Lytham Pier facts for kids
Lytham Pier, c. 1920
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| Type | Pleasure |
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| Carries | Pedestrians |
| Locale | Lytham |
| Design | Eugenius Birch |
| Construction | Robert Laidlaw |
| Total length | 914 feet (279 m) |
| Opening date | 17 April 1865 |
| Destruction date | 4 March 1960 |
| Coordinates | 53°44′01″N 2°57′45″W / 53.7337°N 2.9626°W |
 Lytham Pier
Location in Lytham St Annes
Lytham Pier
Location in the Fylde
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Lytham Pier was a long structure built into the sea at Lytham, a town in Lancashire, England. It opened in 1865. People used it for fun activities and as a place for boats to dock.
The pier was changed and fixed many times, especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A big storm in 1903 caused a lot of damage when two boats crashed into it. Later, a fire in 1928 destroyed the main building on the pier.
The pier closed to the public just before World War II. It was taken down in 1960, even though many local people wanted to save it. There have been talks about rebuilding it, but no plans have gone forward yet.
Contents
History of Lytham Pier
Planning the Pier's Construction
In the early 1860s, people started talking about building a pier in Lytham. They wanted it for fun and as a place for boats to land. This led to the creation of the Lytham Pier Company in 1861.
The plans included waiting rooms for visitors at the end of the pier. There would also be fancy gates at the entrance, like those at Brighton's West Pier. Building started in 1864 when the first iron support was screwed into the ground. This event was planned to attract a large crowd.
Not everyone in Lytham supported the idea. Some thought Lytham did not have enough visitors to make the pier successful. Others worried that a high tide could easily destroy it.
Building the Lytham Pier
Even with some worries, the pier was finished just one year after construction began. It cost £5,890 to build. Lady Eleanor Clifton officially opened the pier on Easter Monday, April 17, 1865.
Workers used 300 long tons of iron to build the pier. It stood on 126 iron columns. These columns were 54 feet (16 metres) apart. They were screwed deep into the solid clay under the beach.
A shelter was built at the end of the pier. This was for passengers getting on or off steam boats. The pier could hold up to 5,000 people, with seats for 1,000.
How the Pier Operated
The pier had a small update in 1892. A beautiful hall, called a floral hall pavilion, was added halfway along the pier. This cost £12,000.
More changes happened in 1901 and 1902. The pavilion was made bigger. Its roof was raised to fit taller stage scenery for shows. The theatre stage was also enlarged. Other improvements included new dressing rooms, snack bars, and a tea-room on the pavilion's balcony.
The pier was badly damaged twice in 1903. On February 27, a storm blew two shelters into the sea. Worse damage happened on October 6. Two barges, pushed by strong winds, crashed into the pier. One hit the middle of the pier, and the other got stuck under the pavilion.
The pier reopened at Easter in 1904 after repairs.
In the early 1900s, George Kingston's Minstrels performed on the pier. Divers like Professor Stearne and Professor Payne also put on swimming shows. A Floral Hall opened in July 1911. It hosted concerts and plays by local groups. By the 1920s, the pavilion mainly showed films to visitors.
The Pier's Decline and Demolition
By 1920, the pier was struggling to make enough money. The manager, JH Harrison, left in 1921 after 32 years.
On January 29, 1928, a fire destroyed the pavilion. Only a steel frame was left, and it was never rebuilt. The cause of the fire is still unknown. The damage cost thousands of pounds, but no one was hurt. The caretaker, who lived on the pier, had just left to sound the alarm before the fire spread.
A plan to build a new pavilion at the shore end of the pier was suggested, but it never happened. The pier reopened on May 24, 1928, without a pavilion.
In the next ten years, the owners, Lytham Pier & Amusements Ltd, planned to make the pier look like a ship. This idea also did not happen. The pier became less popular and closed to visitors in 1938. It continued to get worse through the mid-1900s. Only people who liked fishing still used it.
The small shops at the pier's entrance stayed open. However, in 1959, the council decided not to spend £5,000 to fix the pier. So, it was taken down in March 1960. This cost £7,320, including money paid to the owner. Many local residents signed a petition with almost 2,600 names to stop the demolition, but it went ahead.
Proposals for Rebuilding the Pier
In May 2007, local councillors from the Conservative Party looked into getting money to rebuild the pier. Councillor Richard Fulford-Brown believed it would be harder to demolish the pier today. He thought a pier would be an interesting attraction for both locals and visitors.
Before this, a local architect had suggested an eco-friendly boardwalk. It would include a viewing station.
As of 2007, the Lytham St Annes Civic Society was against rebuilding the pier. They wanted to protect the town centre. They also pointed out that there are already piers nearby in Lytham St Annes (St Anne's Pier) and Blackpool (North Pier, Central Pier, and South Pier).
