Tynemouth residents and businesses have welcomed the news that the village’s iconic North Pier could reopen at the end of April after being all but closed for the past five months.
The public has been barred from the 900m long breakwater whilst the South Pier on the opposite side of the River Tyne has remained open.
Many had feared the Victorian structure, which since the lifting of Covid lockdown restrictions last summer had become a popular location for dolphin watching and walking, was never going to reopen.
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But Port of Tyne, which manages both the North and South piers, says it hopes to have the Tynemouth landmark open by the end of this month after it was hit by a double whammy of repeated winter storm damage and vandalism.
A spokesperson for Port of Tyne told Chroniclelive: “The south pier has remained open to the public consistently over recent months, however the North pier at Tynemouth was substantially damaged during the winter storms and deemed unsafe for public access.
“Extensive repairs were completed and the pier reopened to the public on March 25. Following the reopening, on March 26, the metal safety barriers were vandalised and once again the pier had to be closed for repair as a matter of public safety. Work is underway to repair the damage from the vandalism and is expected to be completed and the pier reopened by the end of April.
“We appreciate the value the piers bring to the local community and ask the public to treat them with respect so that they can continue to be enjoyed by all.”
The news has been welcomed in Tynemouth, where it had been hoped the pier would be open in time for the Easter break, which is traditionally the start of the UK holiday season. This summer is seen as a return to normality by travel, leisure and hospitality businesses hit hard by two years of Covid lockdowns and restrictions.
Whilst the pier is not a tourist attraction in its own right, Stephen Minns, owner and proprietor of the Number 61 guest house and tea room on Front Street and chair of the village’s business community, said “it is part of a package of attractions that bring people to the area.”
He had questioned why Tynemouth Pier – as it is known in the area – was still closed so long after the winter storms last battered the North East coast.
But as a hospitality business owner he said he was delighted to know the pier would now hopefully be open again within a matter of days, especially with the early May bank holiday fast approaching. "It is great news for the village as the pier is part of the tourist sites within Tynemouth. It is also a great viewing point to see the dolphins as if you are at the end of the pier you can see them coming past from King Edward’s Bay and into the mouth of the river.
“Here at the guest house we have a dolphin watch QR code supplied by Cullercoats Dolphin Watch that guests can use to find out what’s happening with them, where they are, and where you can watch them from, and the information mentions the pier.
“So it’s brilliant from the point of view of dolphin watching that the pier is going to reopen. They have become a tourist attraction as it’s not everyday you can see dolphins in the wild here in the UK.”
On a personal level he added: “As a local, we do walk along the pier, and we have missed not being able to do that for the past few months.”
Joan Harvey, secretary of the Tynemouth Village Association, had also been concerned that the pier had been closed for so long. She is pleased its reopening is now in the pipeline – but saddened that the storm damage has been exacerbated by vandalism.
She said: “It is so sad that on top of storm damage that we even get other damage. But from a TVA point of view, we are absolutely delighted to hear the pier’s reopening is imminent.
“Tynemouth is a massive cultural and heritage asset to North Tyneside and to the North East, and there are lots of wonderful things in the village. The pier is one of them.
“The TVA is all about looking after Tynemouth, not just the conservation area, but the wider area. Even the local plan for Tynemouth recognises that it is absolutely a major heritage asset.
“We have got the station, we have Front Street, we have the priory and castle, we have the church, and we have the fabulous houses and buildings. It’s got tonnes and tonnes of history. And the pier is part of that.
“Tynemouth welcomes visitors and having a lovely walk along the pier, and hopefully seeing the dolphins whilst you’re there, is something extra for them to do. If you are a photographer, there are some fabulous snaps you can get, even if they are of the boats coming and going. In that sense, going along the pier is more than just a walk.”
