Mumbles pier reopens to public for summer

The first visitors in almost three years were at the pier on Monday

Visitors are being allowed on to Mumbles pier for the first time in almost three years, after it was opened for the summer on Monday.

The owners are allowing a limited number of people on to the pier so that they can visit the new lifeboat station at the end of the Victorian structure.

The pier was closed in July 2011 for the lifeboat station to be built and restoration work to take place.

In the autumn the pier will be closed again for that restoration to continue.

John Bollom, managing director of Ameco which owns the 116-year-old structure, said 200 people at a time would be allowed on it for safety reasons.

He said they had made the decision to open it for the summer "to show good faith" with the RNLI and the people of Mumbles and Swansea who have backed the restoration project over the last six years.

The new Mumbles RNLI lifeboat station was opened last month when a £2.7m lifeboat was delivered.

The restoration of the pier, which last underwent a major reconstruction after World War Two, is part of a £39m retail and residential complex at the waterfront beside it.

Mr Bollom said he anticipated the complex, which includes a mix of accommodation, will be open next year.