Find the nearest Piers

Burnham pier in Burnham-On-Sea Pier is Britain’s shortest pier. It is really an Edwardian pavilion on concrete piles. One of the UK’s oldest illuminated seaside piers, built between 1911-1914.

Sandown Culver pier first 360 foot pier opened around 1879 and later extended to 875 feet in the late 1880’s along with a new pier-head pavilion. 1968 saw major redevelopment of the entire pier structure. The theatre no longer exists but the pier remains a popular seaside attraction with a restaurant, shops, kiosk’s, amusements, fishing and various pleasure cruises from the head landing stage.

Clevedon Pier is a seaside pier on the English side of the Severn Estuary. The landing stage at the end of the pier is occasionally used by ships and is a popular spot for angling. There is a cafe at the pierhead, and a souvenir shop at the toll house. Clevedon Pier was opened on 29 March 1869, partially constructed from Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s second-hand railway lines, 225 metres (738 ft) long and 14.5 metres (48 ft) tall. The tidal range at this part of the estuary can reach 14 metres (46 ft) and the landing stage at the end of the pier has several levels to allow boats to dock at all stages of the tide. The paddle steamer Waverley first visited the pier to take on passengers in 1886. In 1893 the pier head was replaced in cast iron with a new timber landing stage, and the pier head pavilion was completed in 1894. The Toll House on the pier and the adjacent Royal Pier Hotel were both designed by local architect Hans Price. In 1899, 20 feet (6 m) of the decking was washed away by a storm. In 1910, part of the landing stage was damaged in another storm and replaced by a concrete landing stage in 1913. On 17 October 1970, spans 7 and 8 of the pier collapsed during stress testing, which had been introduced in the 1950s to obtain insurance cover, where long polythene tanks resting on the pier were filled with water, to create a pressure of 50 p.s.i. (2.4 kPa). In 1998 the Pier restoration was finished and it was re-opened to the public.

The Yarmouth Pier is the only pier left in The British Isles that is totally constructed from wood. It is “T” shaped and 609ft long.

Beaumaris Pier, opened in 1846, was designed by Frederick Foster and comprises a masonry jetty continuing out into the Strait on wooden and concrete pilings. After srorm damage in 1872 the pier was re-built and extended to 570 feet and a pavilion was constructed at the end which contained a cafe. It was once the landing stage for steamships of the Liverpool and North Wales Shipping Company. In the 1960s, through lack of maintenance, the pier became unsafe and was threatened with demolition, but local yachtswoman and lifeboat secretary Miss Mary Burton made a significant private donation to ensure the pier was saved for the town.

The Pier at Clacton-on-Sea was opened on 27 July 1871. The pier was originaly a wooden structure 160 yards (150 m) in length and 4 yards (3.7 m) wide. Initially built as a landing stage for goods and passengers, and from when it opened steamships operated by the Woolwich Steam Packet Company docked at the pier. By the 1890s Clacton was becoming a popular holiday destination due to its easy reach from London for day trippers and in 1893 the pier was lengthened to 1180 ft (360m), and entertainment facilities including a pavilion and a waiting room were added. Today the pier has a variety of indoor and outdoor activities that helps make Clacton one of Essex’s popular family seaside resorts.

Britannia pier is one of the two piers at Great Yarmouth. Positioned towards the northern end of the resort in the 1850s. The original wooden structure, designed by A W Morant, was a simple structure 700ft (212m) in length and approached through ornate wrought iron gates hung between two rather bland oblong buildings. The Britannia Pier was damaged by the ‘James & Jessie’ Schooner and a storm in 1868. these events resulted in a shorter pier. At the end of 1900 the original wooden pier was demolished. A new 810ft (245m) wood and steel pier was opened for public use in 1901. Over the years the pier has had many fires. The grand pavilion was to become the first victim, destroyed in a blaze only seven years after opening. A second pavilion was built, opening a year later in 1910, but this was again destroyed in a blaze in 1914. Within three months a third pavilion was built. The current day Pier offers all of the amusements that you would expect in a popular seaside town, including amusement arcades, restaurant, bars, funfair and theatre.

Work on the Eastbourne pier began on 16 April 1866 and it was opened by Lord Edward Cavendish on 13 June 1870, although it was not actually completed until two years later. On New Years Day 1877 the landward half was swept away in a storm. It was rebuilt at a higher level, creating a drop towards the end of the pier. The pier is effectively built on stilts that rest in cups on the sea-bed allowing the whole structure to move during rough weather. It is roughly 300 metres (1000 ft) long. During World War II the decking was removed and machine guns were installed in the theatre providing a useful point from where to repel any attempted enemy landings. The pier features a camera obscura which existed in Victorian times but was restored in 2003. A number of traditional pier theatres were built over the years but after the last one was destroyed by fire in 1970 it was replaced by a nightclub and bar which remain to this day. On the landward half of the pier stands a fish and chip kiosk, an amusement arcade and a fast food outlet. Further out as well as the club there is a cafe, a restaurant, shops and fishing platform. The tower at the end of the pier (often used as a viewing point during the annual air show) contains one of the earliest camera obscuras ever made. In May 2009 the Listed building status of the Pier was upgraded from Grade II to Grade II*

Designed by Eugenius Birch and commissioned by the Blackpool Pier Company, work commenced on the first of Blackpool’s piers in 1862. The North Pier was opened on 21st May 1863. The Blackpool North Pier is more than just a historic pier, there is so much to do for the whole family; amusement arcade, children’s rides, food and drink and shops. More details: Click here for Blackpool North Pier website.

Weymouth Pier is approached by a rather long pathway that runs around the edge of the ferry terminal. The pier itself is split into two, a commercial ferry terminal and public areas. Entertainment includes an amusement arcade situated in the rebuilt theatre. The pier is a popular location for sea fishing.