Southport Conservatives are calling for urgent clarification from Sefton Council about when the required repair works at Southport Pier will be undertaken and when the iconic attraction will next be open to members of the public.
The Pier has been shut for many months and is still closed during the crucial summer season for the town.
Conservative leader on Sefton Council, Mike Prendergast said “The Pier is synonymous with Southport and it is very sad to see it closed, at the height of the summer season, when it should be full of people and bustling with life. People are travelling long distances to find that one of our main attractions is shut, it’s not a good advert for the town.
I have visited the Pier whilst it has been closed and spoken to the operators of the businesses along the Pier and nearby. The closure of the Pier is having a massive impact on local businesses and the lack of information and clarity about the work that needs to be undertaken, and when it will be done by, is incredibly frustrating for everyone.
For those businesses that operate on the Pier, they simply cannot trade through no fault of their own.
They have suffered massive losses of income, and the lack of information from Sefton Council about when they can reopen is disappointing to say the least. There is only so long that any business can continue to rely on reserves without being able to trade. Small businesses are the heart of our local economy.
We are all eagerly awaiting the publication of a report that will hopefully indicate what works need to be undertaken and provide further information on the timescales involved.
Other seaside towns with piers, manage to undertake repair works whilst still keeping part of their pier open, as has happened in nearby Blackpool.
The reopening of the Pier is an issue which all opposition councillors in Southport want to see resolved as quickly as possible.
Sefton Council really need to just crack on with it and get the Pier repaired and reopened as soon as possible.”
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