|
Southport Pier is Britain's longest overland Pier |
Southport Pier
Southport Pier was listed as a Grade 2 building in
1976 as a structure of special architecture and historic interest. Later
with the growth of foreign holidays, Southport along with its pier went into
decline. The Pier was closed in 1998 for safety reasons.
The campaign to Save Southport Pier was launched in
February 1991 when a group of enthusiasts came together to start fund
raising. By 1994 Sefton Council and Sefton Chamber of Commerce and Industry
had formed the Southport Pier Trust (SPT)
By 1999, Sefton Council and the Pier Trust had been
successful in obtaining significant financial support from both the Heritage
Lottery Fund and from the European Merseyside Objective 1 Programme to place
a contract for restoration work.
The first phase costing £7m was completed in 2002 and
opened to huge crowds. The first phase involved the restoration and
replacement of the all the components of the pier and decking to its
original state. The pier deck has been widened and the tram track relocated
to the centre of the deck as it was in 1863. The pier pavilion has also been
built offering superb views out across the South Sefton Coast and North
Wales.
|
