This pier has a lot of history so I'll try to keep it simple. It opened on the 5th of June 1867. Improvements were made and things like trams, life boat houses and jetty were added. There was a fire in 1897 which damaged the main building. A new pavilion and low water jetty was build a couple of years later. In 1903, the pier was closed after a gale damaged both jetties. The north jetty was rebuilt and re-opened in 1904 but the low-water jetty remained closed until 1910 and lasted until 1932.
The opening of the Grand Pier’s funfair caused the abandonment of Birnbeck Island amusements in 1933. The Admiralty took over the pier from 1941 to 1946 when it became known as ‘HMS Birnbeck’. P&A Campbell ran the pier from 1962-1972, selling it to John Critchley a year after regular passenger steamer services ceased to call.
In 1989, ownership passed to Phil Stubbs who planned to restore the pier. But, by 1992, the pier was closed (other than for anglers) with financial problems having caused the abandonment of redevelopment plans.
In 1999, the lifeboat station installed a walkway across the pier to allow them safe access to the island, at a cost of £20,000.
Since then the pier has had many owners, CNM estates being the current owner. Unfortunately it has been left derelict as no solution was reached to develop this grade 2 listed building.
The opening of the Grand Pier’s funfair caused the abandonment of Birnbeck Island amusements in 1933. The Admiralty took over the pier from 1941 to 1946 when it became known as ‘HMS Birnbeck’. P&A Campbell ran the pier from 1962-1972, selling it to John Critchley a year after regular passenger steamer services ceased to call.
In 1989, ownership passed to Phil Stubbs who planned to restore the pier. But, by 1992, the pier was closed (other than for anglers) with financial problems having caused the abandonment of redevelopment plans.
In 1999, the lifeboat station installed a walkway across the pier to allow them safe access to the island, at a cost of £20,000.
Since then the pier has had many owners, CNM estates being the current owner. Unfortunately it has been left derelict as no solution was reached to develop this grade 2 listed building.
