List of piers in the United Kingdom
Brighton Palace Pier at dusk
This is a list of extant and former coastal piers in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man and piers on the river Thames .[ 1]
Coastal piers
England
Name
Place
Ceremonial county
Opened
Length
Pier of the Year
Listed grade
Description
Image
Central Pier
Blackpool
Lancashire
30 May 1868
1,118 feet (341 m)
Originally 1,518 feet (463 m) long.
South Pier
Blackpool
Lancashire
31 March 1893
492 feet (150 m)
Contains a theme park.
North Pier
Blackpool
Lancashire
21 May 1863
1,318 feet (402 m)
2004
II
Eugenius Birch 's earliest surviving pier. Originally 1,410 feet (430 m) long.
Bognor Regis Pier
Bognor Regis
West Sussex
5 May 1865
350 feet (110 m)
1985
Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth
Dorset
17 September 1861
1,000 feet (300 m)
Zip wire installed in 2014, spanning between the pierhead and the beach. Original pier consisted of a wooden jetty opened in 1856.
Boscombe Pier
Bournemouth
Dorset
29 July 1889
720 feet (220 m)
2010
Palace Pier
Brighton
East Sussex
20 May 1899
1,722 feet (525 m)
1998
II*
Burnham-on-Sea Pier
Burnham-on-Sea
Somerset
1858
90 feet (27 m)
Claims to be Britain's shortest pier. It is not recognised by most authorities as it is simply a beach pavilion.
Clacton Pier
Clacton-on-Sea
Essex
27 July 1871
1,180 feet (360 m)
2020
II
Cleethorpes Pier
Cleethorpes
Lincolnshire
4 August 1873
335 feet (102 m)
2016
Clevedon Pier
Clevedon
Somerset
29 March 1869
1,020 feet (310 m)
1999, 2013, 2021
I
Cromer Pier
Cromer
Norfolk
8 June 1901
495 feet (151 m)
2000, 2015
II
Deal Pier
Deal
Kent
19 November 1957
1,026 feet (313 m)
2008
One of the last pleasure piers to be built in the UK. Pre-dated by two original piers, built in 1838 and 1864.
Eastbourne Pier
Eastbourne
East Sussex
13 June 1870
1,000 feet (300 m)
1997
II*
Prince of Wales Pier
Falmouth
Cornwall
5 May 1905
Felixstowe Pier
Felixstowe
Suffolk
August 1905
450 feet (140 m)
Major redevelopments in 2017, involving construction of a new amusement building. There are currently no plans to re-open the seaward end.
Folkestone Harbour Arm
Folkestone
Kent
1904
1,600 feet (490 m)[ 2]
II (lighthouse) [ 3]
First used from 1904 as a port pier for ferries to Boulogne, France . Re-opened in 2016. Used as a pleasure pier, and for fishing.
Gravesend Town
Gravesend
Kent
1834
172 feet (52 m)
II*
On the Thames, and not a seaside pier recognised by most authorities.
Royal Terrace
Gravesend
Kent
1844
On the Thames.
Not recognised as a seaside pier by most authorities.
Britannia Pier
Great Yarmouth
Norfolk
13 July 1858
810 feet (250 m)
Wellington Pier
Great Yarmouth
Norfolk
31 October 1853
700 feet (210 m)
Ha'penny Pier
Harwich
Essex
July 1853
Not a seaside pier recognised by most authorities.
Hastings Pier
Hastings
East Sussex
5 August 1872
912 feet (278 m)
2017
Pier of the Year following extensive restoration.
Herne Bay Pier
Herne Bay
Kent
1899
Majority of pier destroyed in a storm in 1978. The shoreward 'stub' is still open, and the pier head remains isolated 1 km (0.6 mi) into the sea.
Hythe Pier
Hythe
Hampshire
1 January 1881
2,100 feet (640 m)
II
Oldest continually running pier train in the world.[ 4]
Claremont Pier
Lowestoft
Suffolk
1903
600 feet (180 m)
Pier decking not open for public use.
South Pier
Lowestoft
Suffolk
1846
1,320 feet (400 m)
St Annes Pier
Lytham St Annes
Lancashire
15 June 1885
600 feet (180 m)
II
Paignton Pier
Paignton
Devon
June 1879
780 feet (240 m)
Ryde Pier
Ryde
Isle of Wight
26 July 1814
2,234 feet (681 m)
II
The UK's oldest pleasure pier. Island Line runs along entire length.
Saltburn Pier
Saltburn-by-the-Sea
North Yorkshire
May 1869
681 feet (208 m)
2009
II*
Culver Pier
Sandown
Isle of Wight
29 May 1878
870 feet (270 m)
Skegness Pier
Skegness
Lincolnshire
4 June 1881
387 feet (118 m)
Seaward section destroyed in a 1978 storm.
Royal Pier
Southampton
Hampshire
8 July 1833
900 feet (270 m)
II
Closed 1980. Currently in very poor condition. Now classified as a Lost Pier.
Southend Pier
Southend-on-Sea
Essex
1830
6,900 feet (2,100 m)
2007
II
The longest pleasure pier in the world, extending 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) into the Thames Estuary.
Southport Pier
Southport
Merseyside
2 August 1860
3,536 feet (1,078 m)
2003
II
South Parade Pier
Southsea
Hampshire
26 July 1879
600 feet (180 m)
Re-opened 2017.
Clarence Pier
Southsea
Hampshire
1861
203 feet (62 m)
Three times wider than it is long, going along the beach rather than out to sea. The full pier is an amusement park.
Southwold Pier
Southwold
Suffolk
1900
623 feet (190 m)
2002
Includes a collection of modern coin-operated novelty machines.
Swanage Pier
Swanage
Dorset
29 March 1897
643 feet (196 m)
2012
Grand Pier
Teignmouth
Devon
1867
696 feet (212 m)
Princess Pier
Torquay
Devon
1890
Totland Pier
Totland Bay
Isle of Wight
1880
Walton Pier
Walton-on-the-Naze
Essex
1871
2,610 feet (800 m)
Originally built to a length of 530 feet (160 m) in 1871. The pier was extended and re-opened in August 1898.
Grand Pier
Weston-super-Mare
Somerset
11 June 1904
1,201 feet (366 m)
2011
Birnbeck Pier
Weston-super-Mare
Somerset
5 June 1867
1,150 feet (350 m)
II*
Closed since 1994. One of the few surviving Eugenius Birch piers. Restoration underway.
Weymouth Pier
Weymouth
Dorset
1860
787 feet (240 m)
Weymouth Stone Pier is a breakwater . Weymouth Pleasure pier is described as a "man-made peninsula".
Worthing Pier
Worthing
West Sussex
12 April 1862
960 feet (290 m)
2006, 2019
II
Yarmouth Pier
Yarmouth
Isle of Wight
1876
610 feet (190 m)
Scotland
Name
Place
Opened
Length
Pier of the Year
Listed grade
Description
Image
Dunoon Pier
Dunoon
1889
370 feet (110 m)
Not recognised a seaside pier by most authorities. Built as a working pier rather than a pleasure pier.
Helensburgh Pier
Helensburgh
1860
804 feet (245 m)
Not recognised a seaside pier by most authorities. Category C listed structure.[ 5] Closed to marine traffic since October 2018.[ 6]
Kilcreggan Pier
Kilcreggan
279 feet (85 m)
Not recognised a seaside pier by most authorities. Passenger-only ferry to Gourock .[ 7]
Rothesay Pier
Rothesay
433 feet (132 m)
Not recognised as a seaside pier by most authorities. Serves as a ferry terminal and small marina rather than a pleasure pier.
Fort William Pier
Fort William
1,538 feet (469 m)
Not recognised as a seaside pier by most authorities.
Wales
Name
Place
Opened
Length
Pier of the Year
Listed grade
Description
Image
Royal Pier
Aberystwyth
1865
794 feet (242 m)
Garth Pier
Bangor
14 May 1896
1,510 feet (460 m)
2022
II*
Reopened in 1988.
Beaumaris Pier
Beaumaris
1846
570 feet (170 m)
Refurbished 2011–2012.
Llandudno Pier
Llandudno
1 August 1877
2,295 feet (700 m)
2005
II*
Mumbles Pier
Mumbles , Swansea
10 May 1898
835 feet (255 m)
II
Penarth Pier
Penarth
February 1895
650 feet (200 m)
2014
II
Isle of Man
Name
Place
Opened
Length
Pier of the Year
Listed grade
Description
Image
Queen's Pier
Ramsey, Isle of Man
22 July 1886
2,241 feet (683 m)
Closed June 1990; restoration started 2016; first three bays reopened July 2021.[ 8]
Piers in London on the River Thames
Name
Place
Opened
Length
Pier of the Year
Listed grade
Description
Image
West Pier
Brighton
6 October 1866
1,115 feet (340 m)
I
Closed in 1975 and subsequently fell into disrepair. Now classified as a lost pier.
Victoria Pier
Colwyn Bay
1 June 1900
750 feet (230 m)
II
Closed since 2008. Partial collapse in 2017, leading to the demolition of the seaward end.
Leith Trinity Chain
Edinburgh
14 August 1821
627 feet (191 m)
Effectively closed in the 1850s and described as "deserted and ruinous" then destroyed by a storm on 18 October 1898.[ 9]
Portobello Pier
Edinburgh
1871
1,250 feet (380 m)
Designed by Sir Thomas Bouch , engineer who also designed the infamous Tay Bridge . Demolished in 1917 after repairs to storm damage bankrupted the owner.[ 10]
Fleetwood Pier
Fleetwood
16 May 1910
492 feet (150 m)
Destroyed by fire in 2008, hence a lost pier.
Lytham Pier
Lytham
17 April 1865
914 feet (279 m)
Closed to the public before World War II following a period of decline. Demolished in 1960 despite protests from thousands of local residents.
Central Pier [ 11]
Morecambe
25 March 1869
912 feet (278 m)
Demolished 1992.
West End Pier [ 12]
Morecambe
1896
1,800 feet (550 m)
Demolished 1978.
New Brighton Pier
New Brighton
1867
600 feet (180 m)
Demolished 1978.
Aberavon Pier
Port Talbot
1898
900 feet (270 m)
Owned by British Transport Commission after being lost in 1962. Now a breakwater.
Redcar Pier
Redcar
2 June 1873
1,300 feet (400 m)
Closed and demolished in 1980.
Rhos-on-Sea Pier [ 13]
Rhos-on-Sea , North Wales
1895
1,300 feet (400 m)
Lost in 1954.
Rhyl Pier
Rhyl
19 August 1867
2,355 feet (718 m)
Demolished in 1973.
Scarborough North Pier
Scarborough
1868
1,000 feet (300 m)
Lost in 1905.
Shanklin Pier
Shanklin
1890
1,200 feet (370 m)
Demolished in February 1993.
St Leonards Pier [ 14]
St Leonards-on-Sea
1891
950 feet (290 m)
Damaged by bombing, gales and fire during WW2 . Demolished 1951–55.
Ventnor Royal Victoria Pier
Ventnor
1877
650 feet (200 m)
Four piers built on same site. Last one demolished in 1993.
Royal Victoria Pier [ 15]
Tenby
1899
330 feet (100 m)
Constructed as 230 feet (70 m) structure and later extended. Lost in 1953.
Weymouth Pier Bandstand
Weymouth
25 May 1939
200 feet (61 m)
Majority of pier demolished in 1986; only the entrance building remains on 48 feet (15 m) of the pier.[ 16] Thus not a seaside pier any longer.
Withernsea Pier [ 17]
Withernsea
August 1877
1,196 feet (365 m)
Partial destruction by storm in 1882 and ship collisions in 1890 and 1893. Last remaining section removed in 1903.
See also
References
England Scotland Wales Channel Islands Isle of Man Former piers