Whilst many piers across the UK remind us of a bygone era, Southwold Pier is bigger and better than ever, thriving with an abundance of things to see and do.
Located in the town of Southwold, Suffolk, the Pier is a great place to visit for all of the family, and is located just a short drive from Tingdene Broadlands Park & Marina.
We have taken a look at eight facts about the Pier that you may not have known:
The original Pier was built in 1900, and was 810ft long.
It was built as a landing stage for the Belle steamships that travelled from London Bridge, as up until the 1930s, the majority of holidaymakers travelled by sea.
In 1934, the T-shape at the foot of the pier was washed away during a particularly violent storm. The timber buildings at the shoreward end were knocked down and replaced with a two-story pavilion, complete with amusement arcades and a concert hall.
When World War II broke out, a section of the Pier was removed due to fear of invasion. To add to this, a wayward sea mine hit the Pier in 1941, which destroyed another section. 1955 saw further damage, when another storm struck and washed away the end half.
1979 saw yet another storm hit (they didn’t have a lot of luck back then!) which reduced the length of the Pier to a mere 60ft!
The Pier was privately bought in 1987, and work to rebuild it was started in 1999. The work was complete in 2001 when it reached its current length of 623ft.
In 2002, the T-shape was re-added to the end of the Pier, giving it back that signature look! It was named Pier of the Year in the same year, is Britain’s only 21st Century Pier.
Tim Hunkin created the Water Clock found on the Pier, but also has a series of wacky machines and inventions which can be found in the Under the Pier Show. All hand built and totally bonkers, the machines can offer a laugh to everyone!
Anyone looking for a wonderful day out on the coast of Suffolk should definitely consider visiting Southwold Pier. With so much to do in one place, both inside and out, it is a great place to visit any time of the year!
Southwold - It has all the charm of a genteel seaside town, with its colourful beach huts, pier and award-winning beach. You can fly a kite along the beach in the morning and watch a Punch and Judy Show in the afternoon.
There’s everything you need here for a good old-fashioned beach holiday. Along the Pier you can play the slot machines or have a cream tea. You can search for amber among the shingle and climb the lighthouse for the best views in town. There are lots of small, independent shops to browse for souvenirs and it even has its own brewery.
Eating fish and chips, well it's virtually compulsory to have them! Head to the Beach cafe and take a seat in one of the booths overlooking the beach.
Southwold Pier opened in 1900 as a stop for the Belle Steamers that took their passengers between London and the seaside. It has been beautifully restored and it’s a wonderful place to linger. Walk right to the end and see if you can spot seals and porpoises in the North Sea.
There’s an old-fashioned penny arcade at the entrance, a restaurant and a café where you’ll be served tea and cakes with pretty china teapots. One of the highlights for children is Tim Hunkin’s mechanical Water Clock. Every half hour the bathing couple squirt water at each other and the cheeky boys drop their trousers to have a pee.
Don’t miss the wonderfully eccentric Under the Pier Show where you can play what have to be some of the world most fun and unusual slot machines, like Art Apocalypse where you ‘shoot’ at modern art, Crankenstein the wind-up monster and Whack-a-Banker!
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