South Parade Pier in Southsea to offer boat mooring once again

MOORING at South Parade Pier will once again be available by September due to £200,000 works underway, it has been confirmed.
South Parade PierSouth Parade Pier
South Parade Pier

Owners of the Grade II-listed building revealed that a new deck at the end of the pier is being built and will offer mooring for boats as well as allowing people to fish.

The project will be the last in a series of works to restore the Southsea landmark following its reopening in April last year.

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Mooring and fishing was previously available until the site closed amid fears the structure was not safe in 2012. The deck used for the activities was then removed in 2014 following storms.

Speaking on behalf of Tommy Ware Snr who is one of the pier's owners, Nick Courtney said: 'The owners of the pier have started rejuvenation of the docking at the end of the pier in the last couple of weeks.

'Boats will be able to moor there and there could be boat and fishing trips from the deck.

'It was the only thing that remained to be done to bring the pier back to how it used to be.

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People want to be able to fish there and now they can, it was always extremely popular with fishermen. That part of the pier was damaged during storms and then removed. We aim to have the work completed by September this year.'

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Although the £200,000 needed to build the deck has been covered entirely by the pier's owners, Portsmouth City Council has been involved with the works.

Cllr Steve Pitt, the council's leisure boss, said: 'It's great to see that the deck at the end of the pier is to be restored and opened to the public once again.

'We are working with the pier's owners on initiatives that will help make the most of this new facility. One of these is for the deck to be used as a mooring for Portsmouth Sailing Trust's yachts when they take young people sailing in the Solent.'

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The leader of the council, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, added: '˜Personally I think the whole city owes the Ware family and their colleagues a debt of gratitude for bringing the pier back into use.

'˜Having the deck restored now is absolutely the right time. I understand soldiers embarked from the deck during the D-Day landings and with the 75th D-Day anniversary next year it is the right time.'