The current Coronavirus lockdown will allow important maintenance work to go ahead on Beaumaris Pier with as little disruption as possible to businesses.
Beaumaris Pier was originally built in 1846 and remains an important social, economic, cultural and historic asset to this day.
The County Council secured the pier’s long term future in 2012 after investing £5.6m to significantly revamp the structure as part of the Anglesey Coastal Environment Project.
However, continuous exposure to saltwater has led to significant rusting and a deterioration of paintwork on the pier’s railing and approaches - exposing extensive sections of underlying metalwork.
Anglesey Council’s Regulation and Economic Development Service has now received the necessary consents needed to undertake the work, and a contractor is ready to begin next week.
Interim Head of Regulation and Economic Development, Christian Branch, explained, “We’ve been planning these works for a number of years and the Coronavirus crisis did initially cast doubt over this important maintenance project.
“All works will be carried out in line with the appropriate safe working guidelines and, given the current lockdown, now is an opportune time to undertake the work without any disruption to the businesses that use the pier.”
He added, “Not doing the work now would undoubtedly have led to greater deterioration of the structure and higher costs in the future as the project cannot be completed during colder autumn and winter months.”
“The work should take around four months to complete and will ensure that Beaumaris Pier is refurbished and again looks in fantastic condition.”
The four-month £180,000 project will begin on Monday (June 15th) as scaffolding and a covering are erected around the pier allowing the railings to be cleaned before repainting starts towards the end of the month. The covering will also stop contaminants being released in to the Menai Strait in line with the Marine Licence approval received from Natural Resources Wales.
Economic Development portfolio holder, Councillor Carwyn Jones, said, “Beaumaris Pier is an iconic structure which is an important draw for the town and wider Island. Coronavirus has indeed dealt the local economy a significant blow, but I hope that the pier’s restoration will play an important role in ensuring Beaumaris and wider Anglesey is ready to capitalise on the eventual safe return of visitors, whenever that may be.”
He added, “We will also make every effort to support businesses who rely on the pier as the work progresses and as the current lockdown is eased by the Welsh Government.”
Further updates will be provided as work progresses.
Ends 11.6.20