Reg. Charity No. 701152

Lytham Pier

Lytham Pier about 1903 (Courtesy of Lancashire County Library, St.Annes)

Opened by Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton, 17 April 1865. It was designed by Eugenius Birch as the first pleasure attraction in Lytham. It was 914 feet long and with continuous seating and gas lighting all along its deck; there was at first just a lounge and waiting room at the pier-head, to serve the passengers for the pleasure steamers docking there, but in 1892, at a cost of £12,000, the Pavilion was built half way along the deck.

In 1895 the Pier Company collapsed, but was reformed in the shape of one that could enlarge the Pavilion in 1901 and converted the bandstand at the pier-head into the Floral Hall.

In 1903, a storm sent two steel-hulled barges away from their mooring and crashing through the pier. These two sand barges were owned by Preston Navigation Company who paid for the £1,400 repair bill, following a court case.

The pier fell into disrepair following a fire in 1928 when the pavilion was burnt out. In 1959, and in spite of a residents' petition of 2,593 signatures, the Town Council refused to pay the £5,000 needed to save it, and so it was demolished in 1960.

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Reg. Charity No. 701152