Swanage Pier Repairs Get The Green Light

The year March 2012 to March 2013 proved to be a real up and down period of time for Swanage Pier in Dorset. Having been awarded the Pier of The Year Award by the National Piers Society in March 2012, it then suffered badly during the storms of March 2013, when a substantial amount of damage was done.

Swanage Pier - repairs on the way

Now due to a mixture of help from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) which contributed £39,900, and the sterling efforts of local fund raisers, including local schools, who raised around £20,000, the Swanage Pier Trust are in funds to commence the repair works.

The damage resulted from strong winds and rough seas on 11 March and affected the mid-section of the pier so badly it was near collapse.

Mr Derek Tarrant, chairman of the Swanage Pier Trust said: "'The Pier has received an unprecedented level of support since the appeal began in March and we have been overwhelmed by public generosity."

The works to the mid-section of the pier will include sending divers down to replace a 14-ft (4.5-metre) long stump in the sea bed.  As well as the repairs, the funds will be used to finance educational exhibitions, trips to schools and training for volunteers to help with the restoration work.

Originally built at a cost of £10,000 and officially opened in 1896, the 642ft (195m) Grade II listed pier was fully restored after falling into disrepair in the 1960s. The HLF were again involved in this  £1m revamp, with the pier reopening in 1998. It now attracts more than 100,000 visitors a year.

In winning last year’s award, it beat 21 other entrants. At the time, Anthony Wills, of the National Piers Society, said: "It has been chosen in recognition of the efforts of the Swanage Pier Trust who own and operate it without subsidy, providing an excellent visitor experience, maintaining it in as good a condition as possible - subject to financial resources."

                                                      http://www.swanagepiertrust.com/

                                                               http://www.piers.org.uk/