The 600 foot pier was constructed for the Coast Develeopment Company in 1902/3 to the design of D.Fox. ‘Belle’ steamers used to call. In 1912/13, the T-shaped pier-head was developed to include a pavilion. This brought the pier’s length to 760 feet. Additionally, the original wooden piles were renewed using greenheart timber.

Steamer services ended in 1939 and the pier was sectioned as a defence measure in 1940. When the risk of invasion had passed, the gap was closed with a Bailey Bridge and the pier became an Army training centre.

By 1948, the pier was abandoned and derelict.When Lowestoft Town Council declined to purchase the structure for £4,000, actor George Studd took it over for a year and repair work commenced. A reinforced concrete platform and a new pavilion had been built by 1950. In 1962, the pier-head and some of the main structure were destroyed by storms, reducing the pier’s length to 720 feet.

In 1988, an extensive restoration plan was announced. This high cost project would involve replacing piles and providing new decking to allow the re-opening of the unsafe seaward end. However, although the shoreward end amusements were renovated, the rest of the pier was not. Consequently, the deck remained closed.

In 2000, the artist David Ward was commissioned by Lowestoft Council to create a visual link between Claremont Pier and South Pier. The “St Elmo’s Fire” installation was unveiled in 2001 and consists of a group of lights suspended on tall poles, which are reflected on the water between the piers.

Facilities at the shoreward end include a nightclub, amusement arcade, childrens’ rides and a restaurant and take-away.

In April 2005, the pier was put up for sale at £2.8 million – so far as we know, it is still unsold.

September 2013 – Pier demolition warning
A warning was issued in September 2013 by the pier owner, David Scott, that up to £1.5m was needed to restore the 40m seaward section of the pier. This had been closed for several years after being judged to be unsafe and would have to be demolished if the appeal for funding failed.

December 2017 – Lowestoft’s Claremont Pier to host Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations
In December 2017, it was announced that popular venues, The Aquarium and Rocksalt Restaurant, on Claremont Pier would be throwing two huge parties during the festive season.

April 2018 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier for sale!
In April 2018, the Claremont Pier was put up for sale after 48 years of ownership by the Scott family, who purchased the building in 1971.The pier’s owner, Mr David Scott, had run the business on his own for six years after taking over from his father John and brother Paul. Commenting on his decision to sell, Mr Scott said “We have got it to a reasonably good level now and it is trading well and the rental income will see a good return on the investment. But you reach a stage of your life when you think you have done all you can and it is time to pass it on to someone else.”

April 2018 – Look-back at Lowestoft Claremont Pier
Later in the month, following the news of the proposed sale, the Lowestoft Journal published a series of nostalgic images of the pier.

January 2020 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier closes ahead of final sale deadline
In January 2020 it was announced that Lowestoft’s iconic Claremont Pier was to be closed for a month and put into temporary liquidation – as its owner tried one final time to sell the historic Suffolk landmark – ahead of a final deadline for offers of January 31.
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May 2020 – Buyer found for Lowestoft Claremont Pier
Mr Scott slashed the asking price from £2.5milllion in 2018 to £1.25m in January, with the 600ft pier closed while Claremont Pier Ltd was taken into temporary liquidation. The pier remained in the hands of liquidators MHA Larking Gowen and was shut during the UK-wide coronavirus lockdown. However Jonathan Carmen, of Halesworth-based Fennel Chartered Surveyors, confirmed a buyer had now been found and that the sale was progressing “very well”.
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July 2020 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier’s new owners set out their vision for the pier
In July 2020, already the fish and chips restaurant and ice cream kiosk had reopened, with an extended amusement arcade, bar and new gift shop set to hopefully open on Saturday. The owners consisted 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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March 2021 – New Beach Bar to open at Lowestoft Claremont Pier
A new beach bar, with an upstairs sports bar, ice cream parlour and outdoor viewing area was preparing to open on Lowestoft’s seafront And the new business would be a family affair, with Victoria Manning and husband Michael running the bar alongside her sister, her sister’s husband and their parents. The former Zoo Bar premises was set to be transformed by the family into Piranha Joes Beach Bar.
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May 2021 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier looks forward to a bright summer season!
A new sports bar, ice cream parlour and rooftop terrace was soon to be unveiled at the iconic pier. Having taken over the Claremont Pier in Lowestoft on July 20 last year, the multi-generational family of seven who own the historic pier were looking forward to the future. The “family vision” had seen work gathering pace over recent months, with the owners hoping to open the new rooftop terraced seating area, the ice cream parlour and Sports Bar @ Claremont Pier at the end of the month.
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July 2021 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier lights up the sky to celebrate the first year under new ownership
A stunning laser light show illuminated the night skies over a prominent Lowestoft landmark. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Claremont Pier on the south beach in Lowestoft. The laser light display took place to mark the end of the first year of the pier being in the ownership of the Mayne, Manning and Llewellyn family.
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August 2021 – New club to open on Lowestoft Claremont Pier
The club, which is called The Venue, was set to open on August 29 in time for the bank holiday weekend and would permanently operate every Saturday night and also feature DJ sets out on the terrace. The Venue was set to replace what was called Aquarium, a 900 person capacity music venue.
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February 2022 – Owners seek to reopen Lowestoft Claremont Pier deck
The pier itself, a 60-metre stretch of wooden decking, has been closed to the public since 1982, with only seagulls making use of it in recent years. But now, after four decades of desertion, Mr Llewellyn says reopening the pier is a “high priority”, and is already in talks with a company regarding a surveyor’s report, but admits finances will dictate the speed at which the project progresses.

July 2022 – Plans for Lowestoft Claremont Pier deck to reopen
Work is underway for the end of Lowestoft’s Claremont Pier to be reopened for the first time in four decades. The 60-metre-long decked section of the pier was closed to the public in 1982, but the wheels are in motion for it to be renovated over the coming months.

July 2022 – First section of Lowestoft Claremont Pier deck reopens to public
The owners of Lowestoft’s Claremont Pier have re-decked the first few metres of the wooden structure as their ambitious project to reopen the whole end-section begins. Members of the public are invited to visit the renovated section and enjoy panoramic views of the seafront.

August 2022 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier selling old decking to fund restoration
In a bid to raise vital funds, the owners have come up with a creative way to get members of the public involved in the project. Those wishing to support the regeneration efforts are invited to buy pieces of the pier’s original decking, which can then be engraved with personalised messages. It’s hoped that those with an emotional attachment to the pier will come forward and purchase a piece of local history to support the re-decking project.

January 2024 – Re-decking continues at Lowestoft Claremont Pier
The project reached a new milestone after another 18-metre section was completed in early October. Just over a year after the first wooden planks were laid, more than half of the pier had been restored to its former glory.

January 2024 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier – Nightclub gives way to Crazy Golf
The nightclub on the first floor of Claremont Pier’s main building, re-styled as “The Venue”, closed at the end of the previous year’s Summer season. With it having only opened on Saturday nights, Claremont Pier’s owners decided to introduce a function that would make full use of the space throughout the week. The proposed Crazy Golf facility, to be named “Pirates at the Claremont”, was hoped to be completed for Easter and would allow the pier to offer additional indoor attractions; a very much-needed resource during Winter and on rainy Summer days.

March 2024 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier – Crazy Golf course completed
A new pirate-themed Crazy Golf course was completed in the former nightclub, on the first floor of Claremont Pier’s amusement complex. It was fondly welcomed at the opening.

June 2024 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier – Summer Operations Attacked by Petty Crime
Commendable efforts to restore the seaward end of Claremont Pier, ongoing through the committed efforts of the pier management, and donations towards this work had been gratefully accepted through donation boxes on the pier. The pier reported that one such box in the amusement arcade had been swiftly stolen. Meanwhile, an online competition had been launched by the pier, with a very large and valuable Teddy Bear as the prize. The pier later warned of the competition being manipulated by online scammers; the Teddy Bear was subsequently stolen from its display in the amusement arcade and the competition cancelled.
Despite all of this, operations into the Summer continued unimpeded and it was hoped that the season would be a happy and successful one.

August 2024 – A Fireworks Display in Thanks to Restoration Support
The seafront of Lowestoft was scheduled to be taken over by works of fire and high pyrotechnics. Even during the daytime hours, the skies were planned to be thusly illuminated in what was described as “a special daytime display”. After the first display at 7PM, a second display at 9PM was described as a “pioneering wildlife considered display”; what this means in practice, one could only guess at. Claremont Pier commissioned these displays from professional pyrotechnics organisers Flash FX, as an appreciation of those visitors who had donated towards the restoration of the seaward section of the pier and who had supported the pier generally. Admission would be free but further donations towards this cause would be welcomed.

August 2024 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier – Further Decking Reinstatement
Arguably, Lowestoft has not had a true “Seaside Pier” in the traditional sense for over 40 years. Whilst its two piers have always been furnished with typical pier amusements, physically the South Pier is scarcely more than a harbour breakwater and, without a useable pier deck since 1982, Claremont Pier could only offer covered amusement facilities to the visitor. With this history, Lowestoft could not boast the same distinctive experience of walking over elevated decking boards towards the sea, that Great Yarmouth and Cromer might. This makes the efforts of Lowestoft Claremont Pier so significant, in giving the town back a “real” seaside pier. These commendable efforts were correspondingly awarded with much public support and a substantial proportion of funding came from public donations. The linked news article reported that approximately half of the deck was now complete, and links for making donations and sponsoring planks were available.

August 2024 – Lowestoft Fireworks Event Report
The two advertised fireworks displays, hosted by Claremont Pier, saw considerable success. The events overall created a considerable stir on the seafront of Lowestoft, drawing seemingly the entire town out to the beach. The previously-mentioned fundraising effort towards the continued restoration of the seaward deck, ironically, was something of a logistical failure – due not to visitors unwilling to donate, but rather that there were insufficient collection containers for the number of people. The pier then set up a Justgiving page to give an opportunity to visitors who wished to donate but were unable to do so.

January 2025 – Another Successful Fireworks Evening
April 2025 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier – The Seaward Deck is Open
June 2025 – Lowestoft Claremont Pier – New Golf Simulator

February 2026 – Decorative Illuminations

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