Volunteers Restore Historic Pier

The sound of footsteps has returned to South Beach Pier after a community-led restoration secured the landmark’s future for another generation. Built in 1912, the timber pier had been partially closed since winter storms damaged its outer deck and loosened several original railings. Over six months, 84 volunteers contributed more than 2,100 hours alongside marine engineers and heritage carpenters.

Retired boatbuilder Anika Bell led weekly workshops in the old lifeboat shed, teaching volunteers how to cut scarf joints, set traditional copper fastenings and identify timber that could be safely retained. Wherever possible, the team repaired rather than replaced. Weathered boards that could not return to the deck were transformed by students at Silverdale Technical College into benches, wayfinding signs and a long communal table for the pier shelter.

“My grandfather taught me to fish here, so every board carries a memory,” said volunteer coordinator Ellis Ward, who first proposed the repair group at a neighbourhood meeting. “But the best part was watching people who had never held a chisel become completely invested in looking after this place.” Local cafés supplied hot lunches, the harbour office loaned safety equipment and pupils from South Beach Primary planted salt-tolerant flowers around the entrance.

The restored pier now includes discreet low-energy lighting, accessible fishing points and a wider turning area at the seaward end. A small display in the shelter shares photographs and recollections collected from residents, including accounts of wartime watchkeepers and summer swimming lessons. The pier is open daily from sunrise until 22:00, weather permitting. A volunteer inspection team will continue monthly checks, and residents can contribute memories to the growing archive at South Beach Library.