A £30,000 war chest has been unlocked for a task force in Watchet set up to help the town and its businesses after the closure of the B3191 road.
Somerset Council has officially signed an agreement with Watchet Task Force for the funding to be spent on promoting the town with the aim of boosting visitor numbers.
The money will be used to support social media promotion, advertising, events, and a long-term review of the design of the town to explore the potential for future improvements.
In addition, new permanent signage has been installed across Watchet to provide information about accessing communities, including improved and updated brown signs for the Blue Anchor area.
The council’s team has also been liaising with parish councillors in Old Cleeve on a number of measures to support the community and mitigate the impact of the B3191 closure.
The proposals include:
‘No HGVs’ signage – now in place
New name plates for Chapel Cleeve and Old Cleeve – on order
Additional 30 mph speed markings – due to be installed shortly
Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) - on order
A review of speed limits in the parish area - ongoing
The council is continuing to work alongside Watchet Task Force, the town’s Visitor Centre, the community-run Onion Collective, and local businesses to support the local economy.
Other important measures include:
Somerset Council and Watchet Task Force working with Visit Somerset and Visit Exmoor on a package of measures to promote the town
Work to establish a new coastal path route and work to enhance existing routes for walkers and cyclists
Promotion and support from Somerset Council via media and social media
A proposed realignment of the car park entrance in Swain Street to improve traffic flow
Proposed realignment of the road at the entrance to Watchet so traffic is directed along Harbour Road rather than Swain Street
Somerset Council executive Cllr Ros Wyke said: “It is fantastic to see the partnership work going on in Watchet to support the town and local businesses.
“This is about building resilience and ensuring the local economy survives and thrives in the long-run.
“The message for potential visitors to this lovely corner of Somerset is simple – Watchet is open for business and here all year.
“We want to ensure the community and local businesses have a good summer, autumn, and winter.”
The council closed the B3191 at Cleeve Hill indefinitely earlier this year due to safety concerns following a geotechnical survey looking at serious and significant cliff erosion close to the road.
It revealed further movement was inevitable, with the conclusion that it would be impossible to safely reopen the road without major intervention.