A family-run pedalo business that has been a fixture on Weymouth Beach for over half a century has closed its doors, with its owner directly blaming financial pressures exacerbated by Chancellor Rachel Reeves's tax policies.
A Difficult and Emotional Decision
Sam Jones announced the closure of the seasonal pedal boat service in Dorset, a decision he described as 'difficult and emotional'. The business, which began with his grandfather David Jones in the early 1960s, will not return for the 2026 season. Mr Jones stated that operating a seasonal leisure firm today is vastly different from when it started, citing a significantly changed environment marked by rising costs, increased regulation, and greater risk.
He pointed to two successive Labour budgets as the final straw, making the operation financially unviable. Until last summer, tourists paid £3.50 per person for a 30-minute ride in Weymouth Bay, a price he found impossible to increase sufficiently to cover escalating expenses.
Soaring Costs and Training Burdens
The owner detailed a perfect storm of financial pressures. Staffing costs have risen sharply due to successive increases in the National Minimum Wage and National Insurance contributions, with some areas seeing costs effectively triple over time. A specific burden highlighted was the £1,000 required to train a single seasonal worker on mandatory safety boat courses. As staff often leave at the end of each season, this investment offers little long-term return.
Mr Jones also cited soaring insurance premiums, maintenance costs, compliance obligations, and general inflation. The family had held a lease to operate the pedalos until 2029 but has reached an agreement with Weymouth Town Council to surrender it early.
Broader Impact and Council Response
The closure means the loss of not just the pedalos but also a row of beach chalets the company hired out to the public. Councillor David Harris, leader of Weymouth Town Council, expressed sadness at the loss of the traditional business. The council's Finance and Governance Committee agreed to the early lease termination and will now consider other 'income generation' ideas for the seafront.
This case highlights the acute pressures facing seasonal tourism businesses across the UK, coming amid reports of hundreds of pubs and restaurants banning Labour MPs in protest at rising business costs. For the Jones family, it marks the end of a three-generation chapter in Weymouth's beach life, a casualty of an economic climate they can no longer navigate.
