Weston-super-Mare's iconic but dilapidated pier is set for a dramatic £10 million revamp thanks to the National Lottery, reinstating its status as a beloved jewel of the Somerset coastline. The historic 160 year old Birnbeck Pier, which has been teetering on the brink of collapse after falling into serious disrepair, is finally receiving the TLC it desperately needs.
Residents and tourists have looked on in despair as the pier, once an emblem of the towns seaside charm, has suffered neglect, but now its all change with this substantial injection from lottery funds. Birnbeck Pier is not just any old pier; it's a piece of history that connects Britains mainland to the small island of Birnbeck and has been sorely missed by Midlands day-trippers yearning for a bit of coastal escapade.
Closed for three decades, the planned works will breathe new life into this unique structure, enabling public access once more to the only UK pier that reaches out to an island, reports the Express. The restoration news has been met with open arms, especially by Westons mayor John Crockford-Hawley, who reminisced to the Guardian about his youthful adventures: "I'm old enough to remember when it was in full fling. As a young teenager, my mum would give me and my friends sandwiches and off we'd go on a paddle steamer. We'd go cruising around the channel or down to Ilfracombe. It was all great fun.".
