Huge boost for famous UK seaside town as £10m to be spent on ‘abandoned’ pier

A very popular seaside town is about to see its derelict pier get a major refurbishment in a very exciting development for the much-loved coastal resort.

The National Lottery has unveiled a £10 million restoration fund for a 160-year-old pier in Weston-super Mare, Somerset.

Currently, its Second World War pier is clinging on for life and has been in need of refurbishment for years.

Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super Mare is a popular place for day-trippers, especially those who live in the Midlands and are not very close to the seaside.

It was the only pier in the UK to link the mainland to the tiny island of Birnbeck but fell into disrepair and was closed to the public around 30 years ago.

The generous £10 million funding will restore the pier back to its former glory – and it will be usable to the public once again.

Weston-super-Mare’s mayor John Crockford-Hawley welcomed the announcement, saying he was ‘delighted’ to see the listed pier be resurrected.

He told the Guardian: “I’m old enough to remember when it was in full fling. As a young teenager, my mum would give me and my friends sandwiches and off we’d go on a paddle steamer. We’d go cruising around the channel or down to Ilfracombe. It was all great fun.”

The announcement was made 160 years to the day since the pier’s foundation stone was laid on 28 October, 1864.

It is part of North Somerset Council’s ambitions to ‘reopen the pier and support the wider regeneration of Weston’ – plans for the restoration aim to start in 2025.

“£10 million is a significant amount of money – we are so grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for their ongoing support of our project to restore Birnbeck Pier,” said Councillor Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council. 

“I must also acknowledge and thank National Lottery players as this simply wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the money will bring the pier ‘back from the brink of loss’, ensuring its rich history is ‘preserved’ for future generations. 

“We are proud to be part of this transformative project, which promises to enhance and regenerate the cultural and economic landscape of the area, provide local employment opportunities and be a source of pride and enjoyment for generations to come” she added.