The often-slated UK seaside town with historic pier set to be saved by £10m lifeline
Weston-super-Mare's Birnbeck Pier is a step closer to reopening to the public after securing £10million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Weston-super-Mare: Drone footage shows derelict Birnbeck Pier
A Victorian pier which played a role in the Dambusters Raid is to be saved after being awarded £10million from the National Lottery.
The funding for Grade II*-listed Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, brings the venue a step closer to reopening.
News of the cash boost came 160 years to the day since the pier's foundation stone was laid on October 28, 1864.
Opened in 1867 and designed by Eugenius Birch, Birnbeck Pier was a popular destination for day-trippers from ports along the Bristol Channel, including from south Wales.
During World War Two the pier was used for weapons testing and played a role in Sir Barnes Wallis's famous "bouncing bomb", which was used in the Dambusters Raid in 1943.
James Hughes, Director of The Victorian Society, told Express.co.uk: "The Victorian Society placed Birnbeck Pier on its Top 10 Endangered Buildings list in 2015. This helped galvanise support to protect and restore this hugely important building.
"Designed by the leading Victorian pier designer, Eugenius Birch, Birnbeck Pier is Britain’s only pier leading to an island.
"Having been essentially abandoned since 1994, this is the last chance to save the pier. The Heritage Fund grant allows the pier and its lifeboat station to return to its original function, something that a decade ago seemed almost inconceivable."
Birnbeck Pier's popularity waned after World War Two, with the last steamer trip embarking in 1979. The pier grew unsafe and was closed to the public in 1994.
Historic England placed the pier on its original Heritage at Risk Register in 1998 over concerns about its deterioration. A project led by North Somerset Council and the RNLI is now seeking to restore the pier and make it safe for public use again.
Those behind the plans hope the revived pier will draw in visitors and support Weston's regeneration. The project also aims to get the RNLI back on Birnbeck Island with a new lifeboat station, though this is subject to planning permission.
The island remains the safest and most effective place to launch lifeboats from the town, according to the scheme's supporters.
North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell said: "This funding award demonstrates the continued recognition by key national organisations in our renovation plans for Birnbeck, to not only restore public access to this Victorian treasure but to get the RNLI back on the island where they belong."
Don't miss: UK foreign office issues travel warning to popular holiday destination
Don't miss: Flight attendant recommends destination with 'great food' that's 31C in November
Don't miss: The beautiful city that is 'Europe's cheapest getaway' this autumn
Heritage Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: "It has felt for ages as if it was the end of the pier show for this end of the pier, but I applaud the ambitious work of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the local council to restore this landmark to its former glory.
"I hope this funding brings the public one step closer to a stroll to the end of Birnbeck Pier."
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "This is great news for Weston-super-Mare and beyond.
"Thanks to National Lottery players, Birnbeck Pier is set to be brought back from the brink of loss, ensuring its 160-year historic legacy is preserved for generations to come."
