Fleetwood Pier – A Proposed Festive Gathering
Following last week’s news of renewed interest in the pier’s reconstruction, a festive gathering has been organised outside the former pier site on the evening of Thursday 11th December. In addition to offering some staples of christmas event programming, its key feature will be the opportunity to discuss ideas for delivering the notion of the pier’s reconstruction. Already, as shown in this week’s article, many comments on this have been gathered and the subject will be one which provokes many memories for Fleetwood locals.
Warning: the text errors in the article are some of the worst I have seen, so take care when reading so as to prevent brain spasms (it may well be corrected by the time you read it – hopefully it will be).
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Southend Pier – Contentious Politics Regarding “Poppies on the Pier” Event
The Reform Group recently took issue that none of the ticket sales during the Poppies on the Pier events were donated to the Royal British Legion, but were instead designated solely to the pier’s ongoing maintenance. A council motion was submitted to this effect, but was rejected for proposition at a future council meeting. Although the council seem not to intend donating to the RBL from the event sales, it was previously stated that a dedicated Poppy Appeal donation centre was provided at the pier during the event.
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Hastings Pier – Enforcement Action(s)
More messy and inconsequential planning and legal matters at Hastings, during a most uncertain transition period for the pier. Of planning enforcements, it would be typical for a property to be subject to one enforcement notice, resultant of an isolated planning “misdemeanour”. Hastings Pier, however, has somehow managed to accumulate no less than 14 separate cases of enforcement action or warning notices over the last two months. With Gulzar evidently retiring his interest and activity in the pier, it is quite possible that these cases will not be attended to with considerable enthusiasm. However, it may well be that the successful sale of the pier will not be possible until all outstanding enforcement actions are addressed and closed. Of the planning breaches themselves, they are of relatively uninteresting details: of unauthorised seating structures adjacent to the West Pavilion; the use class of the Visitor Centre; the retention of the temporary/permission-expired log cabins… all requiring much tedious paperwork on the council’s part and probably the reason they have taken so long in taking action in this matter.
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Weymouth Stone Pier – History, Storms and Ships
A fairly good article about the Stone Pier’s origins and recent interactions with stormy weather. Particular emphasis is on the Great Storm of 1987 and the pier’s necessary reconstruction in the following year.
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Something Else: Civil Warfare for a Bus Shelter
Sheringham, the next town along the Norfolk coast from Cromer, has reached notoriety in national news because North Norfolk Council have become intent on destroying the town’s bus shelter. This action has been met with ferocious local opposition on heritage grounds and has also been promoted by the 20th Century Society. The structure, of unspecified precise date, is typical of transport structures of the immediate Post-War period and seems well-placed in the context of Sheringham (heritage) Railway Station. Flanked by sharply curving end walls, the frontage’s low opening height rather cleverly doubles as casual seating as well as forming part of the enclosing envelope. It was restored in c.2020, with a new painted mural on the rear wall, and general local rhetoric would suggest that it is fondly thought of. Protests have been ongoing for the last four days, acting against the council’s motivation to demolish it in favour of a new predictably-named “Transport Hub”; proposals summarised in a rather horrible “Youtube Short” video with A.I. voiceover. The new shelter would be of tubular steel and (probably) polycarbonate, with a light trimming of “railwayification” in the steel daggerboards and a notional gesture of “art” on the gable – despite these bits of decoration, the proposed visualisation has the aura of an off-the-shelf cycle storage shelter and the distress of residents can be sympathised with. A link to the campaign page is provided and there is an ongoing petition. Campaigners are now occupying the structure to prevent unaccounted demolition; the council presently remain unreceptive to the public backlash and are demanding for campaigners to “leave the area immediately” so that demolition can begin.
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Campaign Page
The Transport Hub
Southwold Pier – Proposals for Holiday Apartments
Recently-new pier owners Charles and Amy Barwick have submitted a planning application to enable the extension of the Pier Pavilion to form 11 holiday flats on the first and newly-formed second storeys. This is supposedly summarised in the Eastern Daily Times article, but since that page is stubbornly restricted to paid subscribers, you will hear it from me instead!
The new planning application has been submitted to East Suffolk Council in November by the appointed architect and agent, John Bennett, and is now available to view and comment upon using East Sussex Council’s webpage. Conversion to accommodation has already been proposed and approved in previous years, so it has been fundamentally accepted as a suitable use of the upper floors of the pavilion. The proposal drawings are quite unusual in being entirely hand-drawn, and quite well-drawn they are. With the second-floor extension work, the existing character of the 1930s pavilion will inevitably change from what one already knows, and the architect has evidently been vigorous in his approach in this regard. The proposed elevations show the pavilion to be considerably more prominant, almost startlingly so, with looping wall fins pushing for the “Art Deco” look and the expansive metal-framed glazing appearing almost industrial in character. Overall, the proposed additions certainly do not attempt to conceal the extra floorspace that is proposed, but the assured forcefulness of the approach is quite satisfying. Will this be the first case of true “Neo-Art deco” work at the seaside?
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Planning Application
Worthing Pier – Storm Damage to be Repaired “Once and For All”
More repair work is proposed at Worthing Pier. This time, the schedule is for an especially important element, this being the permanent repair and reinstatement of the supporting structure which was critically damaged in storms during 2024. This has been supported with a temporary structure in the interim. The pier is expected to remain open during the course of the works, which will commence in Summer 2026, and £900,000 has been allocated to this work.
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Hastings Pier – The Sauna is Not Going Anywhere
Samphire Sauna is a tenant on Hastings Pier and were mentioned in last week’s news article regarding the planning enforcements that they were one of the subjects of the enforcement action – this turned out to be incorrect information on the part of the news site. Since it is clearly a temporary installation (i.e. a sauna in a horsebox, on wheels), it is not subject to planning-level enforcement action. For those not aware of its existence (indeed I knew not of it prior to last week), the present article gives a useful introduction to the attraction and to the people operating it.
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Blackpool Central Pier – Old Photographs
Navigating the news webpage containing this photograph gallery is, as expected, like wrestling with a hippopotamus and normally I would not recommend pages like it very fondly. In this case, however, the archival photography is very good and undoubtedly worth slashing through the Cookies, subscription demands and A.I adverts with your computer-mouse-machete!
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Plymouth West Hoe Pier – Collapse in Storm
This is not by any means a seaside pier, but the stone landing pier at Plymouth Hoe has suffered a partial collapse in the most recent storms on Tuesday. The structure is Grade-II listed and dates to 1880, just a few years prior to the much more pier-like “Plymouth Promenade Pier” (bombed during WWII). The Council had already been working on strengthening the pier and replenishing the rubble infill prior to the collapse.
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Something Else, Again – The Sheringham Bus Shelter is Saved
Since last week, Sheringham’s notoriety continued with the process for deciding this bus shelter’s future proving to be much dirtier and more drawn out than it ought to have been. Anyway, it is done – demolition was ultimately voted against by the Town Council, and the District Council contractors were made to withdraw from the site as quickly as possible. Now that the controversy is effectively over, North Norfolk Council should now have opportunity to continue the excellent work they have been doing at Cromer Pier!
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BBC Video
Maintaining Worthing Pier
Another article on Worthing Pier’s maintenance scheme, but it is certainly worth reading since it brings the entire chronology into a detailed and easily-followable narrative with good photographs throughout. Being a webpage on the local Council website, it is an encouraging signal on the council’s intent for good custodianship. This webpage page will likely be updated as works continue, so it will not be necessary to feature any more minor articles from local newspapers on this subject.
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Cromer Pier – £250,000 Repairs Proposed
North Norfolk Council are proposing to undertake a major structural repair scheme throughout the Winter months. The value of £250,000 is estimated to cover the rectification of the most critical structural defects, whilst additional funding will need to be approved to attend lower-priority works. The approval of this essential funding was recommended to the Council ahead of a full meeting on Wednesday, and in the video recording of the meeting, it can be seen that the proposal was approved by a unaninous vote. The work is expected to take place during January and February.
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Council Report
Harwich Pier – Temporary Closure for Repairs
Harwich Pier is to be closed to the public from the 5th January 2026 until March, allowing for some structural repairs and redecking work. The scheme of work is expected to cost £115,000. The passenger ferry, cafe and visitor centre will remain open to the public throughout this process.
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Helensburgh Pier – Ownership Negotiations Ongoing
The Helensburgh Pier Company have provided an update on their present negotiations towards acquiring a lease of the pier from Argyll and Bute Council. It is hoped that these negotiations will be concluded early in the new year, and recently-released structural reports have also been shared with the Council to ensure that all potential restoration options are agreed between the two parties. The objective of all this, of course, is to revoke the closure notice and to allow the Waverley (and friends) to land at the pier.
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Plymouth West Hoe Pier – Scandal and Woe Descends on West Hoe
The disquiet continues at Plymouth, concerning the events leading up to the collapse of the West Hoe Pier on tuesday during so-called “Storm Bram”. It is now claimed that the repair works which had been in progress prior to this day had been unauthorised. Plymouth City Council’s position seems to be that the work which had yet been completed was only of “investigative” scope, informing the strategy of future repair works which would be subject to Listed Building Consent. The latter part of their most recent statement seems quite reasonable, but it seems questionable that the works completed to-date, involving so much removal of material so as to actively compromise the structural integrity of the structure, could be considered as “investigative” and not subject to Listed Building Consent. The council have now suggested that, where possible, original stones now sunk in the surrounding water will be retrieved and re-integrated in the repaired pier structure. This strategy has been supposedly criticised by unidentified “local heritage observers”. Reusing original intact stones would be appropriate on a heritage basis and a generally reasonable strategy, but only if their internal structure is not compromised by their time fully submerged in salt water as the criticism suggests.
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Hastings Pier – Retrospective Planning Permission Sought for Unauthorised Works
All previously-reported enforcement actions (which, as it happens, includes the Sauna business despite previous reports) are being addressed together by owner Sheikh Abid Gulzar in a Planning and Listed Building Consent application. It is good news that the enforcement action is being attended to so promptly, and the drawings produced by Gulzar’s agent appear sufficient at first glance. However, Hastings Council’s Conservation Officer has submitted comments earlier this week which raise a number of concerns. Aside from various inconsistencies between drawings and planning statements, it has been suggested that the inherent “temporary” quality of the unauthorised sheds (this includes the original kiosks, approved in 2015) would not warrant their being approved on a permanent basis. Their previous approval on a 5-year basis was deemed proportionate for allowing their economic viability being gauged prior to devoting funds to a more permanent development, but being not to the same quality as the central Visitor Centre or West Pavilion, it looks like the Conservation Officer will not wish to see them as a long-term feature of the pier. At the bottom of the officer’s report an appendix of example kiosks which would be deemed appropriate in their opinion; drawn from Bangor and Llandudno Piers, and probably many times more expensive to construct than the “Skinner’s Sheds”. The officer is similarly critical of the Sauna development, which seems to infill the North-West corner of the pier, being described as “an ad-hoc arrangement of poor quality structures”. In an unusual development, this planning application has (at the time of writing) received 138 public comments, with the overwhelming theme of defending the sauna development, this being at the imploration of the sauna business on their social media accounts. Normally these comments would likely not have any material influence on the planning decision since they do not refer to actual planning matters or policy, but having witnessed the recent council controversy at Sheringham, Hastings Council may be willing to consider the rhetoric behind these comments more than they otherwise would do.
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Planning Application
Cromer Pier – £250,000 Repairs; Another Article
A more detailed article referring to the reported repair scheme of last week. Usefully this also addresses in detail the debate held at the council meeting which ultimately saw the funding approved.
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Hythe Pier – The Pier is Closed
A new controversy opens, with it being reported that in addition to the Hythe Ferry being suspended, the entire pier has been closed to the public. Red Funnel Ferries have recently been subject to a corporate acquisition and initially there was very little transparency on whether the pier and Hythe Ferry operations were included in this takeover. It has now been confirmed that this is the case, with Red Funnel still acting as tenant to the pier and landing stage. Pier owner Ashleigh Mutimear-MacMillan confirmed that it was the tenant who actioned the pier closure for “health and safety reasons”, but some electrical repair works have already been completed. Evidently there are outstanding issues to be rectified, but all available funds have been exhausted in the electrical works. Presently the operational model of the pier and ferry would seem, from the public’s perspective, to be complex and dysfunctional (a private owner, with a tenant seemingly in control of the entire operation, and the Hythe Pier Heritage Association somewhere in the mix), now sadly depriving Hythe of the ferry for the last year. The owner, perhaps receptive of this, has mentioned that converting the pier operation to charity-status is being considered.
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Blackpool South Pier – Further Refusal for Foreshore Rides
The “Star Flyer” and Logflume have been discussed previously and earlier planning attempts have ended in refusal. A more recent application for a “Certificate of Lawful Development” attempted to frame the works as non-permanent and not “development” at all; but this was ultimately disagreed with by the planning authority and the proposals were again refused.
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Bognor Regis Pier – Planning Refusal for Sauna/Cafe Development
The previously-reported planning application for the conversion of the disused pier storage outbuildings was refused on Monday. Planning officers endorsed the general principle of the development but judged the proposed combination of raw timber cladding and artificial grass to be inappropriate to the seaside setting. This could have easily been amended with a cooperation between council and agent. Other details such as fenestration materials and signage were uncertain and the agent failed to respond to requests to clarify or amend these details, so the whole thing has now come to nothing. The application documents and decision can be viewed by searching for the reference BR/176/25/PL on Arun District Council’s wholly unintuitive planning search page.
Bangor Pier – An “Article 4” Confusion
Previously reported was the proposed conversion of the Pier Master’s Cottage to a holiday cottage and its ensuing planning application. This was under the background of Gwynedd council having initiated a direction under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning Act, forbidding the conversion of dwellings to holiday cottages under the usual Permitted Development freedoms. This followed general controversy in the most tourist-desirable areas of Wales (and also notably in South-West England) on the proliferation of expensive holiday cottages in former village communities. Since then, this Article 4 direction has been challenged and was ultimately quashed at a court ruling. Now, Gwynedd Council intends to legally appeal this decision. A request by Gwynedd Council for the ruling to be temporarily suspended whilst it prepared its appeal was refused, resulting in the Article 4 direction not being in force for the time being. This, in theory, allows Bangor Pier to convert the Pier Master’s Cottage to a holiday rent without any permission. Following what could be described as their “defeat”, Gwynedd Council were quick to pointedly remark to the Friends of Bangor Garth Pier that if their appeal is successful, then any works that are completed at the cottage in the interim will therefore be unauthorised and subject to enforcement action. What fun!
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Christmas at Swanage Pier
A relief from the recent seriousness – Christmas crashes onto Swanage Pier! The article does very well in painting a vivid picture of the recent festivities, so little more needs to be said here except than to provide the link to it!
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Clacton Pier – A Positive Reflection on 2025
A reflection on the challenges and successes seen throughout 2025, with Clacton Pier managing to prevail over a year of well-publicised governmental pressures. The result of the pier’s stable and resilient management is an optimistic prospect for the new year.
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Hythe Pier and Ferry – Further Details, and an A.I Song
Following last week’s somewhat brief and uncertain report on the pier closure, a full summary of the present situation is now given in the local news. Regardless of this additional information, the actual timescale for the reopening of the pier and the reinstatement of the Hythe Ferry service remains unknown. The new article highlights further evidence of widespread disquiet, and local social media groups have courted hundreds of comments on the matter. A common theme was confusion on the complex corporate makeup of the Hythe pier and Ferry, lightly mentioned in last week’s summary. The Chair of Hythe Pier Heritage Association had previously prepared a short summary to clarify this matter, distributing it variously amongst the course of conversation in the last week, and it will be helpful to reproduce it below:
Ownership –
Hythe Pier Company (Ashleigh Mutimear-MacMillan) owns the pier, railway track and all the buildings. Red Funnel own the ferry, ferry pontoon and connecting walkway to the pier. Hythe Pier Heritage Association (HPHA) own the train.
Operator –
The Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company (HSF), a Red Funnel Company, operate the ferry service, pier and train. All of the staff working on the pier work for HSF. The entire pier, with buildings, and the train are leased to this company by the respective owners.
Also, someone has provoked an A.I. machine to conjure a “song” about the Hythe controversies. The link to the Youtube listing is provided for your interest. As with all A.I-generated music, the musical quality is poisonously banal, but it offers some value to those who prefer to have their controversial topics fed to them in song rather than by ad-filled news websites.
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The “Song”
Llandudno Pier – Waverley Excursions Planned in 2026
The pier owner has expressed excitement on the planned return of the P.S. Waverley to Llandudno Pier during June 2026. These sailings will commence in Liverpool, connencting the two tourist centres and boosting the pier’s Summer activity considerably. Bookings for these June sailings will be accepted from February onwards.
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