NO day trip to the coast is complete without a traditional stroll down the pier.
And despite many being built in Victorian times, they still offer plenty of modern family fun.
So why not go out and tread the boards this summer? We help you find the perfect seaside escapism with a rundown of our most iconic examples.
And comedy legends Cannon and Ball write of their love affair with the Great British pier.
Weston-super-Mare
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THE Grand Pier overlooking the Bristol Channel in Somerset has had its fair share of ups and downs since opening in June 1904.
Ravaged by fire in 1930, it was extensively rebuilt only to be devastated by flames again in 2008. Since a full renovation and reopening ten years ago, the pleasure pier is now back in business with a retro vibe and an indoor theme park that boasts Britain’s smallest rollercoaster and a Crystal Maze experience. It has hosted episodes of TV series including Flog It! and Saturday Kitchen. You can take a trip back to your childhood in the Museum Of Memories.
Or why not try your luck with the penny pushers or space invaders in the arcade?
Admission: £1
Highlights
The Grand Pier is a popular filming location.
Besides hosting many TV shows, it has appeared in movies including period drama The Remains Of The Day starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson.
Clacton
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CROWNED British Pier Of The Year in 2020, the Essex landmark attracts more than a million visitors annually.
It dates back to 1871 and has recently had a £4million makeover.
Packed with pay-as-you-go rides, arcades and attractions on six acres of space perched above the North Sea, there is no chance of running out of things to do. Alongside waltzers and rollercoasters, there is go-karting, mini-golf and ten-pin bowling.
There is also an aquarium, (£10 for a family of four), where you can play spot the piranha when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Admission: Free.
Highlights
Modernised in the Nineties, the pier is regarded as one of the prime sea-fishing spots along this stretch of Essex coast.
Pack your rod and buy a £7.50 day permit to join the groups of fishermen at the pier head.
Brighton
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MAKE the most of a day trip to the south coast with a visit to the city’s Grade II-listed pier.
As one of the most-visited attractions in the UK, there is something for all the family as you stroll along this 1,700ft architectural gem.
Take a twirl on the cup and saucers or traditional carousel horses, and set the kids loose on the jumbo slides, trampolines and outdoor play area. Faster thrills include the Turbo and stomach-churning Booster spinning ride.
Or just grab a stick of Brighton rock, settle down on a wrought-iron bench and enjoy the relaxing views out to sea.
Admission: Free.
Highlights
Early in their careers, film legends Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin performed on the pier.
It takes three months every year to paint and the mammoth task is undertaken by its team of engineers, known as deck-hands.
Bournemouth
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THIS Victorian boardwalk beauty, built in 1861, offers a day out that can be as modern or nostalgic as you want.
The major draw is PierZip, the world’s first pier-to-shore zip wire (£20 a go), which will whizz you 800ft down to the sand below.
Other adrenaline-packed activities include an indoor high-line obstacle course, climbing walls and a vertical slide.
For those who prefer more traditional activities, there is plenty of traditional seaside fun including games, amusement arcades, live music and great food.
Admission: Adults £1.30, children 90p.
Highlights
The Big Wheel on the pier approach stands more than 98ft tall and offers visitors panoramic views of the pier and coastline.
Tickets: £6 adults, £5 children, £20 family (two adults, two children).
Southport
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THIS is Britain’s second-longest pier at more than 3,500ft and it had a £7million refurbishment in 2002.
The Grade II-listed structure in Merseyside is also the oldest iron pier in the country, dating back to 1860.
Take a bracing walk to the end and you will be rewarded with spectacular views across the North West to Blackpool – and on a clear day visitors might even catch sight of North Wales.
Enjoy a cuppa in the Pier Pavilion, play the penny slots in the vintage arcades or grab some fish and chips to eat outdoors while you take in the fresh sea air.
Admission: Free.
Highlights
A passenger tram once ran the entire length of the pier, operating every day except Christmas Day and linking it directly to the town centre.
The tramway was closed in 2015 because of rising maintenance costs.
Llandudno
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THE elegant structure opened in 1877 and is the longest pier in Wales at more than 2,000ft.
With views across the Irish Sea from Conwy, this is a relaxed, friendly pier focused on wholesome family fun.
Enjoy traditional funfair games such as coconut shies or arcade classics like Space Invaders. Get your palm read by the resident fortune teller Zoltar or try your hand at lucky duck racing. Children will enjoy treats such as ice cream and candy-floss, while adults might like the local seafood.
And a cocktail or two half a mile out to sea at the Pier Bar is a must for any day trip to this part of North Wales.
Admission: Free.
Highlights
Before it burned down in 1994, the Pier Pavilion Theatre hosted concerts by variety stars and singers including George Formby, Petula Clark and Cliff Richard, along with political rallies.
Sadly, only iron supports now remain.
Blackpool
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AS the king of British seaside resorts, Blackpool boasts not one but THREE Victorian piers jutting out into the Irish Sea.
The North Pier is the oldest, dating back to 1863, and the longest, at more than 1,600ft.
It is here you will find the art deco theatre that has hosted much-loved end-of-the-pier shows from the likes of comics Jimmy Tarbuck and Cannon and Ball.
The Central Pier boasts a 180ft Ferris wheel, arcades, traditional rides and live shows. The shorter and wider South Pier is the one teens will love, packed with adrenaline rides, arcades and cafes.
Admission: Free.
Highlights
Children’s TV glove puppet Sooty was originally found by his creator Harry Corbett in a shop on the North Pier. It was a present for his son.
One of the earliest puppets used by the entertainer is on display in a kiosk on the pier.
Southend
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STRETCHING out above the Thames Estuary in Essex, this is the longest pleasure pier in the world at 1.3 miles.
The iron pier, opened in 1889, replaced a 600ft wooden version.
If you don’t fancy walking to the end, it has its own railway with trains (£13.50 for two adults and up to five children) running to the pier head every 15 minutes. In 2012, a modern Royal Pavilion opened, used as a venue for entertainment and art exhibitions.
Take a look around the RNLI lifeboat station, play mini-golf on the boardwalk or enjoy a cream tea.
Admission: Adults £2, children £1.
Highlights
During World War Two the pier was taken over by the Royal Navy.
US ship SS Richard Montgomery ran aground here and its wreck, which still contains tons of explosives, can be glimpsed at low tide.
Laughter and magic..and it’s our heritage
LEGENDARY duo Cannon and Ball have spent many summers entertaining the public on piers. Here Tommy, 82, and Bobby, 76, write about their affection for the traditional seaside draw. . .
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AS children, before we met each other, our parents would take us on British holidays – and the highlight was always a trip down the pier.
From the sideshows to the performers in the theatres, walking down the pier was a magical experience, which always stayed with you when the break was over.
Those early memories left a deep impression on both of us and the love of piers has stayed with us all our lives.
It was a big moment in our careers when we first started performing as Cannon and Ball on some of the most iconic piers.
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And we have since starred on most of those that offer family entertainment.
Back in the days of summer variety seasons, that could mean 17 or more weeks of eight end-of-pier shows a week.
Then, on the Sundays, you would go and perform at another British resort. So, no days off. But that was fine as we loved it. And we still do.
It was always sad when the pier summer season came to its end.
The piers, large and small, are a great part of our British heritage.
It is always breath-taking when you arrive at the coast and see their majestic structures stretching out to sea.
What stories they could tell of happy families enjoying themselves for a few hours.
We spent our 25th Cannon and Ball anniversary working for a summer season on Blackpool’s North Pier.
The laughter from the audience at every show echoed down the pier to the delight of everyone out for some sea air.
That was a real memory to treasure.
And so we send a postcard to all the great British piers.
We wish them a joyful future in these changing times.
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