Brighton Palace Pier to Depart from the Stock Market

Brighton Pier Group is proposing to de-list and revert to a private company, having spent the last decade admitted to London’s AIM Market. This status has evidently placed considerable financial burden on the business, with recent economic performance seemingly not justifying the c.£300,000 of annual administrative costs necessary to remain in the stock market. The business is now drastically focussed on eliminating unnecessary expenses elsewhere too, and like many other commercial piers, is being forced to react to the recent increases in  National Insurance Contributions which has caused considerable discontent among pier and hospitality businesses in recent months. Other things are also to blame for recent problematic financial performance: bad weather and changing customer habits (i.e. spending less on non-essential services).

Cromer Pier - A General Summary of its Present State

Some of the business issues at Cromer have been reported in recent weeks, including the predicted contraction of the pier’s operating company in view of the recent Labour budget. Another concern is brought by the proposed council restructurings, with district councils abolished and replaced with a different system. There is concern that funding for the pier will be compromised during this process. Also mentioned is the proposal for donation options and the completed works to the Pier Theatre - all reported in previous  newsletters.

There is also the Folk on the Pier Festival, advertised to take place on the second weekend of May. It has been running here for 27 years and has seen “record” (so the article says) advance ticket sales, which is certainly good  news. A link to the Festival’s webpage has been provided.

Southend Pier - Railway is Open

The maintenance work on the pier railway has been completed a few days ahead of schedule, leading it to reopen to the public last Saturday. However, the  service presently relies upon the 1986 diesel train “Sir William Heygate” being brought back into  service, since both of the new “eco-friendly” electric trains are out of action: one being physically damaged after a collision several months ago (still under investigation) and the other one having developed further faults. It is not abundantly clear, upon reflection, whether it was the electric or diesel train which failed on the 8th March, when the railway was closed, although it seems that the work over the last month has largely consisted of an engine overhaul for the latter. The works were pre-planned, however, and not a direct result of this failure.

Torquay Princess Pier - A History by Local Historians

Torquay Museum and its historians have offered some information on Princess Pier’s history, including the details of the opening ceremony in 1895. The article also makes some suggestions as to the potential position of the original foundation stone, which may well be concealed under numerous sea defence and promenade extension schemes. The article does not mention much of Torquay’s reluctance to allow a traditional pier into its town, as discussed in another article previously included in this  newsletter (link provided). However, combining facts from each  newsletter gives the impression that an earlier proposal for a “real” pleasure pier was made by the town’s administration, some preliminary sea wall works completed in 1883 (including the foundation stone), and construction later cancelled following negative public reception. Martin Easdown’s book “Piers that Never Were” refers to the public consternation that arose from these proposals. (Image: Torquay Museum)

Lowestoft Claremont Pier - The Seaward Deck is Open

The ambitions by Claremont Pier’s owners to reinstate the first 60m of the pier’s seaward decking for public promenading have finally been achieved, and is now open to the public. The cost of this work was about £120,000 and was largely funded by generous public donations. It is a very special moment for the pier, and feedback has so far been very positive indeed (including, unusually, the comments section of the article!). Many people might inevitably consider whether restoration of the outermost section might be a possibility in future; the pier management have made it clear that there are no immediate plans for this. Regardless, 60 metres makes a considerable difference and this will be enjoyed by  NPS members during the AGM in June. (Image: Claremont Pier)

Southend Pier - Declared Essex’s Best “icon”

Visit Essex have placed Southend Pier #1 in their 2025 list of “Top 50 Icons of Essex”. This follows a public vote from Essex residents, who nominated about 200 locations in total. Southend Council are, of course, delighted with the result. Some upcoming pier events over Easter and May are indicated at the bottom of the article.

Bournemouth Pier - Entry Fees Temporarily Withdrawn

Following investment from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, along with a partnership between them and the pier owners Adventure Attractions, the pier will remain (mostly) free-entry for 2025. This will represent a trial run for potentially long-term maintenance of free entry, once the effect it has on visitor numbers can be determined. Local residents will benefit from unconditional free entry, upon presentation of proof of address; non-local visitors might still have to pay a small fee during exceptionally busy periods to control visitor numbers if they happen to get out of hand. From the information provided, this latter point seems to be a matter of waiting and seeing how things go, but overall, it is an encouraging development. (Image: Adventure Attractions)

Roker Pier - Expected to Reopen in August

Storm repair works are scheduled to commence on the 24th April and be completed by the 31st July, with a project cost of £236,000. The missing granite copings are to be replaced with concrete copings of matching profile. (Image: Chris Binding)

Worthing Pier - Routine Maintenance Continues

Worthing Council have reported the completion of further repairs, here involving the addition of protective steel collars around the iron columns at the shoreward end. These are in addition to existing concrete-filled collars which protect the structural columns from erosion.

Clarence Pier - 80 Years of The Clarence Site

I hesitate to say “80 years of Clarence Pier” since, in 1945, there was no pier but a bombed-out wreck of a former pier of 1861. But 1945 was the year that a funfair was established on the land adjacent to the pier, and over the next 15 years the pier was rebuilt. The pier seen today eventually fully opened in 1961, including the main amusements building which is today a favourite of Modernist architecture enthusiasts. The Manning family have operated the pier since the end of WWII, which might be where this 80 years connection comes from.

Hastings Pier - Licencing Technicalities Ongoing

The existing commercial licence concerning activities at Hastings Pier is to be supplemented by two new licencing applications, leading the pier to be operated under three separate commercial licences. These will specifically relate to the food kiosks at the landward end; the “middle building”, and the events space at the seaward end. Two applications have been submitted regarding the latter two areas; the existing licence has not yet been revised to address the landward area only. Operating three separate licences for this one structure would allow each area to run to separate opening hours and conditions, but it does still seem surprising and complex action to take. Already there are some inconsistencies between the two applications: Sheikh Abid Gulzar is marked as being 50 years of age in one application, and 79 in the other. Perhaps the most interesting feature of these applications is the proposal to incorporate an outdoor cinema, using wireless headphones to overcome noise complaint issues. These applications have already received some input from Hastings Borough Council and a few alterations have been agreed, but it will be discussed in a panel meeting on the 23rd April following several public objections to the frequency of large open-air music events. The applicant has also been advised that these changes to operation will require a planning application and noise monitoring procedures; hopefully these will be carried out at the appropriate time.

Sandown Pier - Fireworks From the Sandown Carnival

A fireworks display was organised by Sandown Carnival for the last New Year’s evening, but it was postponed. Its transferral to the Easter period has led to one simple alteration to the presentation of the event: the title changing to “Easter Fireworks  Eggstravaganza”. The fireworks will be released from the end of Sandown Pier on Saturday 19th April from 20:30 onwards; its position at the centre of a sprawling bay will ensure that these thrilling works of high fire and startling volleys of stentorian blasts (dog owners take note) will be enjoyed over a considerable length of coastline. Consider viewing from Shanklin if parking in Sandown cannot be found. (Image: Shane Thornton)

Great Yarmouth Britannia Pier - Progress with Ongoing Entrance Building Construction

The article is, for myself, locked behind a paywall (but not before sending out the usual flurry of advertisements with considerably gusto). Pictured is the image from the top of this article, which does not show the new works very clearly, but the “barrel-vaulted” rearage of the new building is evident; just like those at Wellington Pier.

More useful, perhaps, is to visit the pier’s Facebook page and follow the updates there. Most recently (at the time of writing) there is a time-lapse, of sorts, of the entrance building through the construction process. Being a looping “Facebook Short”, one cannot control the video playback very well but it is a good graphic indicator as to the complexity of the work. Comments to this video suggest that public access to the new building has now been opened and the first people have given their impressions, and it all seems very appreciative so far. It has, however, opened discussions as to the benefits of forcing entry to the pier through the amusement arcade, which the new arrangement seems to do. The pier owners gave a well-reasoned response to some of the comments questioning this.  NPS members will, of course, be inspecting the work at the AGM in June. (Image: Sonya Duncan)

Clacton Pier - Amusement Equipment Investments and Recruitment for the Peak Season

The much-overused term “state-of-the-art” has been applied to three new amusement machines at Clacton Pier, but in this case they probably deserve to be described thusly. Virtual Reality is the present-day technique to keep the kids off the streets and off their smartphones, instead safely cocooned in an imitation aircraft cockpit, perhaps jostled by hydraulic cylinders and wearing the all-important VR headgear. It genuinely looks like a wholly exciting addition to the amusement facilities, and certainly the next phase in mankind’s perfection of commercial amusement equipment.

Clacton Pier joins Sandown in profiting on the “Eggstravaganza” pun. Until the 21st April, there will be an Easter Bunny stationed at the pier, Easter egg trails and a golden egg hunt. Recruitment preparations for the peak season have been positively reflected on, despite earlier concerns regarding recent employment processes, and the pier expects to have 200 employees (including seasonal) by the Summer. (Image: Clacton Pier)

Llandudno Pier - Pier of the Year 2025

Congratulations again to Llandudno Pier for its securing the POTY award for 2025. Since an email regarding this was sent to all subscribers yesterday, nothing more needs to be said, but provided is a link to the Daily Post’s article. (Image: Oliver Mills 2016; compare with the 2024 banner image above)

East Anglian Piers - “An Uncertain Future”?

…so states the article. Employment and fundraising difficulties are again highlighted at Cromer Pier, which is to install donation points shortly, but the other piers of East Anglia show bold expressions of investment and adaptation (as does Cromer also!). With Great Yarmouth Britannia Pier (see also below) joining the club of barrel-vaulted steel-framed amusement arcades, shared with Great Yarmouth Wellington, Felixstowe and the Hunstanton Family Entertainment Centre, their future seems reasonably secure. Lowestoft Claremont is also in a strong position with much public backing, as is Southwold (little recent development is reported in the article).

Perhaps “an uncertain future” is hyperbole in this case (although the future for piers can never be truly certain). Although there are always considerable operational challenges, it is clear that those piers with owners keen to invest and adapt will always win support from visitors.

Great Yarmouth Britannia Pier - Photographs (and social media arguments) on Ongoing Work

More photographs of the rebuilt entrance and amusements building at Britannia Pier have been posted on a local Facebook group; these are the most revealing and useful so far. In the first link are photographs of the external work, which show the rendering and zinc roofing to be largely complete. The proposed signage along the rendered skirt above the lower roof canopy, along with “Britannia Pier” in freestanding letters along the crest of the upper fascia, are yet to be installed. There will also be a digital colour screen installed at the centre of this upper fascia.

The interior photographs show the entrance running through an enclosed “arcade” (in the architectural sense), much as before, with a fast-food restaurant divided on the left side. New carpeting has been run throughout, of the typical “amusement arcade” design. Unlike before, this entrance leads directly into the expanded amusement arcade and it seems that access to the pier deck is somewhat more labyrinthine than before. That said, stairs from the beach/promenade to the deck are still available, so this is less of an issue than it might otherwise be.

These pictures were posted on a local Facebook page which posts new photographs of Great Yarmouth daily. Those planning to attend the AGM might find this useful in becoming familiar with the area. It is, as Facebook pages go, a lively group and these two posts have received over 200 comments each. The discussions make for interesting reading, although it should be remembered that the work is still not complete yet. Has it turned the pier into just another copy of Wellington Pier, as some comments suggest? I look forward to visiting at the AGM and finding out, but in any case the amount of investment made should certainly be welcomed. (Image: Great Yarmouth Photos & Webcams)

Blackpool South Pier - New Rides Proposed Adjacent to Pier

Two new amusement rides are proposed for the foreshore area around Blackpool South Pier, land owned by the Blackpool Pier Company. The most interesting of the two will be a “Star Flyer”, located to the South of the Pier. This is a freestanding steel lattice tower of 77m height, with a rising and spinning hub which supports a number of gondola seats. By comparison, the existing Skycoaster and Skyscreamer tower structures on the pier are approximately 40 metres tall, and the former SCAD Tower (c.2001-2007) in the region of 50 metres. Excellent elevation drawings have been provided in the planning application, with details probably sourced from the rides manufacturer’s working drawings, and shows the tower topped with a replica of London’s Elizabeth Tower (or “Big Ben”, to the ignorant London tourist) and generously bedecked with aviation warning lights. The other ride is a Log Flume. The planning application also offers some other supporting information, including several photographs of collapsing steel bracing at the end of the Central Pier (which I very much noticed - to my distress - during my recent visit to Blackpool, but chose not to mention in my “Here and There” report…). The logic behind including this is seemingly to highlight the ever increasing costs towards undertaking the necessary repairs and ongoing maintenance of the three piers. Highlighted further in the supporting reports is the fact that the revenue from South and Central’s amusement rides have to wholly support the maintenance of the Grade-II listed North Pier (sans amusement rides), whose capital works are more complex and costly due to the requirements imposed from the listing. All of this contributes to the argument that these new rides are critically needed to keep the business sustainable. The land associated with them is presently swathes of empty Tarmac surfacing, so the proposals should hopefully be viewed as an appropriate and positive use of the space.

Bournemouth Pier - Structural Repairs to Tender

Previously a scheme of structural repairs was scheduled to take place over the last Winter, but this did not happen. Bournemouth Council are now seeking tenders for a programme of repairs to the concrete substructure (including cathodic protection, possibly for the steel reinforcements) and the removal of the landing stages. Three costing options are being sought, in case the full programme proves to be too costly. The other two options would see the landing stage only partially removed or not removed at all. The repairs are now scheduled to take place in Winter 2025/26.