Traders are furious as one of the oldest and longest pleasure piers in the UK may face closure all summer.
Southport Pier, built in the mid-19th century, is usually a bustling tourist attraction in Merseyside and home to many small businesses.
But one of these - the much-loved Southport Pier Pavilion - was forced to close earlier this year because the structure hadn't been open for months.
The pier remains closed, months after significant damage was detected in late 2022, and it's unclear when it'll get the green light to reopen.
The local council admitted it is a "frustrating time for everyone," Lancs Live reports.
Southport Pier Pavilion, which ran a café and an arcade at the end of the 1,000m structure, had said earlier this year it received "zero financial help".
In a scathing statement, the business added: "We are, as you can all imagine, very frustrated with this and have received zero financial help as yet. Our business just stopped with zero days' notice, our stock went to ruin and our lives and that of our amazing staff paused.
"Some staff have literally had breakdowns because of this. It’s like lockdown all over again but with no help."
In the Victorian era, the town was among the very most popular resorts in the whole country as people travelled from across the nation and even further afield. Among the best known visitors were PT Barnum - who was portraited by Hugh Jackman in the The Greatest Showman - and Sherlock Holmes author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The beach, the lido, and the pier itself were among the attractions which ensured people kept coming to the Merseyside town. The lido attracted huge crowds in its heyday but is now is long gone with its site currently occupied by a retail park.
The pier itself has long been an important landmark. Since its construction in 1860, it has been the focal point of the town’s seaside heritage, having been visited by Charlie Chaplin, stopped at by steamers, and used as a base for searchlights during the Second World War.
Steamers eventually stopped being able to reach it and a large fire destroyed the pier head in July 1933. Storm damage also took its toll and the pier's condition deteriorated through the 20th century. In December 1990, a vote to demolish the Grade II listed structure was defeated by a single vote.
A brighter future followed as eight years later, the Heritage Lottery Fund saw almost £2m given to revitalise the pier. Restoration began in 2000 and it opened to the public in May 2002 thanks to work costing £7.2 million. A new tram was added that point but would eventually have to be replaced by a smaller train due to the damage it caused.
In summer 2022, Sefton Council outlined £3m plans to replace the wooden beams which comprise the pier's surface. These beams added to a total distance of 63 miles, it said. But in December, further damage was caused during freezing weather and led to the discovery of the dire state of the structure and what was initially planned to be a short term closure has turned into something much longer.
A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: "As previously stated the survey being carried out on Southport Pier involves a thorough and intrusive assessment of the 3,600ft structure Due to the detailed nature of this assessment and the complexity of Southport Pier's structure, the survey will take time to complete.
"However we will update both business owners directly and the public through our official communication channels as soon as possible.
"We appreciate this is a frustrating time for everyone but health and safety remains our priority."
