Lobster on a plate makes an appearance at Dorset's Seafood festival
PETA are protesting out the popular Dorset event
Last updated 11th Sep 2021
The Seafood Festival is back in Weymouth today but it has a new location.
It will be held at the Weymouth peninsula, behind the Pavilion Theatre and is running slightly later than usual event dates.
A protestor, wearing claws and a red bodysuit, is making an appearance outside the main entrance of the peninsula today.
A PETA lobster will lie on a giant plate – complete with to-scale cutlery, a garnish of coriander and a wedge of lemon urging locals to go vegan.
PETA Senior Campaigns Manager Kate Werner says the lobster will tell festivalgoers, “Try to Relate to Who’s on Your Plate. Go Vegan.”
“PETA is challenging people to think of ‘seafood’ as what it really is – sea life! Every serving is an animal who didn’t want to die.
“With all the delicious vegan lobster, fish-free fillets, and crabless cakes available these days, it’s never been easier for Weymouth locals to go vegan.”
"Delicious fish-free fish fingers, vegan fish fillets, and even vegan prawns are all readily available – and they not only are better for animals and the world’s oceans but also offer all the taste without any of the toxins or cholesterol found in cruelly obtained fish flesh."
CORONAVIRUS DELAYED THE EVENT
Last year's (2020) event was due to run in July but had to be moved to September and then later cancelled because of the pandemic.
Nyetimber Dorset Seafood Festival have been working closely with both Dorset Council and Weymouth Town Council to secure the new festival site which will enable visitor numbers to be responsibly controlled.
Brian Cooper, Festival Director said:
"After the past year we have all endured, myself and the team are so delighted to have a plan to bring the festival back for 2021.
"Of course, we are not out of the woods yet and as such we have made changes to ensure the safety of our staff, the stallholders, sponsors, and of course the visitors and local residents.
"These changes now will hopefully signal the return of the festival for good and we look forward to welcoming locals and visitors back in September."
To ensure the safety of festival-goers, entry to the Festival will be by ticket only, which costs £10.
The group faced backlash earlier on in the year as it's the first time since the festival has been held that organisers are charging for it.
Nyetimber Dorset Seafood Festival say ticket holders are paying for a change of location and visitor safety. It also means they can offer a discount to stall holders.
There's more information on their website.