| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by broadgage at 19:48, 5th October 2025 |     |
Birnbeck pier featured in tonight's episode of "saving lives at sea"
Two fishermen had walked to the island at low tide and became cut off when tide rose. They decided to walk across the condemned and badly damaged pier and became trapped by a collapsed section. Various rescue attempts tried, after which the victims returned to the island via the pier. Collected via RNLI lifeboat.
Might be worth looking out for any repeat.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by broadgage at 15:05, 22nd September 2025 | |
I understand that the lifeboat crew used to cycle along the pier to the boathouse, much quicker than running.
When the deck of the pier became unsafe, a narrow cycleway was repaired and was fenced off from the rest of the pier. This may be seen on the left of the above photo.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:12, 17th September 2025 | |
... the pier closed in 1994. Since then it has been battered by storms, partially collapsed into the sea, and become too unsafe for the former resident RNLI lifeboat crews to use.
Two years later, the RNLI closed its base on Birnbeck Island after 131 years, saying it had become too dangerous for their crews to get out there using the temporary walkway it had installed.
Birnbeck Island was only visited by RNLI crews after the pier closed to the public in 1994
In September 2024, the RNLI published plans to return to Birnbeck Island, and offered £5m towards the project. However, in June 2025, the lifeboat charity pulled out of the scheme. The RNLI's chief executive Peter Sparkes said the pier would present an "unacceptable ongoing financial risk" for the charity.
My understanding is that the RNLI would like to return to their still very serviceable launching station: it's the safe access to it, for their volunteer crews, that is the issue.
As a charity, they cannot write an effectively 'blank cheque' to provide that.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by johnneyw at 22:21, 17th September 2025 | |
Wonder if the RNLI will move eventually too?
That had occurred to me too. I understand that historically they have already made some contribution to the purchase of the island. Quite how it might pan out remains to be seen. I can see why they would find it easier to be able to launch from the island again.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:59, 17th September 2025 | |
More detail, from the BBC:
The decades-long fight to save a Victorian pier from the sea
Birnbeck Pier, in Weston-super-Mare, has become increasingly rundown in recent years
On Tuesday, councillors looked set to cancel the restoration of a crumbling Victorian pier when news broke of some 11th hour funding from the National Lottery Heritage fund.
More than 30 years after it closed, Birnbeck Pier had been saved.
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.
It opened in 1867 and was visited by millions before safety concerns saw the pier closed in 1994. Since then it has been battered by storms, partially collapsed into the sea, and become too unsafe for the former resident RNLI lifeboat crews to use.
After multiple failed attempts, the latest funding announcement means Birnbeck's restoration is set to go ahead - but it has been a long journey to get to this moment.
Birnbeck Pier has been closed since 1994 and fallen into a state of disrepair
Birnbeck - also known locally as 'The Old Pier' - is the only pier in the UK to link to an island, connecting Weston-super-Mare with a small, rocky piece of land known as Birnbeck Island.
The pier was a popular attraction until it was taken over during World War Two and used for weapons testing. When it reopened after the war, visitor numbers declined and the last steamer visited Birnbeck Island in 1979.
Plans to restore the pier stretch back to 2006, when it was purchased by Urban Splash which launched a competition to redevelop it a year later. But by 2011, the company said it could no longer afford the restoration and shelved the plans.
At the time, the Friends of the Old Pier society called it "a complete and utter disaster", as no work had taken place.
Two years later, the RNLI closed its base on Birnbeck Island after 131 years, saying it had become too dangerous for their crews to get out there using the temporary walkway it had installed.
Birnbeck Island was only visited by RNLI crews after the pier closed to the public in 1994
In October 2014, the pier was sold to CNM Estates, with owner Wahid Samady publishing plans for a hotel, homes and shops on Birnbeck Island.
Mr Samady told the BBC in January 2015 that repairs to the pier had to be linked to profitable commercial developments of the island. But local councillors were sceptical of the plans, with the then-deputy leader of the council Elfan Ap Rees saying at the time: "Up to now, he hasn't come up with a viable solution for the local residents."
By 2015, the Victorian Society featured the pier in its top 10 most endangered buildings in England and Wales.
Comedian John Cleese, who was born in Weston-super-Mare, and EastEnders actor Timothy West backed a campaign to save it, but winter storms in December 2015 severely damaged the pier's landing jetty, which partially collapsed into the sea. The council later gave permission for the deck and legs to be removed as it was too damaged to repair.
In September 2019, the council served CNM Estates with a repair notice, saying it had "exhausted all other options" trying to get the company to commit to fixing the pier.
By January 2020, the council said no work had been carried out and it was considering buying the pier, with the view of having the RNLI move back to the island.
In February, the council voted to start a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to take it over, with the then-leader Don Davies offering CNM Estates a token £1 to avoid the CPO purchase. "I'll deliver the £1 coin personally if it makes it any quicker," said Mr Davies.
The order was approved in July 2020. CNM Estates applied for planning permission to refurbish the island in August, but nothing came of the plans.
Meanwhile, CNM Estates was involved in a High Court dispute, and a High Court judge ordered Mr Samady to find a new owner by January 2021.
The pier was sold to Birnbeck Holdings Ltd, a new company led by Mr Samady, which pledged to begin repair works "without the hindrance of historical litigation".
After a court appeal against the CPO was withdrawn in November 2022, Birnbeck Holdings sold the pier to the council in July 2023, a month before the hearing on the CPO was due to take place. The council had secured more than £20m for the project from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the government, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Historic England.
In September 2024, the RNLI published plans to return to Birnbeck Island, and offered £5m towards the project. However, in June 2025, the lifeboat charity pulled out of the scheme. The RNLI's chief executive Peter Sparkes said the pier would present an "unacceptable ongoing financial risk" for the charity.
The council faced having to plug the shortfall itself, and a report earlier this month recommended the restoration plans should be scrapped, as the amount needed was too much for it to afford. But just as councillors were about to vote to abandon the restoration, the National Lottery stepped up to provide the money.
Councillor Mike Bell, leader of the council, said: "We had a setback earlier in the summer, but we promised to work right up until the eleventh hour to try to find a solution, and I am delighted our efforts have paid off. We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Put simply, this lifeline has saved the day. Without it, the future of Birnbeck Pier would have been in real danger."
Birnbeck Pier, in Weston-super-Mare, has become increasingly rundown in recent years
On Tuesday, councillors looked set to cancel the restoration of a crumbling Victorian pier when news broke of some 11th hour funding from the National Lottery Heritage fund.
More than 30 years after it closed, Birnbeck Pier had been saved.
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.
It opened in 1867 and was visited by millions before safety concerns saw the pier closed in 1994. Since then it has been battered by storms, partially collapsed into the sea, and become too unsafe for the former resident RNLI lifeboat crews to use.
After multiple failed attempts, the latest funding announcement means Birnbeck's restoration is set to go ahead - but it has been a long journey to get to this moment.
Birnbeck Pier has been closed since 1994 and fallen into a state of disrepair
Birnbeck - also known locally as 'The Old Pier' - is the only pier in the UK to link to an island, connecting Weston-super-Mare with a small, rocky piece of land known as Birnbeck Island.
The pier was a popular attraction until it was taken over during World War Two and used for weapons testing. When it reopened after the war, visitor numbers declined and the last steamer visited Birnbeck Island in 1979.
Plans to restore the pier stretch back to 2006, when it was purchased by Urban Splash which launched a competition to redevelop it a year later. But by 2011, the company said it could no longer afford the restoration and shelved the plans.
At the time, the Friends of the Old Pier society called it "a complete and utter disaster", as no work had taken place.
Two years later, the RNLI closed its base on Birnbeck Island after 131 years, saying it had become too dangerous for their crews to get out there using the temporary walkway it had installed.
Birnbeck Island was only visited by RNLI crews after the pier closed to the public in 1994
In October 2014, the pier was sold to CNM Estates, with owner Wahid Samady publishing plans for a hotel, homes and shops on Birnbeck Island.
Mr Samady told the BBC in January 2015 that repairs to the pier had to be linked to profitable commercial developments of the island. But local councillors were sceptical of the plans, with the then-deputy leader of the council Elfan Ap Rees saying at the time: "Up to now, he hasn't come up with a viable solution for the local residents."
By 2015, the Victorian Society featured the pier in its top 10 most endangered buildings in England and Wales.
Comedian John Cleese, who was born in Weston-super-Mare, and EastEnders actor Timothy West backed a campaign to save it, but winter storms in December 2015 severely damaged the pier's landing jetty, which partially collapsed into the sea. The council later gave permission for the deck and legs to be removed as it was too damaged to repair.
In September 2019, the council served CNM Estates with a repair notice, saying it had "exhausted all other options" trying to get the company to commit to fixing the pier.
By January 2020, the council said no work had been carried out and it was considering buying the pier, with the view of having the RNLI move back to the island.
In February, the council voted to start a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to take it over, with the then-leader Don Davies offering CNM Estates a token £1 to avoid the CPO purchase. "I'll deliver the £1 coin personally if it makes it any quicker," said Mr Davies.
The order was approved in July 2020. CNM Estates applied for planning permission to refurbish the island in August, but nothing came of the plans.
Meanwhile, CNM Estates was involved in a High Court dispute, and a High Court judge ordered Mr Samady to find a new owner by January 2021.
The pier was sold to Birnbeck Holdings Ltd, a new company led by Mr Samady, which pledged to begin repair works "without the hindrance of historical litigation".
After a court appeal against the CPO was withdrawn in November 2022, Birnbeck Holdings sold the pier to the council in July 2023, a month before the hearing on the CPO was due to take place. The council had secured more than £20m for the project from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the government, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Historic England.
In September 2024, the RNLI published plans to return to Birnbeck Island, and offered £5m towards the project. However, in June 2025, the lifeboat charity pulled out of the scheme. The RNLI's chief executive Peter Sparkes said the pier would present an "unacceptable ongoing financial risk" for the charity.
The council faced having to plug the shortfall itself, and a report earlier this month recommended the restoration plans should be scrapped, as the amount needed was too much for it to afford. But just as councillors were about to vote to abandon the restoration, the National Lottery stepped up to provide the money.
Councillor Mike Bell, leader of the council, said: "We had a setback earlier in the summer, but we promised to work right up until the eleventh hour to try to find a solution, and I am delighted our efforts have paid off. We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Put simply, this lifeline has saved the day. Without it, the future of Birnbeck Pier would have been in real danger."
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by ChrisB at 10:59, 17th September 2025 | |
Wonder if the RNLI will move eventually too?
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by grahame at 07:06, 17th September 2025 | |
Birnbeck Pier would seem a natural "lottery project" - a big investment for the heart of the nation or region that perhaps defies local financial logic.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:48, 16th September 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Historic pier saved as surprise funding announced
Birnbeck Pier will now be restored as new funding has come in
The restoration of a historic pier has been saved just before councillors were to cancel the project.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has stepped in to fill the £5.5m funding gap to restore Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare, a full meeting of North Somerset Council was told on Tuesday.
Councillors had been expecting to vote to cancel the project before the surprise funding was announced.
Mark Canniford, council cabinet member responsible for the project, said he was "delighted" to announce the funding, also telling the meeting: "We made a promise to work right up until the last minute."
The RNLI had planned to put £5.5m into the project in order to return its Weston-super-Mare lifeboat station to Birnbeck Island. However, it pulled out of the funding at the end of June over viability concerns.
Instead of voting to scrap the project, councillors instead voted to accept the new funding to continue the restoration of the pier and to award the contract to take over the works on the pier to J T Mackley, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Clare Hunt, chair of the council, said: "This is not just a local issue. This has got this money because it is of national importance."
Council leader Mike Bell added: "It was certainly unexpected and last minute but its absolutely the product of hard work… It's a real vote of confidence in the project."
The pier is among six Grade II listed piers in England and the only in the UK to connect the mainland to an island. It played a significant role during World War Two as it was commissioned for weapons trials, including the development of Sir Barnes Wallis's famous bouncing bomb.
The RNLI gave the council the £400,000 needed to buy the pier in 2023.
Birnbeck Pier will now be restored as new funding has come in
The restoration of a historic pier has been saved just before councillors were to cancel the project.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has stepped in to fill the £5.5m funding gap to restore Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare, a full meeting of North Somerset Council was told on Tuesday.
Councillors had been expecting to vote to cancel the project before the surprise funding was announced.
Mark Canniford, council cabinet member responsible for the project, said he was "delighted" to announce the funding, also telling the meeting: "We made a promise to work right up until the last minute."
The RNLI had planned to put £5.5m into the project in order to return its Weston-super-Mare lifeboat station to Birnbeck Island. However, it pulled out of the funding at the end of June over viability concerns.
Instead of voting to scrap the project, councillors instead voted to accept the new funding to continue the restoration of the pier and to award the contract to take over the works on the pier to J T Mackley, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Clare Hunt, chair of the council, said: "This is not just a local issue. This has got this money because it is of national importance."
Council leader Mike Bell added: "It was certainly unexpected and last minute but its absolutely the product of hard work… It's a real vote of confidence in the project."
The pier is among six Grade II listed piers in England and the only in the UK to connect the mainland to an island. It played a significant role during World War Two as it was commissioned for weapons trials, including the development of Sir Barnes Wallis's famous bouncing bomb.
The RNLI gave the council the £400,000 needed to buy the pier in 2023.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by johnneyw at 22:38, 16th September 2025 | |
Someone seems to have pulled a rabbit out of the hat at the last minute. The evening news BBC Points West preview lead with the announcement that the funding has been secured at the last minute. I'll watch it after the main news bulletin to see where it's coming from.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by johnneyw at 11:04, 10th September 2025 | |
If it was to be saved it needs to be controlled by someone with real financial clout, and that it above council level and would need a private investor, which lets face it are not going to touch it with a barge pole
Is my memory playing tricks on me or was there once, long ago, a suggestion of putting a casino on the island with the company concerned paying for the whole thing?
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Phantom at 10:36, 10th September 2025 | |
I think Birnbeck's the only option for the RNLI to be able to launch into actual water at all states of the tide. Plopping down into deep mud quite some distance from the sea isn't really their thing.
Mark
Mark
I am amazed how the current operation works from Marine lake.
When it is low tide, there is, what I would describe as an amphibious tractor, it moves slower than walking pace and carries the boat to launch.
I was sat having a meal in a pub overlooking the lake, and was amazed how slow and long it took to get the boat to the point in Madeira Cove where it launched from, it was easily over 20 minutes....
All I would say I would hate to rely on this to survive
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Phantom at 10:33, 10th September 2025 | |
I know this may cause offence to some, but when I look at the picture above, I think the best thing that can be done to Birnbeck pier is to dismantle it. Of course that won’t happen because it’s listed so it will remain continuing to decay.
Regretfully, I agree. Restoration is certain to take a lot longer and cost a lot more than originally forecast. And unless a complete re-build is contemplated, then the underlying structure will remain vulnerable to rot, rust, and extreme weather.
As a born an bred (since 1974) Westonian, I would say most of us down here have felt this was always the likely outcome anyway, the "noise" made about wanting to restore it never really felt like any traction.
There is / was a group set up that arranged events to fundraise, they used a social club I was on the committee of for many events, I was shocked how small the events were and how little was raised.
It was actually hard to watch as these die hard supporters of the pier had the best intentions but they were so far off where they needed to be.
If it was to be saved it needs to be controlled by someone with real financial clout, and that it above council level and would need a private investor, which lets face it are not going to touch it with a barge pole
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Mark A at 09:57, 10th September 2025 | |
I think Birnbeck's the only option for the RNLI to be able to launch into actual water at all states of the tide. Plopping down into deep mud quite some distance from the sea isn't really their thing.
Mark
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by broadgage at 03:51, 10th September 2025 | |
Use of Birnbeck pier was no doubt convenient for the RNLI as it gave access to the lifeboat house from which the lifeboat could be launched quickly and easily.
It was therefore reasonable for the RNLI to make a LIMITED contribution to the costs of maintaining or repairing the pier. They are presumably reluctant to accept liability for for unknown future costs.
A new lifeboat house would be cheaper.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by ChrisB at 20:16, 9th September 2025 | |
Your answer - as a RNLI station, hence them putting that amount in?
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Western Pathfinder at 15:04, 9th September 2025 | |
Not at all surprised at the actions of the lifeboat institution deciding to walk away,what did surprise me was that so much of the funding for this was down to the RNLI .
They are after all a charity,and one that sadly is underfunded at the best of times,as for the council is this pier really worth the expense and what purpose would it be fit for if reopened?
Could it reasonably be expected to recoup some of the expenses,and what about ongoing running costs ?
And whilst I realise that it would a nice thing to have the use of ,with things the way they are it's hard to find the justification....
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by broadgage at 10:28, 9th September 2025 | |
I know this may cause offence to some, but when I look at the picture above, I think the best thing that can be done to Birnbeck pier is to dismantle it. Of course that won’t happen because it’s listed so it will remain continuing to decay.
Regretfully, I agree. Restoration is certain to take a lot longer and cost a lot more than originally forecast. And unless a complete re-build is contemplated, then the underlying structure will remain vulnerable to rot, rust, and extreme weather.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Timmer at 06:36, 9th September 2025 | |
I know this may cause offence to some, but when I look at the picture above, I think the best thing that can be done to Birnbeck pier is to dismantle it. Of course that won’t happen because it’s listed so it will remain continuing to decay.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:08, 8th September 2025 | |
And (rather in the spirit of Dragons' Den) for that reason I, too, am out.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by JayMac at 21:51, 8th September 2025 | |
£5million short? (from the RNLI before they pulled out)
Crowdfunders can raise that sort of funds - worth a try, council?
Crowdfunders can raise that sort of funds - worth a try, council?
After the RNLI's due diligence highlighted viability and ongoing maintenance costs concerns I certainly wouldn't be keen to invest.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by grahame at 17:22, 8th September 2025 | |
£5million short? (from the RNLI before they pulled out)
Crowdfunders can raise that sort of funds - worth a try, council?
Crowdfunders can raise that sort of funds - worth a try, council?
A few things struck me reading the post that's quoted
"It is with genuine regret and disappointment" ... and my eyebrows raised at the word "genuine" - why did they have to add that word? It almost reads as if they'r looking to boost a decision when it's not really genuine ... or that other things where they say they regret things are not genuine.
"committed to raising £5m towards the cost". The current Town Council precept is WsM is £164 for a band D house which raises £4.5 million per year. The Public Works Loan Board over a ten year period would charge 5% interest at current rates - total repayment £7.5 million, which equates to £25 per household per year for the next decade. Inflation is your friend here - that £25 will be less significant by 2035.
"Grade II listed" and that means that the council has a legal heritage responsibility.
"This current project cannot go forward, but our ambition for the pier remains. We will continue looking for solutions and hope that at some point in the future an answer will be found" ... and I find myself wondering why the headline is "restoration scrapped" rather than than just reporting a hurdle. Is there something of a PR exercise (or even a convenient excuse) for the council? Are they [just] wording this in such a way that they replace a concrete scheme with wishful hopes and somewhat wriggle out of their duty of care?
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by ChrisB at 16:41, 8th September 2025 | |
£5million short? (from the RNLI before they pulled out)
Crowdfunders can raise that sort of funds - worth a try, council?
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:29, 8th September 2025 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Crumbling pier's restoration could be scrapped
A council's flagship project to restore a crumbling Grade II listed pier could be scrapped months after a key backer pulled out.
North Somerset Council has been working to restore and reopen Birnbeck Pier, in Weston-super-Mare, for years after it was closed to the public since 1994 and left in disrepair.
In June the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), which was a key partner, pulled out of a deal which would have started work to restore the pier because of viability concerns.
Councillors have been recommended by council officers to close the current restoration project "with genuine regret and disappointment" at a meeting on 16 September.
The council report said: "It is with genuine regret and disappointment that this report recommends to council the effective closure of the current Birnbeck Pier restoration project. This pier is a loved landmark, not just locally but nationally and internationally. Our social media posts have generated positive responses and happy memories from all across the world. Its restoration would bring people together in celebration of our past and future, enhancing pride in where we live and what we can achieve here. This current project cannot go forward, but our ambition for the pier remains. We will continue looking for solutions and hope that at some point in the future an answer will be found."
A council report said the pier was bought by the local authority in 2023 with the financial backing of the RNLI and Historic England.
However the RNLI abandoned the project in June while the council prepared steps to award a construction company the major contract to restore the pier. The RNLI initially proposed to establish a new base on the pier and had committed to raising £5m towards the cost.
The RNLI previously told the BBC it left the project after a viability review raised concerns about funding and plans paying ongoing maintenance costs. The RNLI has been approached for comment.
The council report said the "current funding gap is too large to be bridged by" the council and it has not received any offer of alternative funding.
The pier is among six Grade II listed piers in England and the only in the UK to connect the mainland to an island.
It played a significant role during World War Two as it was commissioned for weapon trials, including the famous Sir Barnes Wallis bouncing bomb.
The final decision will be made at a meeting of North Somerset's full council on September 16.
A council's flagship project to restore a crumbling Grade II listed pier could be scrapped months after a key backer pulled out.
North Somerset Council has been working to restore and reopen Birnbeck Pier, in Weston-super-Mare, for years after it was closed to the public since 1994 and left in disrepair.
In June the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), which was a key partner, pulled out of a deal which would have started work to restore the pier because of viability concerns.
Councillors have been recommended by council officers to close the current restoration project "with genuine regret and disappointment" at a meeting on 16 September.
The council report said: "It is with genuine regret and disappointment that this report recommends to council the effective closure of the current Birnbeck Pier restoration project. This pier is a loved landmark, not just locally but nationally and internationally. Our social media posts have generated positive responses and happy memories from all across the world. Its restoration would bring people together in celebration of our past and future, enhancing pride in where we live and what we can achieve here. This current project cannot go forward, but our ambition for the pier remains. We will continue looking for solutions and hope that at some point in the future an answer will be found."
A council report said the pier was bought by the local authority in 2023 with the financial backing of the RNLI and Historic England.
However the RNLI abandoned the project in June while the council prepared steps to award a construction company the major contract to restore the pier. The RNLI initially proposed to establish a new base on the pier and had committed to raising £5m towards the cost.
The RNLI previously told the BBC it left the project after a viability review raised concerns about funding and plans paying ongoing maintenance costs. The RNLI has been approached for comment.
The council report said the "current funding gap is too large to be bridged by" the council and it has not received any offer of alternative funding.
The pier is among six Grade II listed piers in England and the only in the UK to connect the mainland to an island.
It played a significant role during World War Two as it was commissioned for weapon trials, including the famous Sir Barnes Wallis bouncing bomb.
The final decision will be made at a meeting of North Somerset's full council on September 16.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 08:55, 28th June 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Plans to restore a historic pier are "in jeopardy" after key partner the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) pulled out of the deal.
North Somerset Council confirmed it would have to delay the process of appointing contractors to renovate the pier.
Under the abandoned plans, the RNLI would have established a new base on the pier and had committed to raising £5m towards the cost, according to the council.
Peter Sparkes, RNLI chief executive, said the charity did not have "the confidence needed in the funding or contractual structure" to complete the pier repair.
Councillor Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council, said the authority had been working alongside the RNLI on the project for nearly seven years. "This is a shocking decision that breaks faith with residents, volunteers, and everyone who has worked so hard to secure a future for Birnbeck Pier," he said. "The withdrawal has absolutely come out of the blue. I would summarise it as they feel that it's 'too risky' for them as a national charity. We feel very let down, as I'm sure many residents will too. I want to reassure residents that the council, along with our funding partners, remain committed to saving Birnbeck Pier," he added.
Mr Sparkes said the RNLI's initial pledge was based on the "belief it would support the delivery of [the charity's] core purpose, to save lives at sea".
But following a viability review, concerns arose regarding funding and plans to ensure ongoing maintenance costs associated with the historic pier would be met, he added.
"Investing donors' money in a pier restoration project that is not fully funded, with insufficient risk contingency to ensure the project reaches completion, would present an unacceptable on-going financial risk," he said. "As would investing donors' money in a lifeboat station on the island, which is only accessible by a pier for which there is no viable long term maintenance plan." However, he added the charity "remained committed" to securing a permanent lifesaving facility in Weston-super-Mare for their work.
More than £20m has been secured for the project through grants from the UK government, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Historic England.
A spokesperson for The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund said: "We are aware of the news that the RNLI have announced today to withdraw from the Birnbeck Pier project. This is obviously disappointing for everyone involved. We continue to be committed to finding a viable future for Birnbeck Pier and are working closely with North Somerset Council, Historic England and the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust to explore all possible options."
North Somerset Council had hoped to appoint contractors on 8 July, with the work expected to begin later this year. The appointment will now be delayed.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Bmblbzzz at 21:44, 23rd August 2016 | |
Whenever I hear someone mention a decrepit pier in Weston super Mare, I think at once of Jeffrey Archer before the spelling is corrected.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by TonyK at 07:59, 23rd August 2016 | |
Sadly, there has been one death in the water in Cornwall in recent days, and a number of near misses. Weston seldom has the conditions one can see occasionally around the cliffs of the Atlantic coast, or my former home near Blackpool for that matter, although the mud in the Axe estuary catches many out each year. There is no number of signs, posters, or warnings that will stop people getting into trouble. It's one thing assessing the risks and quite another recognising that there is a risk in the first place.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Western Pathfinder at 20:34, 22nd August 2016 | |
Sound like she's in training for this years Darwin awards !!.."
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by bobm at 20:23, 22nd August 2016 | |
Shame they can't give her a "comprehensive" invoice too.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:21, 22nd August 2016 | |
That, and the lack of evidence that the Great British Public is any more sensible without Pokemon...
Indeed
From the BBC:Three rescues for holidaymaker cut off by Cornwall tide
A young woman holidaying in Cornwall was rescued by the same lifeboat crew three times in four days after being cut off by the tide.
She was saved by the RNLI on Tuesday, Thursday and again on Friday.
In each case, she had been cut off by the tide while out walking and the D-class inshore lifeboat crews had to go into the water to rescue her.
She has since been given a "comprehensive safety briefing", the RNLI said.
It said sea and weather conditions last week meant none of the rescues had been particularly easy.
"The spring tides can catch people out, especially holidaymakers, who are unaware of the tidal cycles and speed that the tide can come in," said Brian Bowdler, helm of Looe lifeboat.
Despite her triple rescue ordeal, the woman was unhurt and said to be "fine".
A young woman holidaying in Cornwall was rescued by the same lifeboat crew three times in four days after being cut off by the tide.
She was saved by the RNLI on Tuesday, Thursday and again on Friday.
In each case, she had been cut off by the tide while out walking and the D-class inshore lifeboat crews had to go into the water to rescue her.
She has since been given a "comprehensive safety briefing", the RNLI said.
It said sea and weather conditions last week meant none of the rescues had been particularly easy.
"The spring tides can catch people out, especially holidaymakers, who are unaware of the tidal cycles and speed that the tide can come in," said Brian Bowdler, helm of Looe lifeboat.
Despite her triple rescue ordeal, the woman was unhurt and said to be "fine".
She has since been given a "comprehensive safety briefing", the RNLI said.
http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/fighting/dope-slap.gif
My interpretation. CfN.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by trainer at 23:46, 20th August 2016 | |
I do not feel it realistic to blame the developers of the silly game for the costs resulting in rescuing foolish persons who take it too seriously.
What next, charge makers of air-beds for the costs of rescuing those who float out to sea on them?
Or vendors of hiking boots that encourage users to walk in remote places and get lost or injured?
Or publishers of locomotive lists for the cost of delay minutes when spotters trespass on the line in pursuit?
What next, charge makers of air-beds for the costs of rescuing those who float out to sea on them?
Or vendors of hiking boots that encourage users to walk in remote places and get lost or injured?
Or publishers of locomotive lists for the cost of delay minutes when spotters trespass on the line in pursuit?
I hope you haven't given some nasty claims company ideas! I'll await the phone calls asking about my twisted ankle sustained falling from my airbed off Dawlish Beach (still wearing my walking boots because of the shingle) while trying to glimpse the loco numbers from a better vantage point.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by broadgage at 20:29, 20th August 2016 | |
I do not feel it realistic to blame the developers of the silly game for the costs resulting in rescuing foolish persons who take it too seriously.
What next, charge makers of air-beds for the costs of rescuing those who float out to sea on them?
Or vendors of hiking boots that encourage users to walk in remote places and get lost or injured?
Or publishers of locomotive lists for the cost of delay minutes when spotters trespass on the line in pursuit?
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by TonyK at 10:54, 12th August 2016 | |
Isn't it about time that the emergency services were able to reclaim their costs & more directly from Nintendo or whoever the software developers are? The more I read about this app / game the more it worries me about peoples common sense and safety.
Plausible deniability, plus the complex issues of suing an overseas corporation with a bigger budget than the UK, would prevent action. That, and the lack of evidence that the Great British Public is any more sensible without Pokemon...
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Surrey 455 at 23:36, 11th August 2016 | |
Pokemon Go players rescued by RNLI teetering on end of crumbling pier in Weston-super-mare
Isn't it about time that the emergency services were able to reclaim their costs & more directly from Nintendo or whoever the software developers are? The more I read about this app / game the more it worries me about peoples common sense and safety.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by TonyK at 22:45, 11th August 2016 | |
Whenever I hear someone mention a decrepit pier in Weston super Mare, I think at once of Jeffrey Archer before the spelling is corrected.
Birnbeck Pier has had, alas, more plans than Baldrick. Sadly, none turned out to be cunning enough. It was a charming spot, and I'm sure it could be again. That it isn't now says much about the economics of recovering the pier. Presumably, all the former owners had ideas, but couldn't make the figures add up. It must be harder than other pier schemes in the past because of the island and other structures.
Timothy West has form in pier restoration fund raising - he is a patron of the National Piers Society, and with his wife was involved in the restoration of Clevedon Pier. Sadly, she is unwell these days, but his support and that of John Cleese could help get things stuttering to a start.
When I was dating Wife V1 - who lived in Weston...
I can't get used to these vari-focal specs. I thought I read 'Wife VI' (6) not Version One! I was, for a moment, most impressed.
I thought she was called Vi, or had an unpredictable and explosive nature. In these present enlightened days, being married to Wife Mark 1 is acceptable.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 00:35, 10th August 2016 | |
From the Bristol Post:
Pokemon Go players rescued by RNLI teetering on end of crumbling pier in Weston-super-mare
Six youngsters went hunting Pokemon monsters at the end of Birnbeck Pier
A group of six teenage Pokemon Go players had to be rescued from the derelict Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare after venturing to the end in search of imaginary monsters.
The RNLI lifeboat, as well as crews from Avon Fire and Rescue Service and South West Ambulance Service were called to assist with the rescue – the latest in a string of Pokemon Go-related rescues since the craze began.
The historic pier, which has been closed to the public since 1994, is teetering on the edge of being washed into the sea following storms in the Spring.
The RNLI had to launch two lifeboats last Friday night after youngsters began risking their lives by diving – or 'tombstoning' – from the railings on the pier.
Six youngsters went hunting Pokemon monsters at the end of Birnbeck Pier
A group of six teenage Pokemon Go players had to be rescued from the derelict Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare after venturing to the end in search of imaginary monsters.
The RNLI lifeboat, as well as crews from Avon Fire and Rescue Service and South West Ambulance Service were called to assist with the rescue – the latest in a string of Pokemon Go-related rescues since the craze began.
The historic pier, which has been closed to the public since 1994, is teetering on the edge of being washed into the sea following storms in the Spring.
The RNLI had to launch two lifeboats last Friday night after youngsters began risking their lives by diving – or 'tombstoning' – from the railings on the pier.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:49, 31st December 2015 | |
From that BBC video news report, it's interesting that those high winds caused the closure of Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge due to weather conditions for only the second time in its 150 year history.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by BerkshireBugsy at 17:44, 30th December 2015 | |
Section of Birnbeck Pier collapses into sea - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-35199177
Sad, but given the weather not surprising.
I seem to remember when I was still with wife v1.0, who lived in Weston, that there were really bad winds which ripped up part of the promenade. I can't remember the year but it must have been the early 80s at a guess.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by JayMac at 17:24, 30th December 2015 | |
Section of Birnbeck Pier collapses into sea - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-35199177
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by JayMac at 01:16, 16th December 2015 | |
My Mum's on husband number 4.
I've always wondered why we periodically got a new patio...
Just kidding Mumsy!
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:10, 15th December 2015 | |
Going off at a bit of a tangent: John Cleese, a native of Weston super Mare, is now married to wife number four ...
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by BerkshireBugsy at 06:24, 15th December 2015 | |
When I was dating Wife V1 - who lived in Weston...
I can't get used to these vari-focal specs. I thought I read 'Wife VI' (6) not Version One! I was, for a moment, most impressed.
Loll! Nope, no need to call me "Henry the VIIIth" ...still only on wife V2
Can't afford any more!| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by trainer at 22:20, 14th December 2015 | |
When I was dating Wife V1 - who lived in Weston...
I can't get used to these vari-focal specs. I thought I read 'Wife VI' (6) not Version One! I was, for a moment, most impressed.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by BerkshireBugsy at 13:08, 14th December 2015 | |
When I was dating Wife V1 - who lived in Weston - I seem to remember there was a tea house at the land end of the pier that sold - as you probably guessed - refreshments. I seem to remember it played old music and was a lovely place to visit.
Looking at Google Earth I'm not sure it's there anymore
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:05, 13th December 2015 | |
A further update on the state of the pier and island, from the BBC:
Birnbeck Pier loss 'significant' warns actor Timothy West
Actor Timothy West praised Birnbeck Pier as a "beautiful piece of engineering"
Actor Timothy West has visited a group fighting to save the crumbling Birnbeck Pier, saying it would be "a significant loss" if it collapsed.
The pier at Weston-super-Mare is among the 10 most endangered buildings on a list compiled by The Victorian Society.
Survey work is under way to determine how much it would cost to repair the main bridge and carry out structural reports for the other buildings.
Mr West said it was a "beautiful piece of engineering" and needed to be saved.
Birnbeck Pier is Britain's only pier built around an island
It shut to the public in 1994 and has deteriorated ever since
During a visit on Saturday, he said: "We lived in Bristol during world war two. We used to come to Weston for our holidays and I've kept links with this area ever since. I found myself living in places where we had wonderful piers, and this one particularly I was very fond of. Partly because of the Campbell [paddle] steamers which called here and went over to Cardiff and down to Ilfracombe, Lundy Island and so on.
"Long term I would like to see the whole pier and the island with the landing stage refurbished. It's a very long term project but it could happen."
The pier's regeneration trust is in the process of working out the cost to bring it back to life
Heritage England has recorded its condition as "very bad"
The Grade II*-listed pier, which is the only one in Britain leading to an island, shut in 1994 and has since fallen into a state of disrepair. Successive owners' restoration plans have come to nothing and storms earlier this year left one walkway on the verge of collapse.
Richard Griffin, project director for The Birnbeck Regeneration Trust, said they had the support of the owner who had agreed, in principle, to a lease for a minimum of 25 years "once we get funding and planning permission in place".
"If we let it fall into the sea and rot away that would be a travesty to history," he added.
Actor Timothy West praised Birnbeck Pier as a "beautiful piece of engineering"
Actor Timothy West has visited a group fighting to save the crumbling Birnbeck Pier, saying it would be "a significant loss" if it collapsed.
The pier at Weston-super-Mare is among the 10 most endangered buildings on a list compiled by The Victorian Society.
Survey work is under way to determine how much it would cost to repair the main bridge and carry out structural reports for the other buildings.
Mr West said it was a "beautiful piece of engineering" and needed to be saved.
Birnbeck Pier is Britain's only pier built around an island
It shut to the public in 1994 and has deteriorated ever since
During a visit on Saturday, he said: "We lived in Bristol during world war two. We used to come to Weston for our holidays and I've kept links with this area ever since. I found myself living in places where we had wonderful piers, and this one particularly I was very fond of. Partly because of the Campbell [paddle] steamers which called here and went over to Cardiff and down to Ilfracombe, Lundy Island and so on.
"Long term I would like to see the whole pier and the island with the landing stage refurbished. It's a very long term project but it could happen."
The pier's regeneration trust is in the process of working out the cost to bring it back to life
Heritage England has recorded its condition as "very bad"
The Grade II*-listed pier, which is the only one in Britain leading to an island, shut in 1994 and has since fallen into a state of disrepair. Successive owners' restoration plans have come to nothing and storms earlier this year left one walkway on the verge of collapse.
Richard Griffin, project director for The Birnbeck Regeneration Trust, said they had the support of the owner who had agreed, in principle, to a lease for a minimum of 25 years "once we get funding and planning permission in place".
"If we let it fall into the sea and rot away that would be a travesty to history," he added.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 11:10, 16th September 2015 | |
An update on Birnbeck Island and Pier, from the BBC:
Pier and boat store on top 10 at-risk buildings
Birnbeck Pier was used as a secret weapons testing site during World War Two
Britain's only pier built around an island and a boat store of "worldwide importance" are among this year's top 10 most endangered buildings.
The Victorian Society has published its annual list of the most at-risk Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales.
Actor and Victorian Society vice-president Griff Rhys Jones said the buildings needed the public's help.
A palatial house in Conwy, dubbed the "discount Downton", also made the list.
Jones has recorded a video asking people to help publicise the list, which is nominated by members of the public, because "they are buildings that need help and we need you to help them".
Director of the Victorian Society Christopher Costelloe said: "All the buildings in this year's top 10 are listed buildings, meaning that the government has recognised their national importance. These buildings illustrate Britain's history in tangible form. All of them deserve better than their current situations."
On the 2015 endangered list
Birnbeck Pier, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset - (Grade II*, 1862) Britain's only pier leading to an island, it was damaged by a mine during World War Two while it was being used by the Admiralty as HMS Birnbeck, a secret facility for weapons testing. The pier closed in 1994 and successive owners' restoration plans have come to nothing. Storms earlier this year have left one walkway on the verge of collapse.
Birnbeck Pier was used as a secret weapons testing site during World War Two
Britain's only pier built around an island and a boat store of "worldwide importance" are among this year's top 10 most endangered buildings.
The Victorian Society has published its annual list of the most at-risk Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales.
Actor and Victorian Society vice-president Griff Rhys Jones said the buildings needed the public's help.
A palatial house in Conwy, dubbed the "discount Downton", also made the list.
Jones has recorded a video asking people to help publicise the list, which is nominated by members of the public, because "they are buildings that need help and we need you to help them".
Director of the Victorian Society Christopher Costelloe said: "All the buildings in this year's top 10 are listed buildings, meaning that the government has recognised their national importance. These buildings illustrate Britain's history in tangible form. All of them deserve better than their current situations."
On the 2015 endangered list
Birnbeck Pier, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset - (Grade II*, 1862) Britain's only pier leading to an island, it was damaged by a mine during World War Two while it was being used by the Admiralty as HMS Birnbeck, a secret facility for weapons testing. The pier closed in 1994 and successive owners' restoration plans have come to nothing. Storms earlier this year have left one walkway on the verge of collapse.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Cynthia at 21:20, 26th May 2014 | |
I believe they are using two inshore lifeboats from Knightstone Harbour for most 'shouts', but the larger boat remains on Birnbeck Island. It will still be used if there is an immediate danger to life that cannot be covered by the smaller inshore boats.
The larger boat was last used in anger on 2nd March 2014, launching from Birnbeck Island. That story highlights not only the dangers the crews face in putting to sea to rescue others, but also the dangers the crew have to deal with getting to the island and launching in the dark.
When I was living in Weston, about 15 years ago, even then I used to feel concerned about the safety of the lifeboatmen negotiating their way along that rickety old pier to get to the boat house. I'm sure they must be at more risk of injury getting along the pier than when they're at sea. Bless their hearts.The larger boat was last used in anger on 2nd March 2014, launching from Birnbeck Island. That story highlights not only the dangers the crews face in putting to sea to rescue others, but also the dangers the crew have to deal with getting to the island and launching in the dark.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by trainer at 12:21, 26th May 2014 | |
Thanks for that clarification, BNM, I hadn't picked that up. You are absolutely right about the bravery of these guys - gratitude and respect all round.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by JayMac at 23:15, 25th May 2014 | |
I believe they are using two inshore lifeboats from Knightstone Harbour for most 'shouts', but the larger boat remains on Birnbeck Island. It will still be used if there is an immediate danger to life that cannot be covered by the smaller inshore boats.
The larger boat was last used in anger on 2nd March 2014, launching from Birnbeck Island. That story highlights not only the dangers the crews face in putting to sea to rescue others, but also the dangers the crew have to deal with getting to the island and launching in the dark.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by trainer at 22:58, 25th May 2014 | |
The pier is only used by lifeboat crews to reach the lifeboat station on the island.
Even the RNLI have abandoned their lifeboat base on the island, so dangerous was the access.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by John R at 18:45, 25th May 2014 | |
I've never really thought of Nantgarw as a tourist attraction. Although the valleys are much more picturesque these days (yes really!).
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Andrew1939 from West Oxon at 17:08, 25th May 2014 | |
How sad that the Birnbeck Pier (or Olod Pier as it alternatively known as) is out of use. Some 60 years ago it was on my route for a day trip from Bridgwater to Nantgarw in the Taff Valley. Our journ ey was a penny bus ride in Bridgwater to the Railway station, train to Weston, walk to the Grand Pier, Bus to the Birnbeck pier to board a P & A Campbell paddle steamer (Glen Usk, Bristol Queen, Cardiff Queenare names I recall), an hour's cross Bristol Channel crossing to Cardiff Docks, if the tide was in, or Penarth if it was out, At Cardiff docks we waited for a tram to arrive and as it was the terminus it always intrigued me to watch the driver get his long pole out to turn the panograph around whilst the conductor, turned the swivel back seats around so that everybody travel front facing in either direction. A rattley journey up to the castle and a short walk around the back to the Rhonda Valley bus terminal alongside the rear of the castle.Buses departed every few minutes, usually Western Welsh). Of course the vast majority of people used public transport to travel any where as private cars were very rare in those days. We left home around 08.00 to 08.30 and arrived up the Taff valley around 11.00 just in time for a mid-morning cup of tea (coffee was a rarity in those days. We set out for home at around 08.00 to 18.30 and were back in Bridgwater around 21.00 and it didn't cost a fortune. Oh, those were the days
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by JayMac at 20:20, 24th May 2014 | |
Knightstone Island is not the location of the old Birnbeck Pier. It is just along the sea front to the right of the Grand Pier and protects the marina behind it. It now has a large housing development on it. Until recently it was used as a boarding point for MV Balmoral pleasure cruises around the Bristol Channel. The Balmoral is currently laid up being refitted and is not expected to be back in service until 2015
Birnbeck Pier is further around the Anchor Head peninsula to the north of the main sea front and Grand Pier, linking the mainland to Birnbeck Island. I say linking - the pier has long been closed and is in a parlous state. As are the majority of buildings on the island. There is no public access to Birnbeck Island. The pier is only used by lifeboat crews to reach the lifeboat station on the island.
| Re: Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by Cynthia at 19:46, 24th May 2014 | |
Oh goodie, that'll make a nice little outing round the town! However I noticed from the Bristol Post blurb that there is no mention of the tourist bus visiting the old pier - surely of sufficient 'historic interest' to be include in the itinerary? However, I'm struggling to remember the location of 'Knighstone Island'. Not wishing to be pedantic or anything, but shouldn't that have a t after the h? Someone put me out of my misery.....
| Weston-super-Mare - Birnbeck Pier restoration: ongoing developments and discussion Posted by JayMac at 13:48, 23rd May 2014 | |
A scheduled open top bus was already running in Weston this past Wednesday. Again a Crosville service - number 100.
