Report reveals cost of UK seafront upkeep

Britain’s seaside piers drastically need repairing if the current boom in popularity for our coastal resorts is to continue, according to a report.

Trade association Co-operatives UK said too many piers are "trapped in a cycle of neglectful ownership with only periodic attempts at conservation".

In a report called People’s Piers, author Jess Steele said the majority of piers were under threat from both corrosive sea-water and owners who failed to make provisions for maintenance costs and insurance – bills estimated at about £33m in total over the next five years.

The report says 56% of Britain’s 58 piers are owned privately with 39% owned by councils.

According to the BBC, a revival in nostalgia for coastal attractions such as penny arcades, Punch and Judy shows and promenades is helping piers to thrive again.

Professor Gavin Henderson, president of the National Piers Society, said that among Britain’s piers, a handful were in tip-top condition and a handful were falling down, and "there’s a whole lot in the middle that could do with a lot more maintenance, that are holding on for dear life".

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said he would "encourage seaside communities to nominate the piers they care about with their local councils as a first step to securing their future", the BBC said.