How £3m boost is transforming our pier
SOUTHPORT Pier is getting rave reviews following its regeneration, with more exciting plans to come.
There have been investments and maintenance by Sefton Council and the Jamieson family, who run Southport Pier Pavilion Cafe.
Sefton Council secured nearly £3m and Colin Jamieson and his daughters, Natalie Jamieson-Morrison, 33, and Joanne Jamieson, 38, put in a significant investment of their own.
The family began the transformation by overhauling the Pier Pavilion Cafe, giving it a new look and placing seating in the floorto-ceiling windows to provide panoramic views of the coastline.
They put cladding on the halfway house to revitalise it and converted its two vandalised Victorian shelters.
One is now the Pier Pit Stop bar and the other the ice cream parlour. There is also an arcade with traditional machines.
They have placed seating outside and have gained an 3am alcohol licence, which is used only very occasionally, so people can have a drink in the evening, but the family insist the pier will not become a “nightclub.”
They also have a picnic area at the end and an old fashioned ice cream van.
The pier also provides the only free toilets in Southport, which the family maintain.
The family are also responsible for opening and closing the gates and Natalie said they can keep the gates open later but it requires the support from local people.
Natalie said: “A lot of people think it’s the council that control the time the gates close but it’s actually us.
“We can keep the pier open later but it depends on how many visitors, so we encourage people to come down so we can open later.
“So far, people are telling us they love the new look. The whole idea of overhauling the pier is that local people who haven’t been down to the pier in years can come and see what we’ve done.
“We’ve tried to adapt to what we think people would want to do which is why there’s plenty of seating, free toilets, and food and drink.”
The pier gets great reviews every day on TripAdvisor with visitors rating it excellent.
It has had setbacks in its time and has suffered from collisions, gales, and fire but none came as close to destroying the pier as in 1990 when Sefton Council applied to have it demolished, only to be defeated by a single vote.
Now things are much different.
A council spokesman said: “The third and final phase of improvement works on Southport Pier is set to start.
“The work is all part of an ongoing £2.9m refurbishment of the oldest cast iron pier in the country that first opened in 1860.
“Works will include new telescopes on the pier to view wildlife and terrestrial and webcams and television screens to view other marine life.
“Other improvements include the opening of two new kiosks serving food and drink that the concessions now trade in.
“The final phase due to start soon will see improved beach access and signage on the pier that stretches more than 1,108m into the Irish Sea.”
Southport’s is the second longest pier in Britain with an original length of 3,600ft. In 1868 it was further extended to 4,380ft.
Natalie said: “It’s old so it’s going to need maintenance which it gets and the road train staff check the pier every day.
“Not that long ago there
was a board that came off with some nails in but it was fixed within 24 hours.
“We care a lot about the pier and this isn’t just a job for us, it’s our life.”
The pier is classed a Grade II Listed structure.
Mark Catherall, Sefton Council’s tourism manager, said: “Every year, millions of people make the pleasant stroll down Southport Pier and the continued improvement works just enhance the experience.
“We look forward to working with the concessions to help the pier go from strength to strength, and the substantial investment by the council and the concession is a great boost to the local economy and shows great confidence in the town.
“Southport Pier is a marvellous asset and millions of pounds spent on redevelopment work ensures this fantastic structure continues to be a top tourist attraction.”
The final phase of work should be completed by the end of this year.
● WHAT do you think of Southport Pier? Please send us your views and pictures to: seftoncommunities@ trinitymirror.com