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Home » Huge boost for ‘declining’ UK seaside town as abandoned pier to get £13m refurb
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Huge boost for ‘declining’ UK seaside town as abandoned pier to get £13m refurb

By staff24 July 2025No Comments4 Mins Read

Following years of outrage from locals and tourists a like, it seems one seaside town is finally ready to bring its abandoned pier back to life, thanks to a £13 million pot of funding

Southport Pleasure Pier, Southport, Merseyside, 2015. Artist Historic England. (Photo by Historic England Archive/Heritage Images via Getty Images)
The pier was closed back in 2022 due to safety concerns(Image: Heritage Images via Getty Images)

A 164-year-old pier defining one of the UK’s most popular seaside towns could be brought back to life by next year thanks to a hefty investment. Stretching out a staggering 3,600 ft (around 0.68 miles), Southport Pier is the second longest in the UK – and first opened back in 1860.

For decades, it attracted swathes of tourists who walk around 10 minutes to reach the end of the pier and soak up the stunning sea-views, as well as to make use of the indoor cafe and small arcade. Visitors could also take the miniature railway, which whizzed Brits over to the end of the pier for just a couple of quid.

READ MORE: Abandoned UK Butlin’s resort now home to thriving holiday park

February 17, 2020. Southport Pier at sunset during low tide. Scene shows a pier leading out into the sea at sunset. A lone person walks along the pier as the sun sets behind them.
The pier has been closed for three years, and will take over a year to repair(Image: Getty Images)

But in 2022, the Victorian structure was closed due to safety fears, with necessary repairs estimated to cost a whopping £13 million. The three-year closure has sparked outrage amongst locals and tourists alike – with many arguing the abandoned site is the perfect omen for the ‘declining’ seaside town. In fact, one ’embarrassed’ Brit dubbed Southport ‘a very sad neglected town for tourists and residents’ on TripAdvisor back in 2023.

Another agreed, scathing: “It’s time the council got this beautiful historical pier sorted and opened again! This is one of Southports main attractions and they cant afford to have the renovation. A real shame,” while a third penned: “I still can’t believe that Southport has been allowed to decline even further, the council do not seem to be bothered.”

February 16, 2020. Southport Pier at sunset, scene of a couple walking away in the distance along the center of the pier. The sky begins to turn golden from the setting sun.
Many locals say the town has gown downhill since the pier’s closure(Image: Getty Images)

Still, Visit Southport, the area’s official tourist board, hailed the destination as being a ‘fun-loving’ seaside resort with ‘attractions for all the family’. “[There’s] an abundance of independent restaurants and bars making it a foodies’ haven, and full of culture,” it wrote.

“When it comes to beaches, you’re spoiled for choice. We have 22 miles of coastline from Formby Beach, Ainsdale Beach, Crosby Beach (where you can visit the famous Antony Gormley ‘Another Place’), and Southport Beach itself. You can enjoy some of the most stunning views along our coast.”

Southport Pier
The council says it’s ‘absolutely wanting to get on’ with repair work(Image: Getty Images/500px Prime)

However, last month Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the pier would be eligible for cash from a new fund dedicated to speeding up ‘forgotten’ local projects. Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside, Sefton Council leader Marion Atkinson said the authority would be ready to start work on the pier ‘within six to eight weeks’ of receiving the government funding.

“We’re absolutely wanting to get on with it,” she said. The councillor stated that repairs would take between 12 to 14 months, adding: “We’ll be looking at ways in which, if we can, to get it done as quickly as we possibly can. But, it does take a lot of time because there’s a lot of work.”

When approached for comment, Sefton Council directed the Mirror to the Southport Pier’s FAQ page. Here, the council explains that the pier endured a UK-wide extreme cold weather snap at the end of 2022 which caused ‘further damage’ to its structural condition. “Following an inspection by a team of independent Structural Engineers, Sefton Council was told to close the pier to protect the safety of anyone working on it or visiting the iconic tourist attraction,” the council said.

“A full and extensive independent structural survey was commissioned, the interim feedback from which has confirmed the need to keep the Pier closed until further extensive repair and replacement works are carried out. The final surveys state the same explicitly, and the Pier would no longer be insurable so had to be shut.”

Sefton Council says it has since engaged in several conversations with regards to external funding having already completed phase one of the decking replacement. The council also agreed to allocate £3 million to the Pier project. “Sefton Council has also made several appointments in order to specify the works that will be required to refurbish the Pier and we are preparing for appointing a contractor for the works, again reaffirming Sefton’s commitment to the project,” the authority added.

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