Media News March 2025

Southport Pier - Fundraising “Expression of Interest” Rejected by National Lottery Fund

Sefton Council recently submitted an expression of interest for funding the pier’s restoration to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, suggesting a grant of £10 million. Little clear information has been made evident during this process, but the National Lottery Fund have responded essentially with a polite rejection. A brief quote from them has been made public: “ The project outline submitted was not something The National Lottery Heritage Fund would be likely to support in its current form ”. What this proves to actually mean is at present a mystery: was the Council’s application inadequate in background information or justification of the project; is the Heritage Fund reluctant to grant more funding on a project having already received their funding in c.2000; or is the Heritage Fund oversubscribed and not considering applications at the present time? All is speculation at the moment. It should be clarified that this application was not at formal funding bid-level, as has recently been successfully applied for the Birnbeck Pier project; but rather a much earlier stage of more informal character. The National Lottery Fund, therefore, have not “invited” the Council to make a full application at the present time, so the wording goes, but are open for further discussions to take place and for the Council to return with a revised “expression of interest”.

It is interesting to compare the present situation to that of 25-30 years ago, described in Harold Bough’s 2006 book on Southport Pier “What the Butler Saw - and all that”, extracted below:

“The most extraordinary piece of good luck was that while local government could not find the money and for years all efforts to get grants had failed, the pier was now collapsing at precisely the time there was the opportunity of cash to save it from elsewhere, including Heritage Lottery and also from Europe.” (p.52)

“Heritage Lottery helped with the costs of survey work which revealed the size of the task ahead. Then came the devastating news - no more Lottery money would be available for Southport’s Pier. The crisis now presented a financial disaster. Without Lottery money, European Objective One cash would not be given… The deal that saved the pier involved switching the Heritage Lottery money allocated for the non-urgent Lord Street project to the pier.” (p.53)

“Negotiations for money for the pier were long and detailed. It took four or five years to get the money together… Sefton Council had been requested to provide money too and finally gave £3.5 million, a huge amount considering that the preceding years it had been given the appearance of hardly having the money to paint the pier… The work started with a contract for £4,106,000. But within months the contractor left the site and work came to a halt until a new contractor was engaged.” (p.54)

In all, the completed project cost £7.2 million and was funded by £2.3 million of European funding, £1.7 million of Heritage Lottery Funding and £3.5 million from Sefton Council. Look again at that last sentence of the quote: Might the presumably hurried re-contractual process that this “site abandonment” evidently provoked be the cause of the poor work that resulted? The proportion of the total project cost delivered by the Council is perhaps an important lesson for today; comments in the first article below make reference to the number of expensive projects Sefton Council is presently engaged with (Southport Convention Centre, Bootle Strand, etc). Might a funded Council project be put aside in favour of the Pier restoration, in the same manner as delaying the Lord Street works? That is for the Council to decide. In any case, Sefton Council’s members, opponents and local population are monitoring the situation closely and transparency in this process is being vigorously demanded. For now, the situation is very bad indeed, but public will is strong and this particular pier restoration case has proven to be one of the most urgently demanded in recent history - proven by how catastrophically the town has suffered upon its closure. If the Council are unable to achieve the logistics, then Southport’s people, in desperation, will probably be inclined to arrive there and do it all themselves (in Ramsey Queen's-style)!

Worthing Pier - Further Structural Repair Work Underway

Worthing Council have reported that a scheme of further structural repairs will be taking place over the course of a week. These repairs relate to minor age-related defects which were identified at the time of the emergency structural stabilisation works last year. The pier will remain open throughout this period. Normally this work would represent typical operational procedure for running and maintaining a pier, not warranting news reports, but in this case it is surely an opportunity for Worthing Council to reassure residents and visitors that they are “on top” of the pier’s maintenance scheme this time.

A more recent update from the Council (second link) indicates that some considerable re-decking work around the Theatre is underway. The Eastern entrance is closed to the public but the Western entrance is open as normal; the work is now expected to be completed in April. (Image: Adur & Worthing Councils)

Brighton i360 - Re-opening on Saturday

Businesswoman Sarah Willingham’s well-meaning takeover of the i360 business, on a 115-year deal with Brighton & Hove Council, has led to a turnaround in the tower’s dismal prospects. Now, the attraction will be re-opening on Saturday 8th March at 11:30. One commendable direction the new ownership is taking the attraction is improving its attractiveness for Brighton Residents, upon reflection of many residents claiming to have never had anything to do with it for the last nine years. A considerable discount on the £18-20 per-person admission can be enjoyed by Brighton Residents, now facing only a £5 charge (obviously one needs to provide proof of address!).

Southport Pier - Demands from the Liberal Democrat Group Leader

Now closed for 27 months, it is predictable that reactions to the pier’s hopeless closure are now becoming more frenzied than before - and understandably so. Most unusual so far are the comments by John Pugh of the Liberal Democrats Group in Sefton. He insists that if the pier was privately owned, it would still be open; he then invites others to convince the council that the pier is not all as unsafe as is believed… because he and others have looked at the pier and it looks alright to them!

He is probably right to suggest that some privately-owned piers might remain open if their piers are in a comparable state, but that certainly is not an attitude to aspire to. Sefton Council’s structural inspection report immediately confirms the extent of the deterioration and the justification of its closure surely cannot be argued. Their decision to close the pier, a very difficult one in view of the considerable impacts it would have resulted in, shows a very responsible approach from the Council. Less responsible, of course, is the 27 month delay to repairs that followed. Anyway, I undertook an amateur structural sleuthing visit of my own last weekend, and despite John Pugh’s comments, could abundantly observe severe steel delamination, structural trestles with numerous bracing failures, and rotten timber beam ends: the pier cannot be re-opened to the public in its present state. Even if it was, it probably could not be insured in view of the published structural inspection report. More defects will certainly be hidden from beach-level view and would only be revealed in penetrating inspections, which of course have led to the conclusions we have been provided with in the structural inspection. In any case, it is looking increasingly likely that Sefton Council will have to accept parting with some of their own money if anything is to be done, although it is still hoped that some external funding options will remain open. It is also interesting to note the Council’s wording of “Replacement” with regards to the pier works: “Replacing the Pier”, such is its state of deterioration; not renewing individual elements or a simple re-decking and repainting. This explains why it is proving to be such a complex and expensive undertaking.

Brighton Palace Pier - City’s Tourism Trade Undervalued?

The CEO of the Brighton Pier Group has complained that not enough is being done to sustain Brighton’s attraction to tourists. Anne Ackford believes that the financial operation of Brighton Palace Pier will soon become unsustainable if visitor numbers remain at their current level. This is an unfortunate circumstance to coincide with the need to increase admission fees, made necessary to sustain ongoing maintenance of the pier and to cover rising operational costs.

The Labour “Budget” - Privately-Owned Piers Suffer

Hard politics… but do not turn off, for this represents quite an important moment in the economics of private pier ownership. Owners of Clacton Pier have previously expressed grave concerns over the recent decisions by the Labour Government, in how it will lead to them potentially reducing their staffing and opening hours. The concern seems to be the imposition of increased Minimum Wages and National Insurance contributions by the employer. The argument against this seems to be that, whilst the decisions are clearly intended to support employees, this is of little use if it leads to redundancies being made necessary. This ultimately means that entry-level casual jobs for teenagers, for instance, are potentially impossible to sustain by businesses. Further to Clacton, operators for Skegness, Bournemouth and Cromer Piers have echoed very much the same thing. Rory Holburn, operator of Bournemouth and Cromer Piers, is especially passionate about this employment type and its revokement will be harmful to many young people entering the job market for the first time. At Cromer and Bournemouth, seasonal work contracts will be drastically cut. Skegness Pier has also reduced seasonal staff and opening hours. Clacton Pier, probably the most complex and high-valued enterprise of these four, have had to reduce opening hours, ride running times and seasonal workers. These piers hope, more than anything else, that it will not eventually reach a point where these increased costs will have to be passed over to visitors in the form of admission fees, etc. Whether such necessities come to pass is something for the future.

Southend Pier - The Railway is Closed

One of the new electric trains have broken down, again, and now the railway is scheduled to be closed for repairs and maintenance until the 4th April. Reading between the lines, it seems that these two incidences are unrelated and that the repairs were scheduled in advance. The breakdown has led to the repairs commencing a day early, but the BBC article suggests that only the diesel train will be used once the railway reopens, which seems somewhat discouraging on the perceived reliability of the electric trains.

Eastbourne - Old Postcards of Seafront

Something rather more light-hearted: a short gallery of photographs of Eastbourne Pier and Promenade. Battle through the advertisements and you will find 8 quite attractive photographs.

Ryde Pier - Island Line Works Ahead of Schedule

The railway between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin will reopen ahead of schedule on Friday 2nd May. Much of the work relating directly to the pier have involved alterations to the railway lines and structural repairs to the pier itself. This is expected to ensure the railway service along the pier is more resilient in extreme weather.

Skegness Pier - Hearts and Fires

A small kitchen fire (resulting in effectively no damage) took place at the pier last Friday, just as the management were promoting nights of hot, steaming mastication in their so-called “Steak and Bowl Job” events. Many people, needless to say, have already been tricked by this precarious wording on the Pier’s social media, before realising that the nature of these events was to be strictly culinary.

Those of more amorous intent can now make use of “The Heart of Skegness”; essentially a replication of those at Paignton and Weston-Super Mare. A wire-mesh heart to affix Pier-bought “love locks” to, with the funds from these sales contributing to the provision of defibrillators in the local Skegness area. As it happens, it has existed on the pier since November 2024 (but I only came to be aware of it on this day).

Southsea Clarence Pier - New Ferris Wheel

The Pier was previously home to a substantial Ferris Wheel between 2016-20. A new version has since been installed as part of the pier’s funfair, which altogether opened earlier this month. The wheel is somewhat smaller than its predecessor, which had at one time been noted for posing risk to migrating birds, but should still afford commanding views of the Solent.

Brighton Palace Pier - Interview on Tourism

Following from last week’s article, this interview was held with Anne Ackford, CEO of the Brighton Palace Pier Group, in time for the annual English Tourism Week. It is quite a detailed and informative article on the pier’s operations and wider concerns on Brighton’s present state for expanding its tourism prospects.

Southport - Council’s Fundraising Efforts for Tourism Infrastructure (n.b. not solely pier-related)

Stand up for Southport have highlighted that Sefton Council is proposing to require monetary contributions from some new and converted commercial developments at planning-level. This concerns developments which are of tourism-related functions, and will contribute to the Council’s ongoing upkeep of tourism infrastructure. This will probably effectively act as an additional contributions layer to the usual “Community Infrastructure Levy” which is normally imposed on all large commercial developments at planning-level. The Council cite a number of physical examples of what this funding will benefit, and Southport Pier is included.

Rediscovering Folkestone’s Victoria Pier - Martin Easdown and Tony Hill

A new book from Martin Easdown and Tony Hill describing the history of Folkestone’s Victoria pier from its conception in 1874 to its final demolition in 1954. With many illustrations, and covering its construction, financial difficulties, entertainments fishing contests, beauty and baby contests and not forgetting the Highland dancing and ladies’ ankle show. The book concludes with the finding, after being lost for many years, of the foundation stone and its restoration and placing near the remains of the pier in 2024.

Further Details

A NEW PUBLICATION IN PROCESS

NPS Archivist Martin Easdown is presently preparing a new book on the history of the piers in Great Yarmouth. This will contain approximately 70 pages and offer a detailed history on the two main piers, and perhaps a section on Nelson’s Jetty. It is anticipated that this publication will be ready for the AGM in June and will be available to purchase there.

Hastings Pier - Minor Operational Changes and a Reassurance

Nothing too dramatic to report this time, but the restaurant business in the West Pavilion (Casa de Pier) will be re-opening under new management. A new menu has been posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Hastings Council have been forced to intervene in online arguments, after several photographs of the understructure of Hastings Pier, at low tide, were posted on social media. These photographs show a dreadful mess of hazardous steel fragments, embedded in the sand. The Council claim that much of this dates from the fire of 2010 and not from any ongoing deterioration which may or may not be happening presently. As online counter-arguments continue to take place, only one thing can be taken for certain: that foot passage under the pier should be done with particular caution… or not at all!

Incidentally, the banner image shows the post-fire state of the pier, which I hastily captured as a 12-year-old returning from a Menorca package holiday (the bane of the British tourism industry) in July 2012. (Image: Michael Shaw)

Cromer Pier - Theatre Improvement Works Completed, and a Fundraising Trial

North Norfolk Council have reported the completion of the improvement works to the Pier Theatre’s backstage facilities. The accompanying article from the Council is very useful indeed, providing many details as to the completed improvements, as well as two embedded Youtube videos which illustrate these works very clearly. All of this indicates an optimistic attitude towards the future use of the theatre.

Funding issues towards the wider pier enterprise have previously been expressed by the Council. Instead of imposing visitor admission, a voluntary donation scheme is to be trialled. Card and phone payments will be accepted at two donation “stations” on the pier.

Great Yarmouth Britannia Pier - The Domes Appear

Less of a news item than an observation from Great Yarmouth’s online webcams. The c.1967 entrance building to the pier has been largely dismantled and the veiled bulk of the new entrance building has appeared. Most notable are the two new domes which will form the decorative elements of the front elevation. The webcam which shows this is accessible through the link, and is the first of three webcam feeds available on that webpage. The camera cycles through a number of different positions, so it might take a few minutes for you to be able to see the pier buildings. (Image: Visit Great Yarmouth)

Weston Birnbeck Pier - “Call the Police - there is An Object!”

An object there was, on the beach near to Birnbeck Pier on Wednesday. Its superficially bomb-like appearance led to the local police being called, and once it was revealed to be a used gas canister, it was taken away and put in the bin. The adjoining image was captured from the BRT Webcam at the time of writing; the pier looking most serene and definitely not bomb-damaged. (Image: Birnbeck Regeneration Trust)

Ramsey Queen’s Pier - 2025 Visitor Openings

Details of open days at the Queen’s Pier have been provided for 2025. The pier will be open to the public every Sunday from the 4th May until the end of September, between 14:00-17:00. The tram will also be running as far as the eighth bay. Reconstruction progress appears to be continuing well according to the Facebook page, with old timber now stripped from bays 9 (the first stabilising bay; pictured) and 10. The replacement steel is not expected to be delivered for the next four months, according to current lead times.