Fleetwood Pier facts for kids
Pier in 2007
|
|
| Official name | Fleetwood Pier |
|---|---|
| Type | Pleasure Pier |
| Locale | Fleetwood, Lancashire |
| Design | G. T. Lumb |
| Total length | 492 feet (150 m) |
| Opening date | 16 May 1910 |
| Destruction date | 2008 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Fleetwood Pier was a fun place to visit, known as a pleasure pier. It was located in the English town of Fleetwood, in Lancashire. The pier was about 492 feet (150 m) long, making it one of the shortest piers in the country.
It was built in 1910, which was near the end of a time when many piers were being constructed. Fleetwood Pier was actually the very last pleasure pier built in the United Kingdom for many years. Sadly, a big fire destroyed the building in 2008, and it had to be taken down.
The Story of Fleetwood Pier
Fleetwood Pier first opened its doors on a holiday called Whit Monday in 1910. A year later, a special building called a pavilion was added. In 1942, a cinema was also opened on the pier, where people could watch movies.
A big fire caused a lot of damage to the pier on August 25, 1952. This fire started in the cinema. The pier could not fully open again until 1958, after many repairs.
Over the years, Fleetwood Pier was used for many different things. It was an amusement complex with games and rides. It also had a bar and a dance hall where people could enjoy music.
The Stefani family owned and managed Fleetwood Pier for a very long time. They ran the pier from the 1960s until the year 2000.
The pier first closed in 2000 because its owners had financial problems. However, it reopened in 2003 with new owners. But soon after, safety worries forced the pier to close again. It had been closed for almost two years when another fire happened in September 2008.
At that time, the owners, Simmo Developments, had plans. They wanted to change the pier into a building with apartments.
The 2008 Fleetwood Pier Fire
The 2008 Fleetwood Pier fire started very early in the morning on September 9, 2008. This fire led to the complete destruction of the pier.
Someone saw smoke coming from one of the buildings and called for help at 4:30 AM. Firefighters from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service quickly arrived. However, the pier was already badly damaged by the flames.
An investigation began to find out what caused the fire. On September 26, 2008, the local government, Wyre Borough Council, announced something important. They said the pier would be completely taken down within a few weeks because it was unsafe.
On October 10, 2008, the Council confirmed that the pier would not be rebuilt. Years later, in 2017, plans for apartments on the site were approved. These plans were for 15 apartments for people over 55 and some shops, not the much larger development of 85 apartments that was first considered.
