Council leader rejects pier charging suggestion

Cromer Pier is the reigning Pier of the Year having been crowned in 2024

A council leader has rejected a suggestion that people could be charged to walk on a town's pier.

The possibility of charging entry at the 122-year-old landmark in Cromer had been used as an example at a meeting of North Norfolk District Council as it looks to plug a £1.3m budget deficit.

Leader Tim Adams told BBC Radio Norfolk said it would have had several negative impacts and the vision had always been for the "iconic location" to be open to all.

"It is not want we want to achieve at all," he added.

Cromer Pier was crowned Pier of the Year 2024 by the National Piers Society and was lauded for having one of only five end-of-pier theatres in the UK.

It was also the focus of a highly-regarded film that followed people ahead of Brexit and the end-of-the-pier variety show.

Some 33,000 visitors historically watch the end-of-the-pier summer shows in Cromer, Norfolk

Speaking at an overview and scrutiny meeting, chief executive Steve Blatch admitted he was not sure if it was "in the spirit of what north Norfolk is" to ask people to pay for entry to the 150m (492ft) landmark.

Mr Blatch said: “These are issues that the cabinet needs to consider in the next few weeks to find a balanced budget.

“You could charge people to go on the pier. Other places do, but is that in the spirit of what North Norfolk is, in terms of it being an open and iconic attraction in public ownership?”

The council also suggested installing a donation point or installing advertising boards as alternative revenue methods.

Brighton Pier introduced a £1 tariff in May and visitors to Bournemouth Pier have been charged £1.65.

Other piers in Somerset, Southend-on-Sea and on the Isle of Wight also ask visitors to pay.

"These are issues that the cabinet needs to consider in the next few weeks to find a balanced budget," Mr Blatch said.

The 114-year-old pier initially had a 1d (1p) entrance charge

He acknowledged that any charges could cause issues with people visiting the theatre and restaurant.

Records showed a pier - or jetty - was used at Cromer from 1391, from which local produce was loaded onto ships.

A later variation of the structure was destroyed by a coal boat smashing into the jetty in 1897, and the pier in place today was built as a result five years later.

It went on to boast a restaurant and became a popular spot for families to go crabbing.