New exhibition to show secrets of pier restoration

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An exhibition is opening next month showcasing a gallery of behind-the-scenes photographs depicting work to revamp the Victorian Birnbeck Pier at Weston-super-Mare in Somerset.

The event at Weston Museum will also include metalwork from the original pier, which first opened in 1867, as well as "unusual finds" uncovered during the £20m restoration project.

Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council's lead for the Birnbeck Pier project, said: "This exhibition is a great way for people to discover what's happening behind the construction site fencing."

Safety concerns led to the pier's closure in 1994, but from next summer visitors will be able to walk across Birnbeck Pier for the first time in a generation.

Once opened, it will be the only pier in the UK to link the mainland to an island.

The exhibition, called Restoring Birnbeck Pier, opens on 6 November and is expected to run until 27 February 2027.

It will feature photographs taken by Weston-super-Mare's A1 Camera Club of construction workers restoring the historic structure.

Canniford added: "The restoration project is uncovering fascinating stories and artefacts, and we're delighted to be able to share these with the public while work continues at pace.

"I would encourage anyone interested in the history and future of Birnbeck Pier to visit this free exhibition."

He added that members of the A1 Camera Club have been instrumental in capturing the development of the pier.

"Their work provides a fascinating insight into the scale and complexity of the restoration and helps us share this journey with residents and visitors alike," he said.

The Grade II-listed pier has been closed for more than 30 years, but work to create a new cultural space, restore the historic clock tower and turnstiles, repair the 1888 boathouse and renovate the pavilion buildings began in February.

North Somerset Council is working with contractor Mackley to deliver the project.

Workers lifted the first new section of the pier into place in June.

Andy Bosman, project manager at Mackley, previously described the pier as a "nationally significant historic structure," adding that contractors would be taking a "phased and considered approach" to the restoration.

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