Why did Weston-Super-Mare continue to grow as a seaside resort between 1870-1900 while Portishead did not?

The main attraction of Birnbeck Pier was a revolutionary theme park at the end of the island. This included an early style roller coaster called the ‘Switchback Railway’, a helta skelta and a flying machine which swung people out over the sea in baskets.

People were also attracted to the ability to be able to walk across the sea . The ‘Ports and Harbours Act’ enabled this pier and more around the country to be built.

Knightstone Island was also an advantage with its popular Spa baths built by Dr. Edward Fox at a cost of £25 000, the baths of sea water were advertised to have mild healing powers and to rejuvenate.

Portishead was let down by the lack of private investors in it, most of the land was owned by Bristol City Council who would have been more reluctant to spend huge sums of money. Weston had people like Dr. Fox, the Parsley, Cox and Piggot-Smythe famillies who built the Spa (above) planted the Weston woods and owned the Manor.

Whilst Portishead did not have the man-made attractions that Weston had, but when it comes to natural attractions Portishead had the upper hand. Rodmoor (what is now the Lake Grounds) was a marshy area where people could see wildlife and, the Eastwood had paths which Victorian ladies could walk along, views over to Wales, and access to pebble beaches. It also had other wooded areas and open space which a visitor could roam around. One man-made attraction that Portishead did have is the popular Saltings Bath House which was situated between the Eastwoods and the sea.

Adelaide Terrace, which was the equivalent to Weston’s Royal Crescent, was the most exclusive area, it had posh houses with servant quarters, and it also had a toll house which kept the upper class separated from the rest of the town. The Royal Hotel was a site that greeted any visitors who had boarded a boat to Portishead. It was a fine building with accommodation for over 100 people to have a meal. Weston Super Mares status would have been helped vastly by its long sandy beaches though, which were one of the main attractions of seaside holidays.

The main reason that Weston continued to grow and Portishead did not was that Portishead changed its focus from being a commercial seaside resort to an industrial town. A gas works was built, then followed by a Nail factory some years later. The industrial area was situated around the docks and low lying areas of Portishead and a Power Station was later built on the site.