The iconic Waverley paddle steamer may soon be making daily visits to Weston-super-Mare with the reopening of Birnbeck Pier. A comprehensive restoration is underway to revive the historic, deteriorated pier, with plans to rebuild its north jetty, potentially welcoming thousands of tourists from Wales and the Bristol Channel area back to the seaside town aboard the paddle steamer.
Paul Semple, General Manager of the P.S. Waverley, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service, “If the north jetty is recommissioned for ships to call, it will feel like turning back the hands of time to when paddle steamers regularly docked here.”
Tim Wardley, Chair of the National Piers Society and Waverley’s piers liaison officer, added, “A reopened landing stage at Birnbeck Pier would enable daily calls by Waverley throughout the Bristol Channel season, eliminating the need for coach returns from Clevedon Pier. Currently, we can only call at Weston-super-Mare once or twice annually due to tidal restrictions at Knightstone Island, and returning passengers by ship isn’t always possible. We’re excited at the prospect of bringing thousands of visitors from Wales and the upper channel to Weston once the landing stage is operational again.”
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The arrival of the paddle steamer is expected to bring a significant economic boost to the town. Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council’s cabinet member overseeing the project, said, “It would be fantastic for Weston if the Waverley could dock at Birnbeck again. Each passenger disembarking tends to spend around £35 locally, which would greatly benefit the town.”
Speaking aboard the paddle steamer during a special journey past Birnbeck on May 31, Canniford witnessed the ongoing restoration work. Contractors Mackley have already removed the main walkway out to Birnbeck Island, leaving only the piers’ legs intact in preparation for a restored walkway.
However, the north jetty—once partially collapsed in 2015—requires complete reconstruction. This vital landing stage is not included in the current restoration contract, but an additional £19 million in government funding secured by Weston-super-Mare MP Dan Aldridge via the “growth mission fund” could finance its rebuilding.
This funding push brings the total raised for the Birnbeck Pier project to over £44 million, sourced from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, RNLI, the former government’s Levelling Up Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, and Historic England.
Birnbeck Pier is unique as the only pier in the UK to connect directly to an island. Designed by renowned pier engineer Eugenius Birch, it opened in 1867. During World War II, it was requisitioned by the Admiralty for scientific research and renamed HMS Birnbeck. Post-war, visitor numbers declined due to the rise of cheap international travel and the cessation of steamer calls.
The original P.S. Waverley built in 1899 was also taken for wartime service and was sunk during the Dunkirk evacuation. The current vessel, constructed as its successor, was restored in 2000 and stands today as Britain’s last seagoing paddle steamer, attracting large crowds along coastal towns during its voyages.
Semple emphasized the mutual benefits of restoring both Birnbeck Pier and the Waverley. “We need passengers, and we want people to enjoy the pier experience—walking down, boarding a ship as they once did. Both projects will thrive together if the pier can accommodate the Waverley.”