South Parade Pier in Southsea aims to keep decking on beach for tables - as it reports 'incredible' increase in visitors in recent weeks

A planning application to keep the fenced area to the east of the pier has been submitted to Portsmouth City Council.

Tommy Ware, who runs the pier, said the terrace was the latest in a series of improvements planned for the pier aimed at catering to rising number of visitors.

The planning application seeks permission from the council to keep the terraced area which provides 19 tables for the Old Pier Hut food kiosk.

‘The covering of this relatively small part of the beach, which is little used by bathers, would not have any negative impact on the overall attractiveness of the beach for users,’ a planning statement submitted with the plans says.

‘Outside spaces for consuming refreshments are limited in this part of the seafront and therefore the proposals would add a worthwhile facility that would animate this part of the promenade.’

It adds that the terrace would be ‘entirely reversible’ and could be removed without damaging the pier.

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Mr Ware said it had seen an ‘incredible’ increase in visitor numbers and that they were continuing to pursue ways of improving the offerings at the attraction.

‘We're just trying to make more improvements to the seafront,’ he said. "It's been a very tough year for everyone and now we're coming it out of it we want to make sure we're constantly giving something new.

‘More people are holidaying at home and it's important that the options they have are constantly moving forward and being expanded.

‘We've got a lot of plans in the works that we hope will continue to do this but the objections we get from the same few people every time slows things down and makes it more difficult.’

He added that they had recently begun measuring footfall at the pier and that this had shown an ‘incredible’ increase in recent weeks.

‘We want to keep building on this and building on what we can offer to Southsea, ’ he said. ‘We're constantly considering ways to do this and are always willing to consider ideas from the public.’