Residents have expressed shock and disappointment after vandals smashed 16 windows at public toilets on Weymouth’s seafront during the early hours.The damage occurred at the town council’s unisex toilet block located beneath the Beach Office on the Esplanade. Weymouth Town Council confirmed that the incident was captured on CCTV and the footage has been passed to Dorset Police as part of their investigation.
Although repair work has already begun, three of the toilets remain closed while further work is carried out.
A spokesperson for Weymouth Town Council said: “Our teams worked quickly to repair 16 windows that were vandalised at the King’s Statue toilets. The block had to close temporarily while repairs were carried out, but most of the toilets are now open again. We would like to thank members of the public for their patience and understanding. CCTV footage will be shared with the police.”
Local resident Tasha Green noticed the damage while walking along the seafront with her daughter, Hali.
She said: “Hali was the first to see the broken windows and she was upset and angry about it. There’s really no need for vandalism like that, especially on that scale.
“She was worried about people getting hurt because there was a lot of broken glass on the ground. It was reassuring to see Dorset Council’s street cleaning team already clearing glass from the other side of the building, and Weymouth Town Council acted quickly to repair the damage and reopen the toilets.”
Another passer-by said it was upsetting to see the damage but praised how quickly it had been dealt with.
They said: “I noticed the smashed windows and glass all over the floor. It’s sad that someone would do something like that, but they did a great job fixing it quickly and getting the toilets back open.”
Nearby businesses have also been affected by vandalism. The Sunflower Café next door recently had its flower planters destroyed.
In a statement at the time, the café owners said: “Once again, the first flower stand has been smashed. The structure collapsed and crushed the plants underneath, and the next stand was also damaged. These aren’t just stands and flowers – they’re something we built with care, love and hard work.”
Dorset Police confirmed they received a report of criminal damage shortly after midnight.
A spokesperson said: “We received a report at 12.29am on Monday, March 2, regarding criminal damage to public toilets on The Esplanade in Weymouth. It was reported that planters had also been destroyed.
“Enquiries into the incident are ongoing and no arrests have been made at this time.”
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