THE Bridport Arms in West Bay is to start accepting payment in Euros for beer in response to the record-breaking numbers of German and Dutch tourists visiting West Dorset this summer.
The seaside pub will sell pints of Dorset Gold and Palmers IPA beer for 3.90 Euros and 3.60 Euros respectively, as well as £3.35 and £3.10, during the August bank holiday fortnight – traditionally the busiest time of year for the tiny harbour resort (23 August to 5 September).
West Dorset has seen a huge rise in the number of Dutch and German tourists this summer.
Bridport Arms licensee, Jenny Connolly, said: ‘Everyone has noticed how many people from Europe are over here at the moment. We get so many people asking if they can pay in Euros, especially the Dutch and Germans that I decided to join the Eurozone temporarily!
‘I can’t think of a better way to build on the traditional West Dorset welcome than showing our Continental neighbours that we value their custom in any currency.
‘West Bay has been a harbour since the 13th century, so it has a long history of welcoming people from abroad.’
Bridport Tourist Information Centre Manager Terri Foxwell confirmed that the area had seen an influx of tourists from the Continent this summer. She said: ‘Feedback from our tourist information centres shows that there has been a big rise in the number of visitors from Europe, particularly German and Dutch.’
South West Tourism records reveal that the total number of visits made by Germans to Dorset has nearly doubled in recent years – leaping from 34,000 in 2008 to 60,000 in 2009.
Palmers’ Tenanted Trade Director Tim Woodrow said: ‘This is a first for Palmers and we hope we get the chance to say ‘bienvenue’ and ‘guten abend’ to many more international visitors who can enjoy a pint of Palmers’ beer whether they pay in Euros or Sterling.’

Editor’s Note: From a press release issued on behalf of Palmers Brewery by the wife of the editor of this site. Reproduced here because it is interesting – I didn’t know so many Dutch and German people were now visiting – and as a technical test of new website arrangements.