Following a series of pier and harbour constructions at Sunderland starting in the early 18th century, the building of the current North pier, known commonly now as just Roker Pier, began in September 1885 and was finally opened, complete with its striking red and grey granite lighthouse, in September 1903. The pier eventually fell into disrepair but in 2012, Sunderland City Council, supported by Heritage Lottery funding, began an extensive restoration program on the pier and lighthouse. A storm in November 2016 caused damage to the pier, demolishing the railings at the seaward end and putting back the restoration work.
The restoration project was fully completed in 2018 to a very high standard with a new entrance structure at the mouth of the Pier Tunnel marking the final stage of the work.

January 2018 – Sunderland’s Roker Pier reopens!
The pier had been closed since November 2016, when gale force winds and huge waves washed more than 100 metres of railings into the sea.

August 2018 – Roker Pier Tunnel and Lighthouse Opens to Tours
In August 2018, bookings for public tours of Roker Pier lighthouse and tunnel began following the complete transformation of the pier, and lighthouse over the previous six years. The pier tunnel, originally used by the lighthouse keepers to reach the lighthouse in stormy weather, was also restored with a new entrance structure which allows members of the public to access it via a staircase.

August 2018 – Roker Pier named as one of the top 10 piers in the world
Also in August 2018, readers of The Guardian voted the extensively restored pier as one of the top 10 piers in the world. Dr Anya Chapman from the National Piers Society describing the pier as a ‘gem’, said “Recently it has undergone restoration so that you can now explore its tunnel, hidden within the pier itself, which runs to the lighthouse at the end. Where else do you get to go inside a pier structure?”

Roker Pier

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