Opinion: Soul by the Sea

by Daniel Hatton

It’s funny, isn’t it? We give personalities to things that, in reality, don’t have one.

Cars are perhaps the best example. We all know a car is simply a machine designed to get us from A to B in relative comfort. But spend enough time with one and you begin to realise that a car does in fact have its own personality.

You know when it’s happy, when something is wrong and, more importantly, when it’s about to throw an expensive tantrum. Have you ever listened to someone frustratedly trying to start their car? It’s like

they’re trying to reason with an old friend.

I’ve come to the conclusion that places can have personalities as well.

Take Weston- Super-Mare. Lots of places can be described as having character, but for me Weston

goes one step further. It has a personality and even moods.

Weston-Super-Mare is a seaside town nestled on the coast of north Somerset in the UK, and is known for its massive tides, donkey rides and of course the Grand Pier.

But I see something more. Having lived here for several years, I’ve slowly gotten to know the real seaside town hidden behind the tourist attractions.

It’s a place with a personality all of its own, and one that changes throughout the year.

Right now, as we head towards the middle of June, Weston feels at its happiest.

The seafront seems to be smiling.

The promenade is alive with tourists and locals alike, the smell of seaside doughnuts and freshly cooked chips drifts through the air and every bench facing the sea is occupied.

The cafés and businesses along the seafront are

buzzing with life, almost as if they’ve emerged from hibernation to make the most of thE sunshine alongside everyone else.

Even when the sun sets and the seafront lights up

with thousands of LED lights, you get the feeling Weston is showing off its colours like a proud peacock, grinning into the darkness of the Bristol channel.

But Weston has a darker mood as well. Come back in the middle of winter and you’ll be met with a different character.

The promenade is empty, the beach stretches endlessly towards the horizon, and the Bristol Channel takes on a darker, more dramatic

appearance. It might feel slightly gloomier, but it’s still got a charm.

It’s like Weston is still giving you a warm smile from beneath an umbrella.

Some days Weston can seem to cycle through every mood imaginable.

A bright sunny morning can give way to driving rain by the afternoon, before the sunshine suddenly returns, leaving the seafront smiling back at you as though nothing ever happened,Then, just as quickly, Weston can put on a dramatic performance of its own as waves crash against the sea wall.

Yet that’s part of its charm. Even on the worst days, there always seems to be somewhere warm to escape to, whether it’s a café tucked away from the wind or one ofthe many local businesses that quietly keep the town moving throughout the year.

For me, Weston-Super-Mare is more than just another seaside destination. Spend long enough here getting to know it and it becomes more like an old friend.

Your favourite seaside has got character.

But mines got soul.