Weston’s Grand Pier is 119 years old today.
The Grade II listed structure first opened on June 11 1904 , at a time when seaside visits had become popular and rail travel made it easy for people to travel to the coast.
The pier was built to the designs of engineer P Munroe. It measured 1080 feet and its 2000-seat pavilion hosted opera, music hall, Shakespearean plays, ballet and boxing.
It has survived two serious fires – one in 1930, which burned down the theatre, and another in 2008 which destroyed much of the superstructure.
Its entertainment offerings have evolved over the years, in keeping with public tastes, and last August it was recognised as one of the UK’s best amusement arcades.
The Grand Pier remains a top attraction for Weston, and the spring bank holiday weekend at the end of May set a new record, with more than 12,000 people visiting over the three-day break.
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