£1/2m Investment As Deal Pier Celebrates Diamond Anniversary

Dover District Council’s Cabinet has given the go ahead for a £500,000 refurbishment of Deal Pier – as the popular local amenity celebrates its Diamond Anniversary.

Works are set to include resurfacing the pier, replacing all the timber seating along the pier, and concrete repairs to the pier structure. It is intended that work on the resurfacing and seating will begin in the spring of 2018, and the aim is maintain access as much as possible throughout the works. Structural works are expected to start before the end of the year.

Deal has had a pier since the late 1800s, with the current 305m long Deal Pier opened on 19 November 1957 by HRH Prince Philip.  It remains the last pleasure pier ever constructed in the UK.

Today, Deal Pier is one of the town’s enduring attractions, popular with both townsfolk and visitors for a leisurely stroll to enjoy the panoramic views of the coastline and out into the English Channel.  The café at the pier head was opened in 2008 following a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) design competition.

Deal Pier is also a popular fishing venue and this weekend hosts a Diamond Jubilee open fishing competition in aid of Walmer RNLI, organised by the Deal & Walmer Angling Association, and sponsored by Dover District Council.

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, DDC Cabinet Member for Property Management said: “We’re delighted to commit to the biggest refurbishment of Deal Pier since its opening 60 years ago.  Deal Pier is a fantastic asset for the area, it’s a major local landmark that’s visited by many thousands of people, and we’re very pleased to be able to approve these works to maintain and enhance this important amenity for the future.”

For more information on the programme of works to Deal Pier, please see the report to Cabinet on 6 November, or for general information, please see the Deal Pier page.