Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion

[whole diary]

[johnneyw]

Worth popping down to have a peer at what's going on though? 

Weather permitting, this might be the sort of project that, once it gets going, can show visible progress over relatively short periods and along with the Tropicana restructure, might be worth the occasional short train journey for me to keep up with developments.

[broadgage]

Perhaps Minehead pier might be rebuilt, whilst the local authority are at it.
It was removed as a temporary measure, as part of the war effort.
The Old Ship Aground could then be restored to its previous name of The Pier Hotel.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Wood from historic pier to be recycled into furniture

A project to turn wood from a derilict pier into furniture which can then be resold to raise funds for its restoration has been announced.

North Somerset Council partnered with Somerset Wood Recycling to transform material from Birnbeck Pier that cannot be reused.

The grade II^▸ (IndustryInsider - a respected member of this forum) listed structure in Weston-super-Mare has been closed for more than 30 years due to safety concerns but is due to be restored during a £20m programme of improvements.

A spokesperson for Somerset Wood Recycling said they were "excited" to make "a little bit of Weston's heritage available for people to own".

The Community Interest Company (CIC^» (Community Interest Company - about)), based in Weston-super-Mare, recycles second-hand timber from across the county and transforms it into furniture.

The partnership with the council had been made possible with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Tom Palmer, director of the CIC, said he was "looking forward to finding a new purpose for timber reclaimed from the pier".

Councillor Mark Canniford said: "Not only does this enable us to repurpose the wood from our much-loved old pier, by working with Somerset Wood Recycling we're able to get the community involved with the process too."

Birnbeck, known locally as 'The Old Pier', is the only pier in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) to link to an island - a small, rocky piece of land known as Birnbeck Island. Since its closure it has been battered by storms, partially collapsed into the sea and has become too unsafe for the former resident RNLI^» (Royal National Lifeboat Institution - website) lifeboat crews to use.

Building renovations have been carried out on the land-side of the pier, while the 1888 boat house, the clock tower pavilion and the land-side cliff face - all of which are on the island - were also stabilised in 2024.

The restoration project is expected to be completed by summer 2027.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Another update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Historic pier gets £19m to complete restoration

The restoration of a crumbling historic pier can be completed after the government allocated a further £19m to the project.

The money from the Growth Mission Fund will be invested into Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, to create a new cultural space, restore the historic clock tower and turnstiles, repair the 1888 boathouse, renovate the pavilion buildings and restore the North Jetty.

The Grade II^▸ (IndustryInsider - a respected member of this forum)-listed pier has been closed for more than 30 years due to safety concerns, but work on a £20m project to restore it is under way.

Dan Aldridge, the MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) for Weston-super-Mare, said: "For too long the pier stood as a symbol of decline. Now it will become a symbol of Weston's comeback."

The money allocated by the government comes from a pot aimed at providing investment in town centres and communities.

Aldridge told the government Weston-super-Mare "could not afford to miss out" on receiving a share of the fund, he said. He added: "Birnbeck should be a hub for Weston - somewhere people come together, where opportunities are created and where the whole town can feel proud again."

North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell called the money "game-changing".

"A year ago we thought that the project was in jeopardy," he said. "We can now fast-track the work on the island and the land-side to really bring the pier and island back to life and hopefully boost the economy of Weston-super-Mare for generations to come."

Birnbeck, known locally as 'The Old Pier', is the only pier in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) to link to an island - a small, rocky piece of land known as Birnbeck Island.

Since its closure, the pier has been battered by storms, partially collapsed into the sea and has become too unsafe for the former resident RNLI^» (Royal National Lifeboat Institution - website) lifeboat crews to use.

The restoration project is expected to be completed by summer 2027.

[broadgage]

Pier now re connected to the main land, BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) report.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cvgl9yepjxvo

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Giant cardboard replica of historic pier created

A giant cardboard replica of a historic pier has been created by 400 people using 2,000 boxes and 23.6 miles of sticky tape.

The six-storey-high structure, based on Weston-super-Mare's Birnbeck Pier, was due to be hauled into place alongside the real thing on Saturday.

Designed by visual artist Oliver Grossetête, who is known for creating large cardboard sculptures of architectural sites, has attracted volunteer helpers from all over the world.

"The spirit of the project is to make something together," said Grossetête. "I like cardboard because it is open to all people. For me, it's between architecture and a social project."

(BBC article continues)

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Restoration work on historic pier 'astonishing'

[Image from here is not available to guests]
The restoration of Birnbeck Pier is now a quarter of the way through

A crumbling historic pier which is currently undergoing a major restoration will reopen next summer, a council leader has said.

The Grade II^▸ (IndustryInsider - a respected member of this forum)*-listed Birnbeck Pier, in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, closed to the public in 1994 due to safety concerns, and has since been battered by storms.

North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell said: "At the moment [we are] 100% confident. We're on time, on budget, you can see the progress they're making. It's astonishing."

A quarter of the pier is now restored, with the remaining deck spans being installed over the coming months.  Work to create a new cultural space, restore the historic clock tower and turnstiles, repair the 1888 boathouse and renovate the pavilion buildings began in February.

Bell said: "We're about a quarter of the way down on the build now. It brings to life we're doing it, we're refurbishing and restoring the pier. It will reopen next year.  It's one of the biggest heritage projects in the country at the moment.  I'm really confident we're going to deliver and it's going to make a huge difference to Weston-super-Mare.  The benefit it'll have in terms of heritage, culture, tourism and the wider economy in Weston will far outweigh the cost of doing it," he added.

(BBC article continues)

[Phantom]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Giant cardboard replica of historic pier created

A giant cardboard replica of a historic pier has been created by 400 people using 2,000 boxes and 23.6 miles of sticky tape.

The six-storey-high structure, based on Weston-super-Mare's Birnbeck Pier, was due to be hauled into place alongside the real thing on Saturday.

Designed by visual artist Oliver Grossetête, who is known for creating large cardboard sculptures of architectural sites, has attracted volunteer helpers from all over the world.

"The spirit of the project is to make something together," said Grossetête. "I like cardboard because it is open to all people. For me, it's between architecture and a social project."

(BBC article continues)

It was sadly blown over (unsurprisingly) the next morning

[broadgage]

I am impressed not only by the rate of progress being made, but also by the fact that restoration is taking place at all.
I rather cynically expected a very slow committee to consider the matter, followed by a total collapse, followed by a report that "restoration is no longer viable"
Well done by all involved.

[Phantom]

I am impressed not only by the rate of progress being made, but also by the fact that restoration is taking place at all.
I rather cynically expected a very slow committee to consider the matter, followed by a total collapse, followed by a report that "restoration is no longer viable"
Well done by all involved.

As a lifelong Weston resident, I share your views above
I honestly thought it was never going to be repaired, there have been so many false dawns over many years
But to see the footage of the new flooring being a quarter of the way through was something I never expected.

A local councillor (Mike Bell) mentioned he got emotional walking on it again, I can completely understand how he would have felt.
I spoke to him on the Waverley cruise from Weston earlier this year and he was very passionate about the pier

They just need to find someone to look after the main part of Birnbeck Island, though I have previously seen footage of repairs on the buildings already

I can remember walking out there in the late 1980s with my (now sadly departed) grandparents, so will be looking forward to how this all progresses

[broadgage]

Will the life boat house on the island be used, as before?
So doing has advantage of quick and easy launching at any state of the tide.
What are the present arrangements for the RNLI^» (Royal National Lifeboat Institution - website).

[Phantom]

Will the life boat house on the island be used, as before?
So doing has advantage of quick and easy launching at any state of the tide.
What are the present arrangements for the RNLI^» (Royal National Lifeboat Institution - website).

To the best of my knowledge there hasn't been any indication either way
I would be amazed if somewhere in the future the whole RNLI station was rebuilt etc

They are currently based out of Marine Lake, they can only launch quickly if the tide is high and they can use the slope at the end of the main beach.
Otherwise it is quite a slow procedure to get a boat launched

I was having lunch in the Captains Cabin beer garden a few weeks back, and witnessed a launch, this is not critical of the volunteers, but I was amazed how slow and laboured it was

[Chris from Nailsea]

I'm posting here on a rather more sombre note.  In the past, on this topic, we (me included) have made perhaps somewhat facetious references to Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare.

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Author and former politician Jeffrey Archer dies aged 86

[Image from here is not available to guests]
Image © Getty Images

Bestselling author and former politician Jeffrey Archer has died at the age of 86.

Archer sold more than 300 million books in his five-decade writing career, including the Clifton Chronicles and Kane and Abel, and has often set the novels in his home town of Wellington, Somerset.

In a statement, Archer's publisher HarperCollins said the author died "suddenly and peacefully at home" on Monday.

The former Conservative MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was jailed for perjury in 2001 after being found guilty of lying and cheating in his 1987 libel case against the Daily Star.

Archer was made a life peer in 1992 but his political career was paused in 2001 when he was jailed for four years for perjury and perverting the course of justice.

He was found to have lied in libel action he had brought against The Star newspaper, in which he was awarded £500,000 in damages. He was released in 2003 and returned to the House of Lords until he retired in 2024.

His last book, Adam and Eve, is set to be released this month, HarperCollins added, describing him as a "master storyteller" whose readers "meant everything to him".

"Jeffrey's career is the stuff of publishing legend," the statement continued.  "He spent a total of 14 years and five months on the Sunday Times bestseller lists and 5 ½ years on the New York Times bestseller lists, selling 300 million books in 119 countries in 49 languages.

"He was the master storyteller and an editor's dream - phenomenally hard-working, utterly committed to completing draft after draft to get every word as perfect as possible, and a true champion of the 'team' nature of great publishing."

My own memory is that, when Lady Archer was asked, years ago, about how she dealt with his, erm, shenanigans, she replied "murder, often - but divorce, never".  Fair play.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

What to expect from a restored Birnbeck Pier

[Image from here is not available to guests]
After closing due to safety reasons in 1994, Birnbeck Pier is due to reopen in summer 2027 - Image © Getty Images

After years of a complex and costly refurbishment, Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare is due to reopen in 2027.

The iconic pier, the only one in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) to link the mainland to an island, opened in 1867 and was visited by millions before safety concerns led to its closure in 1994.  But from next summer, visitors will be able to walk over to Birnbeck Island for the first time in a generation.

As the ambitious restoration works now have a completion date, here's everything you need to know about what visitors can expect.

...

In its heyday, the 19th Century pier hosted funfair rides and drew crowds of visitors who stopped off in Weston-super-Mare on pleasure steamers.  But after a storm caused severe damage in 1990, Birnbeck Pier partially collapsed into the sea.

Then after years of it crumbling away, plans began to restore it to its former glory in 2006, but they have were repeatedly shelved over the years due to changes in ownership and financial concerns.

North Somerset Council - which bought the pier in 2023 - almost scrapped the restoration project in September 2025 after the RNLI^» (Royal National Lifeboat Institution - website), which used to be based on the pier, backed out of the plans, but in March the government provided the £19m of funding required to finish the restoration.

The council now says the pier is on track to reopen in the summer of 2027.

...

The future of the former RNLI lifeboat station on the other side of the pier remains uncertain.

An RNLI spokesperson said: "We remain committed to lifesaving in Weston super Mare and are continuing to work closely with our volunteers and North Somerset Council to find a suitable permanent location within the community."

The BBC item contains much more detail - I have selected just some aspects to quote here.  Please do click on the BBC article to view more.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).