As the owners of the Winter Gardens, Weston College wants to provide clarity and reassurance to the community during this transitional period.

As a result of having to take back management of the building, Weston College will now be leading in event management.

The previous operator has cancelled several pre-booked events. Weston College understands the frustration this may have caused and is actively supporting affected groups - helping them find alternative venues or make provisional bookings for when the Winter Gardens reopens.

In the short term, the venue will be closed for essential refurbishment work and transferring licenses. Once these are complete, the Winter Gardens will reopen under the new management of Inspirational Events and Investments Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Weston College.

Taking back the building is a complex process, and Weston College sincerely appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding. To help support the community, Weston College will endeavour to honour existing community events where possible during May, June and July. Those with provisional bookings during this period will receive an update this week. For events from August onward, Weston College will be in touch with a new booking and venue hire form, as full details were not provided by the previous operator. Once the completed forms are returned, Weston College will review and confirm bookings as quickly as possible.

Once we move past this operator transfer, this new chapter will bring a fresh focus on quality, accessibility, and community engagements.

Our phased reopening plan includes:

Phase 1 - Early May: Eileen and her team will welcome customers back to the much-loved and newly decorated Green House Café. 

Phase 2 - June 7th: A Weston College Community event will mark the reopening of the Ballroom and will also roll out to the Italian Gardens, complete with live music, performances, interactive experiences, and fantastic food. This will also see the completion of refurbished kitchens that will support future events and community use. The Community are invited to join us for this day of celebration.

Phase 3 - Plans are underway to rebrand and reopen the restaurant on the seafront, which is also part of the Pavilion, bringing new job opportunities and dining experiences with stunning sea views.

The College have taken these steps to secure the long-term future of this important local landmark. By bringing the venue into direct management, Weston College is committed to:

• Supporting local community groups with affordable, accessible options.
• Treating the Winter Gardens as a community asset while ensuring a sound commercial footing for a sustainable future.
• Reinvesting in the building’s upkeep to ensure it remains a vibrant, welcoming space for all.
• Creating a Community Panel to ensure local voices help shape the future of the venue.
• Creating high-quality work experience opportunities for our students.
• Work alongside other local venues to ensure a broad range of activities are available within Weston-super-Mare.

We remain deeply committed to serving the town and fostering community connections, and we are grateful for the support the community has shown us so far. For any enquiries or further information, please contact us at wintergardens@weston.ac.uk.

As part of Competitions Week, our Esports students hosted an exciting and immersive event inspired by Marvel Rivals for learners in Extension Studies. 

The event space was transformed into a themed experience, with the walls being decorated in Marvel Rivals hero profiles and posters and live LED lighting to add atmosphere, this created an engaging environment for all participants. 

From a production standpoint, the students set up a fully equipped classroom featuring spectator systems, a dedicated streaming PC, and a professional shoutcasting stage. The event was broadcast live on the Weston Esports Twitch channel, offering a viewing experience to audiences beyond the classroom. 

In the lead-up to the event, students demonstrated their marketing skills through strategic posts on the Weston Esports Twitter/X account, building excitement and encouraging public engagement with the live stream on the day. 

Behind the scenes, the event showcased outstanding communication, teamwork, and planning between the production team, social media managers, admins, and shoutcasters. This seamless collaboration resulted in a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. 

Beyond the fun and competition, the event served as a valuable learning opportunity, highlighting the wide range of roles within the Esports industry and the importance that each role plays in delivering professional-level events. Teachers and students who attended were full of praise, not only for the energy and execution of the stream, but also for the thoughtful consideration of individual learner needs throughout. 

Across two hours, five matches were played, and three lucky learners walked away with Marvel-themed prizes.

This event gave our Esports students the chance to collaborate with different learners and design an inclusive event experience. It offered invaluable real-world experience, and a deeper understanding of the dedication and coordination required to deliver a successful Esports production. 

A huge well done to all the students who organised the event, and thank you to the players who participated and helped bring the day to life with some fantastic gameplay! 

This Event Project forms part of the Digital Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.  

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career. 

The winners of the 2025 Somerset Business Awards were announced recently, at the prestigious Winter Gardens Pavillion.

With nearly 400 people from across Somerset in attendance, winners from across industries were announced, including Weston College and University Centre Weston apprentice, Jack Lewis, working at Singer Instruments - who was named as Apprentice of the Year.

Jack who is studying the Level 6 Manufacturing Engineering Degree Apprenticeship, has been impressing throughout his apprenticeship; from streamlining production to improving the design for manufacturability of needle holders.

Jack’s work has resulted in a significant cost-saving for Singer Instruments, which has allowed them to improve production efficiency and contribute to the scalability of the product.

Tracie Leahy, Assistant Principal for Apprenticeship and Skills at Weston College, said: “We are so proud of Jack, he has shown that he is an incredible apprentice with some truly impressive achievements already – we can’t wait to follow his career as he continues to progress within the engineering sector.”

Jack, added: "Winning the Somerset Business Award was a great moment, and it’s been a fantastic journey throughout my apprenticeship. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve had along the way."

If you would like to follow in Jack’s footsteps, you find out more about our engineering courses, by clicking here.