Victoria Pier

Victoria Pier is a Grade II listed pier in the seaside resort of Colwyn Bay. Designed by Maynall and Littlewoods the pier opened in 1900 and was extended in 1903 to the length of 227m. The first two pavilions built on the pier burnt down along with a bijou theatre. The third pavilion was built in 1934 and significantly extended and altered in the 1970s to allow for nightclub and amusement arcade entertainments. From the late 1980s the pier began to decline with the seaward portion of the pier being closed due to its poor state of repair. The condition of the pier and the entertainments continued to decline until 2008 when it closed permanently. A long-standing legal wrangle between the previous private owner and the council ensued. By 2013 the pier was in danger of collapse and a local community group attempted to secure funding for a rebuilding program which failed. In 2017 part of the pier collapsed onto the beach below, dangerous sections of the pier were dismantled and a new plan to create a shortened pier were agreed upon by the council and a charitable trust representing the community interest.ConstructionDesigned by Maynall & Littlewoods of Manchester, Colwyn Bay's Victoria Pier was one of the later British piers to be built, with construction starting in June 1899 by the Salford firm of William Brown & Sons. Its official opening was on 1 June 1900, when the architect, Mr. Littlewood, handed a golden key to the pier's owners. As first constructed, the pier was just 316 ft (96m) long and 40 ft (12m) wide, comprising a timber promenade deck with seating and railings along its length, and a 2,500 seat pavilion in the Moorish Revival style. The pavilion was set to the right of the deck, with a walkway allowing access to the pier-head to the left. The pavilion's main entrance was flanked on one side by a flower shop and, on the other, by a coffee lounge and cake shop. Inside, the pavilion boasted a large balcony which extended around three sides of the auditorium and a full orchestra pit. In 1903, the Victoria Pier Company decided to extend the neck to a length of 750 ft (227m) to facilitate outdoor theatrical performances.