Cleethorpes Pier
Encyclopedia
Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes is a town and unparished area in North East Lincolnshire, England, situated on the estuary of the Humber. It has a population of 31,853 and is a seaside resort.- History :...
, North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire is a unitary authority in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, bordering the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire and the administrative county of Lincolnshire...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
became a popular resort for the large industrial towns of nearby Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. The Cleethorpes Promenade Pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
originally cost £8,000, which was largely financed by railway companies serving the cities of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and the county of Lincolnshire. It was officially opened on August Bank Holiday Monday 1873.
Structure
1200 feet (365.8 m) in length (to span the unusually large distance between low and high tideTide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
limits), the pier comprised a timber deck and pavilion (constructed in 1888), supported on iron piles. A section was, however, cut out of the pier during the Second World War to impede its use in any German invasion attempt.
History
The original pavilion was destroyed by fire in 1903 but in 1905 a new one was built, halfway along the pier, and also a cafeteria and shops at the entry from the promenade. The pavilion offered a venue for dances and concerts. Cleethorpes Borough Council assumed ownership of the pier in 1936, the year that the resort gained borough status.A £50,000 investment in 1968 made the pavilion one of the most modern on the East Coast. As well as traditional summer shows, it housed wrestling, coin & stamp fares and dance festivals. However after a series of losses on the summer show, the council sold the pier in 1981 to Funworld of Skegness, who later themselves put the pier up for sale. The council declined an offer to buy the pier back, saying it'd need a £200,000 reconstruction. At this point, nightclub owner Mark Meyer stepped in, and after a further investment of £300,000, the venue reopened as 'Pier 39' (a modern nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
) on 4 September 1985. Developments to follow included a shelter for those awaiting access to the night-club, and pier widening with new underneath piles clearly distinct from the originals.
Cleethorpes pier's owners since 2005 are those responsible for a management buyout from Luminar Leisure. In 2006 they rebuilt the former Paradise Club, with the new Waterfront bar officially opened by Tim Mickleburgh, Hon Vice President of the National Piers Society. The pier closed in 2010, but in May 2010, a local businessman, Bryn Illsey, bought the landmark venue and leased it out.
The Pier nightclub reopened to the public on 27 November 2010 after undergoing a £200,000 refurbishment. It is currently open during the day as well as the night offering a full food menu and a relaxing atmosphere.