Suggestions to build a promenade and landing pier at Great Yarmouth, in addition to the jetty, were made as early as 1843. However, it was not until 31st October 1853 that the 700 foot long ‘Wellington’ pier (from the famous Duke who had died the previous year) opened to the design of P.Ashcroft. The cost was £6776.

The council bought the pier in 1900 and, under their ownership, the original wooden pier was reconstructed, and a pavilion built This opened on 13th July 1903. In addition, the council transported the Winter Gardens from Torquay and these became part of the pier complex, despite being land-based.

In 1971, the seaward end was completely renewed at a cost of £30,000. In 1975, further funds were allocated for urgent maintenance.

In 1986, the council’s Commercial Management and Estates committee recommended demolition of the loss-making pier on the grounds that a £1 million pound redevelopment could not be justified. This led to public protests and new ideas. The council decided to lease the pier’s operations. The entertainer Jim Davidson took over the lease between 1996 and 2002, but was unable to halt the pier’s deterioration and it was eventually taken over by the present owners, Family Amusements Ltd.

The pier eventually had to be closed for improvement and extensive restoration works. Work commenced in 2004, partly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, under the Townscape Heritage Initiative. This included the removal of asbestos cladding and then the refurbishment of the steel and timber substructure and decking.

The pier is now open and houses an amusement arcade, casino, a fully automatic bowling alley, ice cream parlour and gift shop.

February 2019 – What a winter warmer! Great Yarmouth seafront and piers recreated in knitted form!
An 89-year-old woman recreated Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile during its 1970s’ heyday in wool. Margaret Seaman had spent “every minute of every day” in the past year knitting and crocheting town landmarks including the Wellington Pier and Winter Gardens.
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April 2019 – A tribute to Peter Maddock: Great Yarmouth’s Wellington Pier General Manager 1957-1974
Peter Maddock made his career in the seaside world of smiles and sparkle, where entertainers helped folk forget everyday concerns for a while by having a laugh or tapping their feet to a well-known tune.
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August 2024 – Great Yarmouth Wellington Pier – Proposals for Amusements Expansion
Wellington Pier enjoyed a dramatic resurrection about 15-20 years ago, providing it with up-to-date facilities and yet without severely impacting its architectural character. The amusement arcade, leading on from the restored entrance buildings, was completed by 2006 and this was followed by the completion of “Wellington Bowl” in 2008, situated at the seaward end of the pier and a replica of the previous Theatre, dating to 1903.
In August, Family Amusements Ltd. proposed a considerable extension on South side of the amusement arcade. Predictably, the design would closely mirror the existing structure, a rather plain steel-framed, steel-clad building with an arching roof – much akin to some distribution centre buildings across the country. This characteristic was naturally mitigated by the fact that the building would be screened by the much more comely entrance buildings to the West and the Winter Gardens to the North. The new extension, which would at least double the floor area of the amusements and add a second arching roof span and sit on the former skating rink to the South. The entrance buildings would receive a new extension to partly screen the starkly plain façade of the main building; the other elevations will also be exceptionally plain. A decision wwould be issued by the Council in October.
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November 2024 – Ongoing Planning Procedures at Wellington Pier

January 2026 – Construction of Amusements Extension

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