Clacton voted Pier Of The Year by National Piers Society members!
Clacton’s pier has been named Pier of the Year in what its director called a “perfect morale booster” at “an incredibly difficult time”. The Essex resort’s pier, built in 1871, reopened to the public on Saturday as lockdown measures were eased. The seaside attraction pipped Clevedon and Brighton Palace piers to the 2020 National Piers Society accolade.
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Brighton Palace Pier to launch their very own time capsule!
Brighton Palace Pier, one of the UK’s most iconic landmarks, is launching its very own time capsule on the 11th July 2020. The time capsule will contain a fascinating snapshot of history to those who open the capsule on the 20th May 2070. The time capsule, made of stainless steel, has a 200-year lifespan and will be located on the wall of the ‘Palace of Fun’ arcade. The National Piers Society were delighted to contribute to the contents of the time capsule.
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Llandudno Pier considers entrance charge
Llandudno Pier is considering charging people to go on the historic structure as it struggles to raise money to pay for essential maintenance. The pier has been closed since lockdown in March – costing the site hundreds of thousands of pound in lost income. Parts of it can now reopen but the site still can’t open some of its higher earning sections like the amusements as well as sit in eating places.
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RNLI reveals future plans for Weston Birnbeck Pier
The RNLI envisages removing the now crumbling raft and supporting structures, whilst providing all necessary crew and equipment office, training, maintenance/repair and storage facilities, plus environmentally sustainable visitor attractions. These include a visitor centre, walkways, gift shop and supporting facilities at the seaward end of the pier, to complement the use by the pier for RNLI. The ambition is to reinvigorate the pier to allow for public interest whilst having suitable facilities that will both build on the visitor attraction by generating income for RNLI.
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Building work for the new Pier at Colwyn Bay restarts!
Although originally scheduled to be completed this summer, scaffolding has been erected and work has resumed on the new, 45 meter truncated Colwyn Bay pier. The timetable for the project has been carried-forward and is now scheduled to be completed early next year.
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Fire at Blackpool Central Pier brought under control
About 50 firefighters have been tackling a blaze on Blackpool’s Central Pier. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said crews found a workshop and a ride well alight half way along the pier just after 03:00 BST on Friday morning. Incident commander Mark Winder said: “Fortunately early firefighter action has extinguished the fire to the extent there is no visible flame.” An investigation is being conducted into its cause, he added.
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Weston’s Birnbeck Pier owners given the opportunity to sell as compulsory purchase order progresses
The owners of a derelict Victorian pier have been given the chance to sell it voluntarily after the local council voted to force its sale. North Somerset Council wants to secure the future of the Grade II* listed Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare and voted for a compulsory purchase order. In September last year, owners CNM Estates were served an order to carry out repairs but no work has been done.
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A fascinating look-back at the lost Pier and hamlet of Hampton-on-Sea
Looking on at Hampton Pier, it’s hard to imagine it was ever anything other than rock and sea. A lonely spit of land only visible at low tide, it conceals a somewhat tragic past. Underneath those murks water, lies the story of Kent’s very own sunken hamlet, Hampton-On-Sea.
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New operators for Hastings Pier
Event planners Music First Events have been given a temporary tenure for the summer of 2020 but have the option to continue ‘if successful’. The company now in control of operations on Hastings Pier has promised to offer the space back to the local community as it begins its temporary tenure. The structure of the Grade-II listed structure remains under control of owner Sheikh Abid Gulzar.
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Hastings Pier lays claim to be UK’s biggest bier garden!
Hastings Pier can now host 600 seated and socially distanced drinkers after it underwent an impressive transformation. The new look has also allowed live music to return to the town, with bands able to perform on the elevated platform of the roof terrace. But, with the significant size of the new beer garden, does this make it the largest in the UK? Earlier this month, it was reported that the “UK’s biggest socially distanced beer garden” had opened in Walthamstow, London.
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Lowestoft Claremont Pier’s new owners set out their vision for the pier
Already the fish and chips restaurant and ice cream kiosk has reopened, with an extended amusement arcade, bar and new gift shop set to hopefully open on Saturday. The owners consist of Edward and Charmaine Mayne, their eldest child Victoria Manning and her husband Michael Manning, son Ernie Mayne as well as daughter Charmaine Llewellyn and her husband Ben Llewellyn.
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Helensburgh Pier restoration gets planning approval
Plans to carry out improvement work on Helensburgh’s pier by installing steel beams in the structure have been approved. Argyll and Bute Council planning officials have given the go-ahead to work which will see the beams put in place to support new glass-reinforced plastic panels laid on the surface of the structure.
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Blackpool Central Pier to reopen after fire
The pier is scheduled to reopen on Friday 24th July. Peter Sedgwick, who owns all three of Blackpool’s historic piers, said that there has been no damage to the structure of the pier and, following replacement of some of the decking, it would be safe for people to visit once more.
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Windbreaks finally installed at Cromer Pier
Glass windbreaks have been installed on Cromer Pier to shelter people from the sea breeze while they are eating and drinking. It cost £130,000 to install the windbreaks, which are also designed to make socially-distanced dining more comfortable outside the pier’s Tides Restaurant and the Pavilion Theatre Bar.
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Southend Pier – aka HMS Leigh – plans to celebrate 76th anniversary of VE Day
The celebrations will kick off between May 6 and 9 2021, with the hopes of both sharing the tale of HMS Leigh and inspiring younger generations to follow in the footsteps of those resourceful men and women who together turned a pleasure pier into a naval battle station during World War Two.
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Renovation still planned for Worthing Pier’s Southern Pavilion
The pavilion closed in October last year, shortly after it was taken over by Alex Hole, owner of the Perch cafe on Lancing seafront. At the time, he said a full renovation and rebrand was planned for the iconic Art Deco building. Giving an update, he said plans for the works have been progressing over the last few months and the team will be soon be submitting a planning application.
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Mumbles Pier owner offers insight into how piers are coping and adapting their operations
Social distancing and the government’s Covid-19 trading guidelines mean normal business has been suspended, but that doesn’t mean it has stopped. Just half of the businesses are open; The Beach Hut Cafe and Copperfish. “We opened our Pier last weekend and weather permitting we are hoping to have a good weekend, or as good as we it can be in the current climate,” said Mr Bollom.
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Southport Pier closed due to lorry collision
Southport Pier Pavillion said the lorry only “scraped off” some paint but the pier remained closed until it had been assessed. Sefton Council said a structural assessment would take place to determine if any repairs were needed. The pier has now reopened.
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Southend Pier trains back on track for the summer
The iconic trains along the pier were out of use since lockdown for the Coronavirus pandemic began back in March. The pier itself reopened on July 6, but due to social distancing when on-board the carriages, the trains were not operational from the reopening date. However, following the completion of a risk assessment, the trains will now run at reduced capacity, running every 30 minutes.
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A glorious look-back at Kent’s seaside piers
Some great stories and fantastic vintage postcards that tell the tale of the county’s 13 seaside piers past and present.
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Brighton Palace Pier launches Sunset Cinema
Tickets are now on sale for an outdoor cinema at Brighton Palace Pier. Movie lovers will be able to enjoy blockbuster screenings from the comfort of a deck chair using Bluetooth earphones. The Brighton Palace Pier Sunset Cinema will launch next Wednesday, August 5, with a screening of Grease at 8.30pm. There will be a waiter service for food and drink and all chairs will be spaced out at a distance, with blankets and chairs regularly cleaned.
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Council offers £1 to Birnbeck owners for pier sale
The owners of Birnbeck Pier have been offered £1 to sell it and avoid the derelict Victorian structure being forcibly taken into public ownership. CNM Estates has been issued with a compulsory purchase order (CPO) after failing to carry out repairs. “I’ll deliver the pound coin personally if it makes it any quicker,” said Don Davies, leader of North Somerset Council, which made the offer.
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Penarth Pier to become a ‘dry’ pier?
Alcohol could be banned in some public places in the Vale of Glamorgan to combat a recent increase in people drinking there. Penarth esplanade and Ogmore beach are two of the areas included in the council’s plans following recent gatherings at some sites. Following public consultation new rules could cover other sites too and could come into force in October.
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New designs for Southend Pier trains revealed
The final design for brand new trains for Southend’s world famous pier have been revealed – with a green and cream colouring. Production of the new trains is already underway, and they are due to be in operation from next summer. The pier previously had green and cream trains which carried passengers along the landmark from 1949 to 1978.
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