Marine Lake Featured on BBC Points West

Our work at Weston-super-Mare’s Marine Lake has been featured on BBC Points West, with the broadcaster’s Lunchtime News visiting the site on 14 October 2025 to see the improvement scheme taking shape on the town’s seafront.

EJ McGrath Construction was appointed by North Somerset Council as main contractor for the Marine Lake improvement works following an open procurement exercise. As a family-run business proudly based in Weston-super-Mare, delivering a scheme of this profile on our own seafront — and seeing it recognised on regional television — is a genuine source of pride for the whole team.

The works form part of North Somerset Council’s wider placemaking vision for Weston, made possible by the council’s successful £20m bid to the UK Government. Our package covered a broad civils and refurbishment scope around the tidal lake, including:

• repairing and resurfacing the lower walkway around the lake
• improving access by repairing, resurfacing and rebuilding steps and ramps, and upgrading handrails
• new and improved signage, including a new welcome sign at the entrance
• repurposing under-used space to create a new business, equipment hire and storage facility
• upgrading and increasing the number of public toilets, including an accessible toilet, reconfigured as self-contained cubicles opening directly onto the promenade
• installing additional cycle racks
• repairing the Madeira Gardens pavilion roof.

Work began on site in October 2025, with the lake closed from 6 October to allow the improvements to be carried out safely. Delivering in a live, tidal marine environment brought its own demands — sequencing the works around tides and weather, and keeping a busy public seafront safe throughout — exactly the kind of complex, constraint-led setting our teams are built for.

The lake reopened to the public on Friday 22 May 2026, ready for the summer season.

As part of the social value commitment within our contract, we supported the Weston Marine Lake Mudlarks — the volunteer group who help manage the lake — in creating a new deep-water swimming channel across the width of the lake, an addition that will benefit swimmers for years to come.

The Marine Lake scheme continues a long association with Weston’s seafront for EJ McGrath, having delivered the main promenade works back in 2012 — work that still looks the part today. We’re proud to have played our part in restoring one of the town’s best-loved destinations.