Historic England has allocated over £100,000 towards the restoration of the derelict toll house at Birnbeck Pier in Weston-super-Mare, aiming to revitalize this iconic structure and create a welcoming public space. Birnbeck Pier, notable as the country’s only pier connecting to an island, has long stood as a symbol of Weston’s seaside heritage, despite being closed to the public since 1994.
The Grade II listed toll house and its adjacent extension, locally known as the ‘shell shop’, will be carefully restored to serve as a volunteer hub and an information centre. This initiative promises to reinvigorate the building with a fresh community focus and attract both locals and visitors.
Plans for the restored space include hosting exhibitions that highlight local memories and oral histories, celebrating the rich stories and voices of the people of Weston-super-Mare. This project forms a vital part of the broader restoration efforts aimed at preserving Birnbeck Pier, a landmark of national significance and a cherished element of the town’s future.
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However, the restoration journey faces challenges following the RNLI’s recent withdrawal from the project. The RNLI, which had previously provided £400,000 funding to enable North Somerset Council to purchase the pier and planned to invest £5.25 million into restoring the bridge to the island and establishing a new lifeboat station, pulled out due to concerns over the project’s viability. This decision stalled plans to award the restoration contract to JT Mackley & Co Ltd at a council meeting on July 8.
Council leader Mike Bell expressed disappointment at the RNLI’s late withdrawal but reassured the community that the project would continue. “This is not the end of the Birnbeck project — it is just a new challenge for us to overcome,” he said. He thanked current funders, including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, and the UK government, for their ongoing support.
Local MP Dan Aldridge has pledged to champion the project further by exploring potential national funding opportunities to support the pier’s restoration.
The RNLI had intended to convert the derelict pavilion on Birnbeck Island into a state-of-the-art lifeboat station, restoring lifeboat operations to the island after they were moved off-site in 2014 due to safety concerns with the pier. In a statement explaining their withdrawal, RNLI CEO Peter Sparkes cited a lack of confidence in the funding and contractual arrangements to deliver and maintain the project sustainably. He affirmed the charity’s commitment to using donor funds responsibly to save lives in the long term.
Despite setbacks, the restoration of the toll house represents a beacon of hope for the future of Birnbeck Pier and the wider community, promising to reconnect Weston-super-Mare with its rich maritime history and provide a renewed space for engagement and celebration.