Rebuilding pier will restore pride, MP says

Southport Pier has been closed since 2022 for safety reasons

Rebuilding a Victorian pier and reopening it for business will help "restore pride" in the seafront and boost the local economy, a town's MP has said.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves named Southport Pier in the Spending Review on Wednesday as one of the projects which would benefit from a new Growth Mission Fund.

The pier, which was built in 1860, has been shut since December 2022 due to health and safety concerns.

Labour MP for Southport Patrick Hurley said its restoration would be "a turning point" for the town.

He said: "This is about more than just rebuilding a pier, it's about restoring pride, boosting the local economy, and welcoming visitors back to Southport's seafront."

The announcement was also welcomed by the town's former MP, now leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group on Sefton Council, John Pugh.

He said: "This proves that pressure pays.

"The council has no further excuses to delay restoration, albeit, it will probably have to find some more capital to match any the chancellor funds."

Julie Rudge, a volunteer at Kings Gardens, who was sitting in the sun outside a fish and chip restaurant at the start of the pier when she heard the news, said she was "thrilled".

"It was one of the original iron piers in England, so it's nationally significant, not just local," she said.

Jill, Jean, Julie and Beryl volunteer at Kings Gardens next to Southport Pier

Fellow volunteer Beryl Davey said: "[The town has] had such negative press over the last year with the attacks, and this would bring such positive vibes."

The pier was initially closed following a period of "extreme weather", but a subsequent inspection found rotting wooden slats and other defects.

The council previously said it could not afford the £13m restoration costs.

Hurley said details of exactly how the fund would work would be published "in the summer" along with "the specific amount of funding, the timescales for construction work and when the pier will reopen".

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said the authority was ready to begin repair works once it had the funding in place.