A blue plaque commemorating Jill Dando has been unveiled at the former offices of the Weston Mercury in Weston-super-Mare, where she launched her career as a trainee reporter at just 18 years old. After leaving Worle School, Jill Dando started her journey in journalism at this iconic location, which is now the Weston-super-Mare Town Council offices.
The unveiling, held on Friday, December 12, was funded by the Town Council to celebrate Jill’s enduring impact on journalism and to preserve the historical significance of 32 Waterloo Street. This elegant building served as the home of the local newspaper from 1885 until 2021, when many regional newspapers closed traditional offices.
The event also highlighted the expansion of the Good News Rooms project—a journalism education initiative founded in Somerset in 2011 inspired by Jill Dando’s work and spirit. The program teaches children alongside professional journalists how to find and tell uplifting news stories. Originally local, the scheme has since grown across the UK and even reached Malawi. This month, Heron’s Moor School in Weston-super-Mare joined the initiative, further extending its influence.
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Mayor of Weston-super-Mare, Martin Williams, paid tribute to Jill Dando’s remarkable contributions: “Jill Dando was a phenomenal role model for our town and journalists everywhere. It is a fitting and living legacy that Good News Rooms, in her memory and style, are now launching across Weston-super-Mare and beyond.”
Jill Dando’s journalism career flourished after five years at the Weston Mercury, when she secured a role at the BBC. She became one of the corporation’s most recognizable presenters, known for her work on BBC News, breakfast television, and Crimewatch. Tragically, Jill was murdered in 1999 outside her home in Fulham, in one of Britain’s most high-profile unsolved cases.
The blue plaque installation not only honours Jill Dando’s outstanding career but also preserves the legacy of 32 Waterloo Street, a building cherished for its architectural beauty and historical importance to Weston-super-Mare. Visitors are welcome to view the plaque inside the council office building.