabric of the community in Weston-super-Mare. A multifaceted space, it offers everything from co-working offices, to a board game cafe, hot desks, a pub, pop-up food shop, artisan markets and more.

In the latest episode of the We are Super Weston podcast, Councillor Jemma Coles - the driving force behind the remarkable transformation of the building and ongoing community initiatives - tells us about her journey and how The Stable got to where it is today.

Host Becky and Jemma talk about:

• What led Jemma to this role
•  The vision behind this thriving community hub 
• The diversity of businesses that have set up at The Stable and subsequent opportunities for networking
• The foresightedness of their community initiatives, such as Stable Foundations, which has been instrumental in supporting young people with learning disabilities and others who may have been overlooked by traditional support systems
• Her favourite places to eat out and shop in Weston

More about The Stable 

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

The West Country is fast becoming a hotbed for entrepreneurial food and drink producers thanks to food and drink innovation centre, Food WorksSW, which opened in 2020.  If you have an idea for a new food or drink product, or have a small food business you want to scale-up,  Food WorksSW can help you innovate and grow.

Located just off the A370 into Weston-super-Mare, The Food WorksSW offers food-grade business units and development kitchens, as well as hands-on food technical and specialist business support, conference and meeting rooms, a business lounge for co-working and a coffee shop.

On today’s podcast, host Becky is chatting to Rebecca Hale - Marketing and Facilities Manager of Food WorksSW, and Alli Briaris, owner of Drinks Kitchen alcohol-free beverages.  

They talk about: 

• The amazing facilities at the Food WorksSW for food producers and those looking for co-working space
• The businesses who are benefiting from the Food WorksSW services
• The story behind Alli setting up her own non-alcoholic beverages business, Drinks Kitchen
• How the Food WorksSW has helped Alli’s business scale-up.
• How the eat: Festivals have helped give Alli’s product an outlet to sell, along with a community of supportive producers 

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

With house prices considerably lower in Weston-super-Mare* than the West Country capital, Bristolians are moving to the North Somerset seaside town in their droves.  

In this week’s podcast, we talk to David Plaister - owner of the family-run Weston Estate Agency that bears his name - about this growing trend, where the best places are to live in Weston and what’s going on with the property market in general.

Becky and David discuss: 

• The trend for people moving to Weston from Bristol 
• How Weston has become a ‘suburb of Bristol’ due to its excellent train connections
• The sense of community, great schools, and hospital in Weston
• Some of the popular areas to live in the town

For more information about David Plaister:

Website: https://www.davidplaister.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidplaister/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/davidplaisterltd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidplaisterltd

*According to Rightmove, the average house price in Weston in 2023 is £271,853, in comparison to Bristol at £393,582.  With semi-detached houses in Weston reaching £289,413, while in Bristol they are £429,391. 

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

Perched on the edge of the Mendip Hills, surrounded by gorgeous Somerset countryside and with miles of flat seafront promenade, Weston-super-Mare is a walker’s paradise.

In episode 13 of our We are Super Weston podcast, host Becky Walsh speaks to local experts, Paul Batts - owner of independent shop, Outdoors & Active - and Jane Murch, Visitor and Information Services Manager for Visit Weston, about the best places to go for a stroll in and around Weston.

They discuss:

• Their favourite walking trails in and around Weston-super-Mare
• The opening of the new King Charles III England Coast Path and related celebrations at Weston Museum
• Health tourism in Weston
• Their favourite things about working and living in the town
• Weston Literature Festival's special guest Raynor Winn (author of The Salt Path)  5-8 October.  
• Best places to stay (including dog-friendly places!), eat and drink in Weston

Discover more on our blog: superweston.net/latest

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

In today’s episode, we chat with former Combat Paramedic Ben Peters, about some of his many adventures,  his work with young people and WhatSUP paddleboarding, and some of the adrenaline sports on offer in Weston.  

Born and bred in Weston, Ben's extraordinary life has seen him paddleboard down the Amazon River, work as Bear Grylls’ medic and help rebuild the British Virgin Islands with Richard Branson.

Host Becky Walsh talks to him about:

• Where his appetite for adrenaline comes from and how it has inspired his youth work in Weston-super-Mare
• What led him to working with Bear Grylls and Richard Branson
• The fantastic range of outdoor activities on offer in Weston for those who want adventure and excitement (e.g kitesurfing, windsurfing, blokarts, stunt kites, paddleboarding and canoeing to name a few!) 
• How people looking to participate in water and windsports can stay safe in the water in Weston by getting involved with local clubs
• His involvement with Weston Wind, Wheels and Waves, and the accessibility of his paddleboarding club, WhatSUP UK (which includes a wheelchair accessible paddleboard)
• Fascinating facts about Knightstone Island in Weston
• Celiac-friendly places to eat out in Weston
• The upcoming Weston Beach Race

Here are a few links to help you find out more about Weston’s wind, water and adrenaline sports:

South & West Association of Traction Kiting

The Mudlarks

Weston Rollers’ Skate Nights

Visit Weston
Weston Blokart Club

Discover more on our blog www.superweston.net/latest

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

Each September allows us to delve deeper into Weston-super-Mare’s history through the national Heritage Open Days festival. This year, it’s taking place from Friday 8th to Sunday 17th.   

 In today’s episode, we talk to two of our local heritage specialists– Jane Hill, Heritage & Communication Officer at Weston Museum and Cara MacMahon, North Somerset Council’s Heritage Action Zone Project Manager.  Cara, Jane, and Becky, highlight some of our town's rich heritage and what you can find at this year’s Heritage Open Days event.

They share with us:

• How Weston developed as a seaside town through the coming of the railways. 
• The work of local Architect Hans Price whose work can be seen throughout Weston in the many historic buildings dating back to the 1850s.
• The investment in the shop fronts and buildings in the town centre over the past six years, which has been made possible thanks to the Heritage Action Zone projects funded by Historic England. This includes work on buildings including the Fork n Ale Taproom and Kitchen and Walker and Ling, Weston’s family-run department store.
• Dr Fox and his development of Knightstone Island, and the rise of Weston as a place to improve health and wellbeing.
• The website Know Your Place where local people share their photos and stories.  It's a great resource for those wanting to search the history of their house and its location through the ages. 
• Some of the buildings that are open, experiences and events taking place as part of the national Heritage Open Days Festival.  Find out more here.

Here are a few links to help you find out more about Weston’s heritage. Find more on our blog www.superweston.net  

Weston’s Heritage Open Days Festival Programme 2023
Weston Museum - a great place to visit with lots to see and do (great cafe too!)
Know Your Place map - find interesting information about different areas of Weston
Heritage Open Days - National visitor information North Somerset 

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy

If your culinary go-to for food in Weston-super-Mare is a bag of chips on the seafront from the chippy, let us broaden your gastronomic horizons. 

In this episode, we discuss the surprisingly excellent food on offer in Weston (some of it produced by our two guests, local hospitality owners, Anna Southwell from Loves Cafe and Sprout Cafe, and Prayag Rajpura from Cumin-Alive and Dark Arts Rebel Kitchen. 

They share with us:

• Why they chose to run vegan establishments
• How Anna started her Garden Grooves summer sessions in Grove Park
• How they cook everything from scratch and infuse their food with love 
• The positive changes they have noticed in Weston over the past few years
• Family-friendly days out in the town (and why they no longer feel the need to travel to Bristol when Weston has so much to offer)
• The wonderful Grove Village area
• Their favourite places in Weston to visit and eat out

Follow Sprout (Instagram or Facebook) and Loves (Instagram or Facebook) - you’ll find updates on upcoming events as well as pictures of their food to try and tempt you in for lunch!

Follow Cumin-Alive on Facebook or Instagram for future events and new menu ideas.

Check out Dark Arts Rebel Kitchen food delivery service (also on Instagram) 

For more inspiration on places to eat and drink in Weston, go to the Visit Weston website.

To comment on today's conversation head over to Instagram or LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would so appreciate it if you could rate, review and subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify - it helps us to share the amazing stories of the people of Weston-super-Mare.

Huge things are happening in Weston-super-Mare, the creative, historic seaside town on the Somerset coast in the South West of England.

Find out more on our website Super Weston

Huge thanks to our host Becky Walsh and our voiceover artist Matt Hardy