Council moves towards compulsory purchase order for Weston Birnbeck Pier
North Somerset Council, working with Historic England, issued the owner of the crumbling pier – CNM Estates – with a repairs notice in September. The notice ordered the company, headed by Wahid Samady – to carry out a series of ‘necessary repairs’ to the landmark. Mr Samady was given two months to respond to the notice. At this time, he has not produced any evidence of intention to conduct work at the site. The council is due to meet on July 14 to sign off the move to issue a CPO on CNM Estates in a bid to secure the future of the landmark.
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Cromer Pier reopens for walking only
Cromer pier is again open for residents to enjoy. However, the Pavilion, Tides Restaurant and the Gift Shop remain closed. A spokesman for North Norfolk District council said: “We are aware that the pier is an iconic structure and are pleased that once again people can enjoy it, however we are still urging visitors to act responsibly”.
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Beaumaris Pier begins significant maintenance programme during lockdown closure
The ongoing Coronavirus lockdown will see Anglesey Council bring forward a £180,000 maintenance programme for the iconic pier. Beaumaris Pier, originally built in 1846, was revamped and repaired in 2012 as part of a £5.6m project to secure its future. But subsequent rusting and a deterioration of paintwork on the pier’s railing and approaches – blamed on the continuous exposure to saltwater – has seen planned maintenance works brought forward to take advantage of the current lockdown.
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What a load of rubbish! Worthing Pier litter bin sails to Germany
A rubbish bin thrown from the end of a pier in West Sussex has washed up about 450 miles away – in Germany. Vandals in Worthing launched the public receptacle – which bore the town’s crest – into the English Channel. After an estimated six-month journey it washed up on the shore of the German island of Borkum. Frerk Richter, who found the litter bin last month, contacted Worthing Borough Council and told them he had transformed it into a flower container.
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From June 15th sections of some piers will start to reopen
Skegness Pier will open its ‘Pier Casino’ for over 18s and some of its take-away food outlets. Clacton Pier will also open its Casino facility, with some food outlets continuing their take-away service. Llandudno Pier will reopen some of its food kiosks, but lockdown restrictions for local travel remain in place in Wales. Meanwhile, the BBC looked at how the seaside resorts of Great Yarmouth, Blackpool, and Hastings have fared during lockdown.

First live-stream event from Blackpool North Pier’s Joe Longthorne MBE Theatre
Comedian Roy Chubby Brown has vowed to make history in Blackpool as the first performer to take to a theatre stage in Britain since Lockdown. The charity chat show event is set for Saturday June 27 and will be streamed live online for audiences to enjoy.
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Volunteers sought at Bangor Garth Pier
Plans are under way to create a Bangor Pier Enterprise Group comprising the City of Bangor Council, the private businesses that operate on the pier, and a new community volunteers group – the Bangor Pier Volunteers.
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Brighton Palace Pier publish health and safety guidelines ahead of reopening on July 4th
The pier has published an extensive document covering all aspects of COVID-secure operations to protect staff and customers for the planned reopening of the pier on July 4th.
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Pier ‘casino’ adult gaming centres remain closed after government u-turn
The hotly-anticipated reopening of a casino on Skegness Pier has been pushed back, officials have revealed. Now, just days after the announcement, those in charge have been forced to scrap their plans to reopen the casino, with bosses criticising Number 10 for a ‘u-turn’ on the rules. Cheryl’s Pier Kiosk and Whippy Dippy’s Snack Station opened on June 15 as planned.
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Clevedon Pier to reopen next week
Clevedon’s historic pier is to re-open next week – after being shut for months due to lockdown. Bosses at Clevedon Pier and Heritage Trust have announced the Grade I listed landmark is to re-open on June 25. The pier will initially open four days a week from Thursday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm.
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Blackpool Illuminations two month extension to boost tourism season
The Blackpool Illuminations will stay lit for an extra two months, and will run until January 3 2021, to boost tourism trade hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The resort’s annual switch-on celebration will take place away from the public for the first time in more than 70 years and will be replaced with a closed event filmed inside the Tower Ballroom.
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Shotley Pier restoration work to begin
Work will begin on Suffolk’s historic Shotley Pier, months after it was due to start.It was bought by the Shotley Heritage Charitable Community Benefit Society in 2018 and people were given the chance to buy their own chunk of the structure as well as having a say in how its run.
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RNLI to be the new owners of Weston Birnbeck Pier?
At a meeting on Tuesday 14 July, North Somerset Council will receive a report to authorise the issuing of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for Birnbeck Pier. This process could take up to 18 months until confirmation is received from the Secretary of State. Leader of the Council, Don Davies, said: “We are delighted that an organisation as professional as the RNLI has decided to step in and potentially take ownership of Birnbeck Pier. We have given the owner many opportunities over the years to undertake the necessary repairs needed to preserve the pier, without success, even starting legal action to CPO the site as a last resort. This is a fantastic result following a great deal of work from council officers, Historic England and the RNLI”.
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Potential delay for new coaster at Clacton Pier
Pier director Billy Ball said the delay over the insurance claim means repairs to the collapsed deck section on the west side of the landmark have not gone ahead as expected. He said the knock-on effect is the new Looping Star roller-coaster ride, planned for the site, may need to be delayed until the 2022 season if an agreement is not reached within the next six weeks.
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Aberystwyth Royal Pier gets planning green light for viewing platform
As part of an ongoing investment to regenerate the Grade II listed Royal Pier, planners have approved the creation of a new extension that will include a balcony area for viewing the town’s famous Starling murmurations and the promenade.
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Blackpool South Pier owners sentenced over asbestos incident
The owners of Blackpool’s South Pier, who demolished part of an asbestos-lined arcade while visitors were allowed to roam nearby, have been given 300 hours of unpaid work as the company was ordered to pay a £134,000 fine and £38,000 costs.
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Levenmouth Whale Pier project calls for support
The Levenmouth Whale Project team has launched a petition calling on funding bodies, local councils and the Scottish government to work together to turn the dream into a reality. “We had plans for information stands and extensive public engagement in the spring and summer at events in and around Levenmouth, but these have all been cancelled due to the pandemic,” said chairman Eugene Clarke.
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Will Southport benefit from a new world-class waterfront?
The waterfront is an “important area” for the town and holds some of its “best-loved features” including the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, the Marine Lake and Pleasureland. The plan proposes improvements and investment in the area to offer a “world-class” experience. One of the plans is to create a new, all weather visitor attraction at Pleasureland to attract more people to Southport all-year round. Another idea is a “major” investment into the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre.
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Volunteers needed at Clevedon Pier
The pier opened at the end of June after being closed for three months due to the Government lockdown. Initially the landmark has opened for four days a week from 11am to 5pm. But it is hoped that opening hours will increase in the coming weeks – and peak summer season – if additional volunteers can be found.
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As Southend Pier prepares to reopen on Monday, here’s some great pictures of the pier through time
From Victorian promenades to glamorous concert parties, beauty contests and Punch and Judy festivals, Southend Pier has seen it all over the decades. The mile-long attraction has undergone many changes and makeovers since it was built, not to mention fires and accidents. But it’s still standing proudly.
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