I live near Weston-Super-Mare.
Up until a few months ago, I had always wondered why the local media never mentioned that Roald Dahl had spent a few years at school in Weston, they take every opportunity to name-drop Jill Dando, John Cleese and even Jeffery-cunting-Archer, but never one of the worlds best loved authors. Then I read his autobiography. The chapter that covers his time in Weston begins; “Weston-Super-Mare is a seedy little seaside town…” and goes on to describe how miserable he was during his time there.

Now Weston takes a lot of flack, and I had always assumed that it had had its heyday in the pre-war years, but Roald wrote that in 1984 and was describing Weston in the 1920’s, which suggests that it has always been a dump. Quite frankly it is getting worse, it seems that all the best parts have either shut down or burnt down. During the summer I paid Weston a visit and took the opportunity to check out some of the places I frequented as a child/teenager in the late 80’s/early 90’s.

Trapnells Model Shop: I loved this place as a kid, whether your thing was Airfix model kits or Kiel Kraft balsa wood gliders or radio controlled cars or BB guns, Trapnells had it all and if it didn’t, Mr. Trapnell would order it for you. I had phoned the day before but nobody had answered, when I got there I saw why. Steel Shutters were locked down and a notice said “We have shut for good”. I moved on to…

10:15 Records: A great place, just like the shop in High-Fidelity except it was 2 shops in 1, the shop on the left was second hand records, the shop on the right was second hand stereos, musical instruments, computers and the like. Now also closed down, so I moved on to…

The Arcades: Now I have to admit that I was never a big fan of playing the arcades, as a teenager I saved up for an Amiga to get my gaming fix, but I spent many a happy afternoon watching my mates spunk away their hard earned paper-round money on Street Fighter 2 or Mortal Kombat. I was interested to see how the arcades had survived in the era of X-Box and PS3 where every kid has an arcade perfect machine in their own bedroom. The simple answer was that they hadn’t, they were now full of fruit machines and despair. I walked down to…

The Grand Pier: Obviously I knew it had burned down, but I wasn’t prepared for all the idiots I heard laughing about it. Yes that’s right, “HA FUCKING HA!” The one decent attraction Weston had to offer is now a twisted eyesore, I suppose it goes well with the derelict Tropicana swimming pool just down the promenade. As I walked off in disgust I noticed some ragged looking pigeons pecking at a large dog turd, someone had taken the effort to push a couple of plastic forks into it.
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 15:37, 10 replies)

I'm shocked that you managed to survive a trip to the arcades without being accosted by the feral children that live there

( MrSanity has maybe kicked the WoW habit forever, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 16:16, closed)

This makes me sad
Weston has the potential to be somewhere really special.

My auntie Joan and uncle John lived there before they passed away, I have many happy memories of the place. Cycling there during the 80s 90s was also fun. Also had some good nights out there, it can be a bit
scary though - Pagga City.

The pier burning down is a tragedy, nothing less.

Cunts who laugh at that are cunts.

Dr S
(Dr Skagra glorious glargzhem, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 16:40, closed)

Weston Supermud
My only lasting memory of the place was wading with my Dad and brothers through what seemed like an eternity of mud to reach the sea.

I loved it.
( Moey, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 17:22, closed)

Ahh, this brings me back to my Weston days
Trapnells was the #1 source for all my things Airfix from 1988-1990 - brilliant little shop

I also worked at 10:15 records for the summer pre-university in 1994.
John, the proprieter, used to hire recovering Portugese drug adicts from the rehab centre as cheap labour. Myself, not being a portugese junkie, still got paid the same - £15 a day for the 9am-6pm shift, which works out at about £1.87 an hour.
I overcame the slave wages issue by selling myself things I like at cost price - I have a bag of rare Cure vinyl in my loft :)
( Weetobix, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 17:22, closed)

I cried when the pier burnt down
My kids and I had many many happy hours on there...the rest of Weston is utterly devoid of charm. Apart from the lovely little train down the far end.
(Betty Spencer did a whoopsie on the carpet on, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 18:16, closed)

Trapnells...
Sadly Geoff (I think that was right) Trapnell died back in 2000ish. Left WsM without a decent model shop and in it's place opened a sodding Dolls House shop. Obviously that has now gone tits up as well. Mr T actually did a Bing Crosby on the fairway and passed away during a round of golf. Really decent guy, sadly missed.
(elfinpunk Touching Cloth Since, Fri 30 Oct 2009, 18:43, closed)

Funny how perceptions differ
I moved here about 18 months ago and to be honest I really love the peace and quiet of Weston. It is sad that the Pier burned down, but it is sadder that Birnbeck is collapsing into the sea.

I am not a great one for shops or noisy pubs, but during the summer just gone I sat in a beer garden with my good friend Nicola and played Backgammon in the evening sunshine. Now that may not sound like much, but that is one of the best memories I have because the place and the company was just perfect.

Quite often I cycle or ride the motorbike down the Toll Road and head over to Sand Bay, another hidden gem. Sand Point is a real beauty spot, a great place to sit and think, watch the ships sail past on the way to Bristol.

Yeah, I love Weston. I moved here because of my lovely partner and yes there are some places that could do with a lick of paint. However Summer evenings on the sea front with about a thousand other bikers makes Weston a cool place.

At the moment the sea defences are being repaired, the Grand Pier is being rebuilt with a lovely new building and they are still talking about how to repair the Tropicana, but things can only improve from here. I just wish some one could save Birnbeck.
( Rev. Jayneflakes Buy my book, I need the cash for drugs and hookers, Sat 31 Oct 2009, 9:07, closed)

I too have fond memories of W-S-M (as it is referred to from the M5)
now on recent visits, it does seem really run down and derelict, my lasting memory of my last visit was a family watching their little boy fishing for crabs in the harbor while they swigged from pint cans of Stella. At 11am.

The one thing that seems to have stood the test of time? The crazy golf course by the Winter Gardens.

It is exactly the same as it was 25 years ago: the windmill hole; the boat-thing that never seemed to be working; the "19th hole" thing at the end that would give you a free go if you successfully putted (but we never had the opportunity as we would need to get the coach home)

Despite all the changes, it's the one thing that's remained constant.

Long live the crazy golf.
( h3donist tryin' to play me out as if my name is Sega.., Sat 31 Oct 2009, 21:34, closed)

I always see this
We would always coast past on our way to park in the Sovereign Centre, and I would glumly sit in the back seat and stare at the happy children playing golf.
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Mon 2 Nov 2009, 14:05, closed)

As I remember
Roald was very quick in his description of the town itself, and focused his efforts on the epic cruelty of master/prefects in the school he attended. He makes it sound truly hellish.

WSM, I'm sorry to say, is a dump. The children of that town led my teacher mother to an early retirement - anyone who knows Broadoak knows why - and it's last piece of vaguely pleasant attractions has gone. Walking down the pier was an occasioanly habit of mine and the missus', but I'll be happy to see something new and shiny put up.

Best thing about Weston is the roads around it - The coast is great, and the A369 between there and the A38 is my favourite road to open the taps. Beautifully wide.
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Mon 2 Nov 2009, 14:10, closed)