Clevedon Pier appeal to raise £1.6m 'well under way'

The proposed visitor centre will include a cafe, toilet and a meeting and education space

An appeal to raise £1.6m for a visitor centre for a Victorian pier in Somerset is well under way, according to the trust which runs it.

Clevedon Pier, the last grade I listed pier in the UK, said it had numerous donations from the public already, ranging from "£10 to thousands".

It has also applied for £700,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) but does not know if the bid is successful.

Several fundraising days being held include a jubilee event on 4 June.

Pier manager Linda Strong said: "It is the only grade I listed pier in the country, we are desperate not to lose this heritage site.

"It's a major landmark in the country and for Clevedon. Many local businesses and organisations use the iconic picture of the pier in their advertising and literature."

'Famous for pirates'

She said the HLF had passed the funding application through stage one and that stage two of the bid would be submitted in September.

Plans for the visitor centre, which will be partly built from glass, also include a cafe and toilets. Two thirds of the structure will be built under the pier.

Giles Brandreth, patron of the National Piers Society, said: "The West Country is famous for its pirates and this is a wonderful opportunity for the public to join in the fundraising and walk the plank."

Clevedon Pier, which is the only one in the country to remain intact and in regular use, was built in 1869. More than 80,000 people visit it every year.