Southport Pier

Pier in Southport, Merseyside, England
the Southport Pier in Australia

Southport Pier is a pleasure pier in Southport, Merseyside, England. Opened in August 1860, it is the oldest iron pier in the country. Its length of makes it the second longest in Great Britain, after Southend Pier. Although at one time spanning 4380 feet (1335 m), a succession of storms and fires during the late 19th and early 20th centuries reduced its length to that of the present day. The pier has been host to famous entertainers, including Charlie Chaplin in the early 20th century. It was visited by steamliners in its heyday, but silting of the channel meant that by the 1920s very few steamers were able to reach the pier, and the service ceased in 1929. The pier fell into disrepair throughout the late 20th century, and by 1990 it was operating at a significant annual loss with rising maintenance costs. The local council sought to have the pier demolished, but were defeated in their attempt by a single vote. The pier was significantly restored during 2000–2002, and opened to the public in May 2002. The Southport Pier Tramway ran from Southport Promenade to the pier head at various times in the pier's history with various rolling stock, most recently until June 2015. The pier is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building, first listed on 18 August 1975.

At , As a result of silting in the water channel, part of the pier now passes overland before reaching the beach, as the silt has allowed land beneath the pier to be reclaimed.

Proposals for a pier in Southport were first suggested in 1844, in conjunction with a potential railway from Manchester, with a committee formed in 1852 to help promote its construction. Following debates throughout the following few years about what its intended usage should be, the Southport Pier company was formed in March 1859 with a £12,000 capital. The cost to build the pier was estimated at £8000 (8000.0 in 1859 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years), eventually rising to £8700 (8700.0 in 1859 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years) with construction work commencing in August 1859. The pier's primary purpose was to be a promenade as opposed to a ship docking pier, and thus is considered to be the country's first pleasure pier. A year later, on 2 August 1860, the pier was officially opened with a grand procession; at a length of 3600 feet (1097 m) it was the second longest and first iron constructed pleasure pier in the country. Waiting rooms for boat passengers were added during the pier's first few years of operation, and a cable operated tramway had been installed by 1865. The pier was extended to 4380 feet (1335 m) in 1868) to ensure only the most affluent could afford it. As the 1870s progressed, the numbers of working class visitors increased and tolls were reduced to 2d. Storm damage was a frequent occurrence – several storms caused damage to the pier's foundations and buildings throughout the late 1880s and early 1890s. A fire in September 1897 destroyed the original pavilion; its replacement was opened in January 1902 and considered grander, with the inclusion of an auditorium.

A popular attraction from 1903 were an array of divers, typically diving from the tea house roof several times daily; the most popular and longest serving were Professors Osbourne and Powsey, the latter frequently jumping off the pier on a bicycle. From 1906, the newly constructed pavilion was leased out to play host to a variety of entertainers, including Charlie Chaplin and George Robey. Following the First World War, the pavilion was renamed the Casino and its main attraction on offer was dancing. This period was a financial success for the pier, with a net profit of £9155 (9155.0 in 1913 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years) in 1913 and an annual average profit of £6750 (6750.0 in 1925 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years) during the 1920s. By the early 1920s, silting in the water channel allowed for land reclamation, whilst it became more and more difficult for steamer ships to reach the pier; the service ceased entirely in 1929. Profits fell during the 1930s depression, compounded with a large fire in July 1933 destroying the pier head. The cost of damage was estimated at £6000 (6000.0 in 1933 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years) which was unaffordable to the Southport Pier Company, who ended up selling the pier to Southport Corporation in June 1936 for £34,744 (34744.0 in 1936 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years). The pier was closed to the public during the Second World War to house and operate searchlights to detect enemy aircraft travelling to Liverpool docks, yet was not physically separated from the land like other piers were during this time. despite being in a state of deterioration. A grant of £62,400 (62400.0 in 1983 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years) was awarded in 1983 by the European Regional Development Fund to strengthen the pier's structure. Deterioration continued during the latter 20th century and worsened by a storm in 1989, causing extensive damage. Despite its listed status, Sefton Council sought to demolish the pier in December 1990 due to the rising cost of repairs and maintenance, yet was defeated by a single vote. confirming the pier's then poor condition and recommending its closure. In October 1998, the pier received a heritage grant of £1.7 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, awarded to support restoration and access.

After falling into disrepair and subsequently closing, work to restore the pier began in 2000 and was completed in 2002, opening to the public in May 2002 with the restoration costing £7.2 million, complete with a new tram. Restoration of the pier formed part of a wider redevelopment strategy, including a new sea wall to help prevent flooding, landscaping around the pier and a new £28 million Ocean Plaza shopping complex. The pier today is an open structure, with modern railings on an older base and a deck made of hardwood slats, affording a partial view of the sea below. Along the walkway are name plaques that local people funded to help towards raising the restoration funds. Plans were announced in April 2017 to renovate the pier as part of a £2.9 million makeover, with two thirds of the cost coming from the Coastal Communities Fund to include repairs and new retail units. Additionally, the council seek to undertake repainting and mechanical works, as well as pavilion improvements and providing easier access to the pier from the beach. During 2022, the decking appeared to be rotting and unstable , and as a precaution the whole pier was closed to the public pending repair.

The pier has been featured in films, such as the 1985 film Mr. Love, which was filmed primarily in Southport. In 2014, a BBC drama titled There To Here filmed some scenes at Southport pier, which takes place in June 1996 in Manchester when an IRA bomb caused significant damage to Manchester's city centre. In 2021, the pier featured in the closing scene of the BBC drama, Time, which starred Sean Bean and Stephen Graham.