Work on the iconic Wigan Pier, that was promised redevelopment back in 2019, is finally set to start in early 2023. Plans for the site, known as the inspiration for George Orwell’s 1937 novel ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’ as well as being a popular nightclub in the 90’s, would see it turned into a wedding venue, gin distillery, microbrewery and food hall.
Additionally, it would become home to eight waterside townhomes. The cultural landmark was left in a tired state after years of neglect and the memory of its house music and rave scene was all that remained after the club was torn down in 2014.
The pier was originally a loading jetty where wagons would pile coal onto barges bound for the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.
The multi-million pound rejuvenation project was delayed by the Covid pandemic as well as rising costs due to inflation, the developer Step Places has said. But now a legal agreement between them and Wigan Council is almost at completion, which means they hope to start work in February.
“It is unfortunate that delays caused by Covid pandemic and inflationary pressures have led to subsequent effects on labour and materials markets,” a Step Places spokesman said.
“This prevented us from moving forwards with the scheme as quickly as we wanted to.
But the overall picture is an optimistic one, as the town centre is set to get a vibrant visitor destination. We look forward to partnering with the Council and playing a part in the regeneration of Wigan.”
According to developers, the main focus of the work over the past 12 months has been behind the scenes with architects, surveyors and contractors. The final drawings and project planning stages are now nearing completion.
Harry Dhaliwal, managing director of Step Places, said: "We are really excited to see the works progressing. The collaboration between The Old Courts, Step Places and Wigan Council is working very effectively.
“There have been a few bumps along the way with the pandemic and now a cost-of-living crisis.”
The next phase would see the completion of Pier 2 and Pier 3 as ‘a multi event space’. The ground floor will consist of a delicatessen and a large tap room style pub and two floors of flexible space ‘which will be suitable for weddings, conferences and cultural events’.
The final stage would see the completion of Pier 4 which will be used for temporary pop up events.
An ambitious target of 2019 was set when the plans originally surfaced back in 2018. Since then a lot of interior work has already gone on until the pandemic caused setbacks and rising costs led to new deals being struck.
David Jenkins Managing Director at The Old Courts, which will be the main operator of Wigan Pier, and is working in partnership with Step Places on the redevelopment, said: “It’s a great partnership between ourselves, Step Places, Canal and River Trust and Wigan Council and we can’t wait for these iconic beautiful buildings to be a vibrant, cultural destination. It's really coming together now.”
Aidan Thatcher, Wigan Council’s director for growth and economy, said: “We’re committed to delivering this exciting project and are looking forward to seeing so much of the hard work that has been going on coming to fruition. The Pier is an important and iconic part of our local heritage, synonymous with our borough and renowned far and wide and we’re really looking forward to its next chapter.”
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