Burnham-On-Sea Pavilion featured in new national ranking of top seaside piers by The Telegraph

Burnham-On-Sea’s pier has been featured in a new national ranking by The Telegraph, which rated 60 of Britain’s coastal piers to determine the country’s very best.

The list, which crowned Southend Pier as the UK’s top seaside structure, was based on a points system that assessed each pier across a range of factors – not just charm or popularity, but hard data too.

Metrics included length, age, amusements, food outlets, nearby historic hotels, and accolades such as the National Piers Society’s “Pier of the Year” award, with 30 points granted for each win.

Burnham-On-Sea’s Pavilion has been ranked 53rd best in the country with a score of 140 points. See The Telegraph ranking below.

The pier is the shortest in the UK and was the first concrete structure of its type in Europe. It was built just before the First World War but had a large amount of repair work done during the summer of 2020.

Granite chippings from Penryn Colliery in Cornwall, which were used in the pier’s original construction, are still used today for routine maintenance.

Intentions to lengthen the pier did not materialize and, consequently, the pier remained the shortest in Britain, consisting of little more than a pavilion on piles. The pavilion was constructed between 1911 and 1914 and incorporates many design features associated with Brunel (1806-1859) sharing similarities with Bristol Temple Mead and Bath Spa railway stations.

Harry Parkin took over the derelict pavilion in 1968. Many years of effort have since been spent on renovation, trying to maintain its traditional concept. An application for Lottery funding was made in 1996 for further work on the roof and substructure.

It went on sale in 2016 and in December 2017, we reported that J Holland and Sons, a nationwide entertainment and gaming company, had bought the seafront landmark from the Parkin family, who had owned it for 49 years.

In August 2021, we reported here that a fire the Pavilion had caused significant damage, prompting a clean-up and repair.

Full rankings according to The Telegraph:

1. Southend Pier (Southend-on-Sea) – 510
2. Llandudno Pier (Llandudno) – 470
3. Cromer Pier (Cromer) – 444
4. Clevedon Pier (Clevedon) – 420
5. Worthing Pier (Worthing) – 407
6. North Pier (Blackpool) – 390
7. Eastbourne Pier (Eastbourne) – 388
8. Palace Pier (Brighton) – 377
9. Folkestone Harbour Arm (Folkestone) – 360
10. Clacton Pier (Clacton-on-Sea) – 358
11. Saltburn Pier (Saltburn-by-the-Sea) – 354
12. Central Pier (Blackpool) – 352
13. Hastings Pier (Hastings) – 333
14. Bournemouth Pier (Bournemouth) – 323
15. Penarth Pier (Penarth) – 323
16. Southwold Pier (Southwold) – 321
17. South Pier (Lowestoft) – 317
18. Ryde Pier (Ryde) – 313
19. Grand Pier (Weston-super-Mare) – 313
20. Mumbles Pier (Mumbles, Swansea) – 309
21. Britannia Pier (Great Yarmouth) – 308
22. Southport Pier (Southport) – 300
23. Walton Pier (Walton-on-the-Naze) – 295
24. Paignton Pier (Paignton) – 294
25. Wellington Pier (Great Yarmouth) – 291
26. Herne Bay Pier (Herne Bay) – 291
27. South Parade Pier (Southsea) – 290
28. Garth Pier (Bangor) – 288
29. Beaumaris Pier (Beaumaris) – 286
30. Royal Pier (Aberystwyth) – 276
31. Boscombe Pier (Bournemouth) – 267
32. Skegness Pier (Skegness) – 264
33. St Annes Pier (Lytham St Annes) – 263
34. Felixstowe Pier (Felixstowe) – 262
35. Sandown Pier (Sandown) – 260
36. South Pier (Blackpool) – 258
37. Swanage Pier (Swanage) – 252
38. Deal Pier (Deal) – 251
39. Grand Pier (Teignmouth) – 245
40. Weymouth Pier (Weymouth) – 240
41. Clarence Pier (Southsea) – 237
42. Princess Pier (Torquay) – 224
43. Claremont Pier (Lowestoft) – 224
44. Ha’penny Pier (Harwich) – 214
45. Cleethorpes Pier (Cleethorpes) – 201
46. Bognor Regis Pier (Bognor Regis) – 197
47. Queen’s Pier (Ramsay) – 196
48. Birnbeck Pier (Weston-super-Mare) – 188
49. Town Pier (Gravesend) – 186
50. Yarmouth Pier (Yarmouth) – 185
51. Prince of Wales Pier (Falmouth) – 185
52. Hythe Pier (Hythe) – 179
53. Burnham-On-Sea Pier (Burnham-On-Sea) – 140
54. Helensburgh Pier (Helensburgh) – 137
55. Totland Pier (Totland Bay) – 136
56. Royal Terrace Pier (Gravesend) – 124
57. Dunoon Pier (Dunoon) – 98
58. Fort William Pier (Fort William) – 94
59. Rothesay Pier (Rothesay) – 90
60. Kilcreggan Pier (Kilcreggan) – 78