WEYMOUTH BID's chief operations officer Claudia Webb is to leave the organisation after three years at the helm.

Ms Webb, 37, spoke to the Echo after the sudden announcement last week and explained that the decision was difficult to make, but that she is excited to be taking on a new challenge as manager of the Ingleside care home at Upwey, owned by her family.

Born in London, Claudia has spent most of her life in Weymouth and served as a councillor for the Weymouth West ward before taking up the role at the BID in 2018.

She said: "I'm so, so sad to be leaving - there's no other job quite like it, and it's been both rewarding and challenging.

"But this is the right thing to do - it's something I've always wanted to do, to help others, and I will still be active in the community and will also hopefully start training as a police specials officer in new year."

Claudia explained that she qualified as a care home manager a few years previously.

"It's a really big change but I'm excited," she said.

"I made the decision fairly recently although I've had it in the back of my head for a long time - the current manager is retiring soon so it became more urgent."

Weymouth BID will soon be advertising for Claudia's successor who will hopefully be appointed before she leaves on December 31.

"Hopefully the board are going to find someone before I go so I can train them up ," she added.

"You have to be thick skinned - I've learned what it's like to be criticised and built resilience over the years. The new person will have to be someone who doesn't lose their temper very easily."

Claudia said a personal highlight of the job was when Weymouth BID was renewed following a public ballot.

"There was a chance that me and all of the board members would've been out of a job, there would be no BID for the town and it would have been game over for everyone," she said.

"We only scraped through by the skin of our teeth which was a really stressful period and we only had six months to turn around opinions, so getting that though was amazing because a lot of people said we couldn't do it - I wasn't even sure if we would but I knew we had to try.

"The most challenging thing has been untrue perceptions - people always use words like 'gravy train.' In the past year we were given accreditation for being only one of just a few BIDs in the country which meet all the criteria for good governance and making everything transparent - I think it shows how far we've come from it being seen as a boy's club.

"I'd like to thank everyone for giving me a chance - everyone has been amazing."

Craig Oakes, president of Weymouth & Portland Chamber of Commerce, said: "In business and particularly during the current situation Claudia has been a truly great asset - not just with the BID but to the area in general.

"She works very hard behind the scenes and cares about every situation and wants the best outcome.

"As a peer doing a lot of cross over projects I couldn’t have asked for a better BID boss to work alongside. She will excel at anything she puts her mind to, I have no doubt."