PIER WE GO...?

Restoration work could begin within months, with historic structure 'partially or fully open in October'

- By ELLIOT JESSETT ECHO Correspondent

WORK to refurbish Southport Pier could start in the next few months, with many now hoping it could be fully reopened by the end of this year.

The latest update comes after years of campaigning, and the confirmation last year that funding had been secured to restore the pier.

The Grade II listed pier, which is the oldest iron pier in the country and the second-longest, was closed by Sefton Council in 2022 on the advice of structural engineers after a period of extreme weather.

The closure of the pier has had a significant impact on the town's leisure and tourism business.

However, due to the financial costs of the refurbishment, any possible reopening had been in limbo.