Weston-super-Mare’s Birnbeck Pier opened 150 years ago, where there was a procession and flags hung all over town. A celebration will be held by the pier this weekend, to mark the anniversary.
The Birnbeck Regeneration Trust is holding the celebration by the pier on Saturday and Sunday, both to raise money for its restoration and to recognise its importance to the town.
The pier’s history stretches back to 1867, when Weston’s population was just 10,000 strong. It was designed by Eugenius Birch – who was to piers as Isambard Kingdom Brunel was to railways.
Additions came in the form of the soon-to-be-demolished north jetty in 1872, a lifeboat station in 1882 and pavilion in 1884. The pier was hit by fire in 1898, and the jetty and pavilion were replaced.
It was used as a naval base in World War Two where the bouncing bomb was tested.
The pier finally closed in 1994, owing to storm damage, and has become a dangerous and derelict.
In 2013, the last remaining user of the pier, the RNLI, was forced to leave as the walkway had become too dangerous.
But the Trust has ambitions to re-open it to the public, and is celebrating its history and raising money during the 150th celebrations this weekend.
The event will involve live music, stalls, and games. There will also be a World War One re-enactment, Punch and Judy shows, a bar and refreshments.
It will run from 10am-10pm on Saturday and 10am-6pm on Sunday.
Here is the full musical line-up:
Saturday
Noon: Disney set, Ellie, Bethan, Cathie
1pm: Drama event
1.45pm: Flapjack Max
2.25pm: Oli Boorman
3.15pm: Kerry Page
4.10pm: Jubilee Park
5.15pm: Station To Station
6.20pm: Out Of Gravity
7.25pm: March Of Time
8.45pm: The Publix
Sunday
10.30am: Holly Simpson
11.15am: Clarendon Recorders
12.15pm: Drama event/Barry Walsh Birnbeck Song
1pm: Bold As Brass
2.15pm: North Somerset Music Rock School ft The Bastielles
2.55pm: The Lampelley’s
3.35pm: Emotional Intelligence
4.15pm: Ian Lawton
5.15pm: Dry White Bones
If you take any pictures, you can send them to us on our iwitness site, and they could be used in the paper and online.
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