Pier-ing into the abyss

Is the end in sight for our iconic seaside landmarks after Reeves' brutal Budget?

- James Knuckey

HISTORIC piers face a perilous future as Rachel Reeves' "inhumane" Budget is gutting the industry, operators have warned.

The Chancellor's minimum wage rise and national insurance hike have caused carnage for our iconic seaside landmarks, it was said.

Owners of some of Britain's most famous piers have told the Daily Express the Budget, in addition to rising insurance and energy prices, is having a significant impact on the industry. Many warned of increased costs, fewer jobs and reduced opening hours.

Rory Holburn, owner of Bournemouth Pier and Norfolk's Cromer Pier, has worked in the industry for 24 years and thinks the Government "do not have a clue what they are doing".

Together, his landmarks are facing a £180,000 hit to their bottom line, which Rory described as "horrific".

He said: "We hope that we can survive it. Maybe 20% of hospitality businesses are going to go under in the next two years.

"We just need to make sure we're not in that 20%."

Rory said his piers are "reasonably well placed to survive" with low levels of debt.

But he warned there will be no investment for the next two years and that prices are being put up, starting with a rise of 7.5%. Bournemouth and Cromer Piers remain popular holiday hotspots.

They have entertained families for generations and together welcome more than 650,000 paying customers every year.

Like much of the pier industry, the business is reliant on good weather and school holidays.

No redundancies are planned at the sites, but seasonal staffing levels will be reduced to help ease the increased costs caused by the Budget.

The number of full-time equivalent workers, the majority of whom are local residents, at the height of summer is set to be slashed by more than 20% to under 200 across both piers.