Dorset News
The latest Dorset news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Dorset Hosepipe Ban: Your Bill Decides, Not Your Postcode
Wessex Water and South West Water have banned hosepipes. Bournemouth Water has not, so check who bills you. The 11 banned uses and the £1,000 fine.
More stories
House prices
Dorset house prices: £325,410 average, up 1.6% in a year
The June figure is up £5,187 on a year ago but down on the month, 196th of 295 English areas for growth. Semis and terraces rose 2.6%, flats fell, and the 2022 peak is still £26,717 away.
Arts
Dorset culture fund: £486,000 a year, apply by 5 October
Round 6 of Dorset Council's revenue fund offers museums, theatres and arts groups £5,000 to £50,000 a year to March 2030. 28 organisations hold the current awards; they all run out in March 2027.
Weymouth
Abbotsbury Road Weymouth: 12 Weeks of Lights from 7 Sep
Temporary signals go up where Abbotsbury Road meets Chickerell Road on 7 September and stay until 27 November. Both roads also shut fully 9 to 16 November.
Weymouth
Weymouth parkrun off on 22 and 29 August
Two Saturdays cancelled at Lodmoor, reason given as course unsafe or blocked. It follows the four busiest consecutive Saturdays in the event's 602-run history.
Housing
Dorset Housing Register: renew within 20 days or lose it
Miss the 20-day renewal window and your application closes. Half of the 6,921 people on Dorset's housing register have not renewed. New bands start 1 September.
Air Ambulance
Dorset Air Ambulance: name the new helicopter by 25 August
Entries to name Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance's second helicopter close at 23:59 on Tuesday 25 August. The winner gets a behind-the-scenes airbase tour.
Fire
Dorset fire service declares major incident over wildfires
The fire service declared a major incident at 8pm on 13 August, citing the red wildfire alert and 277 outdoor fires in July. What is banned, and what to do.
Roads
Weymouth Esplanade to close overnight from 28 September
Dorset Council will shut the Esplanade 8pm to 6am from 28 September to 17 October for resurfacing, with Wessex Roundabout to follow. The full autumn list.
Business
Weymouth Bay Coffee Co at Lodmoor goes into liquidation
The company behind the Lodmoor Country Park cafe entered creditors' voluntary liquidation on 20 July. Who to contact if the Weymouth cafe owes you money.