The operators of Southport Pier Pavilion have set up a fundraising page to support them after the temporary closure of Southport Pier.
The pier has been closed since December as Sefton Council seeks to secure the estimated £13 million needed to repair the historic structure.
The closure has been a blow for the Jamieson family which operates Southport Pier Pavilion and the other concessions along Britain’s second longest pier.
They have now set up a fundraising page on the GoFundMe website and are asking people to donate here: Fundraiser by Southport Pier : Keep our business afloat & help towards legal cost (gofundme.com)
In their post, they said: “We have tried everything to keep our staff still in some sort of work, maintain our workforce, cover the stock losses and keep our business afloat… but we are now at the point of desperation and need your help.
“If you love the pier and you love our business then please share with friends and donate what you can, even if it’s just the price of one regular coffee. Every little helps.
“We want to be here for when the pier eventually does reopen, and it will.”
Sefton Council reiterated its full support towards the full refurbishment of Southport Pier at an emergency Cabinet meeting in June.
It is estimated that the full refurbishment works required to ensure The Pier can open safely again could exceed £13 million, more than £10 million in excess of the £3m that the council has already agreed to borrow to fund decking replacement.
In addition to the full decking replacement, this would include additional work to the Pier’s sub-structure and steelwork, but the likely costs of this full refurbishment project are beyond the affordability of the council.
Sefton Council has been speaking with potential funders and stakeholders, given the importance of this heritage asset to the town and to local businesses.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Skills, said:
“It is abundantly clear how important the pier is to all of u.
“We all want to find a solution to the issues facing this well-loved historic asset as soon as we possibly can.
“The pier is 163 years old and has an emotional attachment for many many people. It is Grade II listed and it is the oldest cast iron structure in the country.
“Not only that but it is a very complex structure with somewhere in the region of 30,000 pieces of board, a length of 1.1km, and is the second longest pier in the country.
“We will continue to look for a long term solution and now we can start to have some formal discussions about securing funding to reopen the pier.
“We know its importance emotionally, economically and historically. That’s why we continue to take action to secure its future for another 160 years.
“Our commitment is as clear and unequivocal as it can be.
“We want a refurbished pier and we will do all we can to work with whoever we need to, to get to that position.”
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