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209:. The pier was opened in 1898 and was a popular attraction to seaside-goers at the time, who also enjoyed trips on pleasure steamers that operated from the pier. It has on several occasions been damaged by vessels colliding with the structure and in 1931, a fire broke out in one of the pavilions. This wooden pavilion was never replaced, but a concrete pavilion has been used over the years as a concert hall, ballroom, cinema and for other purposes. It is currently home to the Penarth Pier Pavilion.
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303:. It was built of cast iron with a timber decking, and acted both as a promenade, and as a landing jetty for steam ships trading in the Bristol Channel. The pier was an immediate success, chiefly because the cruises, provided by the pleasure steamers that used the pier’s landing stage, proved very popular with the public. In 1907, a small wooden "Concert Party"
365:, under contract to the flag of the Tavistock Shipping Company, collided with the pier in a gale causing severe structural damage. The damage included the shattering and buckling of the decking, but more seriously, the fracturing or displacing of over seventy of the main supporting cast-iron structures. Repairs, including
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The remaining pavilion provided concerts and variety shows, but over time, people's tastes changed and the pavilion was turned into a cinema. This was unsuccessful however, and the cinema closed. After another attempt at operating it as a concert hall, it reopened in 1934 as the Marina
Ballroom. This
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and the pier was requisitioned by the army. After the war, it was found that the landing stage was considerably damaged, and compensation payments were inadequate to fund the necessary repairs. The pier went into a period of decline, and in 1929, it was sold to
Penarth Borough Council. As a result, a
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The 1929 designed art deco Pier
Pavilion, opened in 1930 by the council, was used as a venue for traditional seaside entertainment, as well as a concert hall. As it lacked heating, the hall was greatly under utilised in the winter, although it was used at different periods as a cinema, dance hall
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In 1994, a restoration programme was completed at a cost of £650,000, including repairs to the rotting substructure. This wood now forms one of the offerings at the souvenir shop. In 1996 a £1.7M programme started, replacing steelwork, decking and the berthing pontoon. The final restoration was
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Dr David
Trotman, was appointed director in 2013 and said that he was excited and privileged to serve the community, and added that the "iconic pier site would be used to educate, inform and entertain." Since then, renovation of the exterior has taken place, and ornamental zinc tiles have been
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1931, a fire broke out in the wooden theatre. A dramatic sea and land rescue commenced, with the fire department attending the scene until the fire burnt out three days later. Over 800 people survived. As a result, a large proportion of the pier was destroyed. The pier was rebuilt at a cost of
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The pier was opened in 1898, having been constructed by James & Arthur Mayoh, assisted by
Herbert Francis Edwards, a local engineer. The pier, at 658 ft (200 m), was rather short; it was not permitted to be longer for fear of obstructing the deep water channel into
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led to the
Cardiff Steam and Navigation Company starting a regular ferry service between Cardiff and Penarth in 1856, which continued until 1903. Boats were loaded and unloaded at Penarth using a landing stage on wheels which was hauled up the beach.
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grant of £99,600 to develop plans for detailed restoration. PACL have now developed a £3.9m refurbishment scheme, to use enable the pavilion to be restored as a cinema, cafe, observatory and multi-purpose community complex. After
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In the 1880s an attempt was made to construct a permanent pier, because of the need to find a safer way to unload larger boats. However, construction ground to a halt at an early stage when the
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As a result, the
Penarth Promenade and Landing Company Ltd was formed, to make a second attempt at building a permanent pier. Designed by H. F. Edwards, construction of the
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The
Penarth Pier Pavilion includes an art gallery, auditorium, a cinema able to seat seventy, retail area, bar, and a tea room with a view out over the Bristol Channel.
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hit the pier, causing an estimated £25,000 damage. The last regular paddle steamer service operated by the White Funnel Line was withdrawn in 1966 although the
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was granted for the project, the HLF awarded PACT a further £1.68m in May 2011. The project was completed in 2013 and is known as the
Penarth Pier Pavilion.
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screw piers, cast iron supports and wooden deck was begun by Mayohs
Brothers in 1894. The pier successfully opened in 1895, 750 feet (230 m) long.
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to the cast iron columns and the addition of new cast concrete columns, took two years to complete at a cost of £28,000. The pier reopened in 1950.
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In 2008, the charity Penarth Arts & Crafts Ltd (PACL) was formed to restore the pavilion. In November 2009 PACL were awarded a
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506:", in which characters Tosh and Tommy share a brief moment on Penarth Pier, built in 1894, the same year that Tommy was born.
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continued to operate a cruise service. Even this was withdrawn in 1982 when cruises by P&A Campbell from the pier ceased.
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A new director, Marta Ghermandi, was appointed by the Board of Penarth Arts and Crafts Limited, in 2018.
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From the 1960s onwards, it was rented out to a series of commercial tenant customers, who used it as a
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in 1939. At this time the paddle steamers were requisitioned and the pier closed to the public.
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new concrete landing stage was built at the seaward end, and in 1930, a spectacular
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The growing popularity of Penarth beach and the need for better communications with
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founded the Penarth and district gymnastics club, which today is the sole tenant.
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The pier was voted Pier of the Year by the National Piers Society in 2014.
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installed to replace the faded paint on the barrel roof and four domes.
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Article reproduced from 1966 South Wales Echo. Retrieved 2011-10-19
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flourished and dances were taking place there until the start of
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In August 1966, whilst operating in dense fog, the 600-ton
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Cast iron screw piers, cast iron supports, wooden deck
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Burned buildings and structures in the United Kingdom
343:£3,157, without replacement of the wooden pavilion.
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1554:Tourist attractions in the Vale of Glamorgan
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490:in an ident as part of its on-air branding.
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850:Penarth Pier: The Centenary Story 1894–1994
530:Penarth Pier: The Centenary Story 1894–1994
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873:Penarth Pier at Vale of Glamorgan Council
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334:An aerial photograph of the pier in 2006
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800:. National Pier Society. Archived from
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391:completed after a £1.1M grant from the
676:. Penarth Pier Project. Archived from
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307:was built at the far end of the pier.
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486:Since 2007, the pier has appeared on
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699:Phil Carradice (14 September 2011).
603:. The Heritage Trail. Archived from
1519:Buildings and structures in Penarth
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859:South Glamorgan: A County History
628:South Glamorgan: A County History
404:(Marina ballroom) and nightclub.
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778:. South Wales Echo. 4 March 2011
726:LOOKING BACK: I remember that...
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740:Time Traveller: August 17, 1966
701:"The Penarth Pier fire of 1931"
1549:Art Deco architecture in Wales
493:The pier appeared in the 2008
103:Present: 650 feet (200 m)
101:As built:750 feet (230 m)
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464:The refurbished Pier Pavilion
264:The rear of the pier pavilion
237:-based contractors went into
1539:1895 establishments in Wales
728:Letter published 22 May 2008
134:; 129 years ago
16:Pier in Penarth, South Wales
965:Piers in the United Kingdom
649:. Vale of Glamorgan Council
221:Penarth Pier in about 1900.
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776:"Revamp go-ahead for pier"
756:. Penarth Pavilion Project
754:"Penarth Pavilion Project"
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674:"History of Penarth Pier"
472:Penarth Pier in July 2024
455:Vale of Glamorgan Council
87:Vale of Glamorgan Council
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895:Awards and achievements
170:51.4350861°N 3.1665083°W
1362:Royal Suspension Chain
976:National Piers Society
911:National Piers Society
887:National Piers Society
848:Carradice, P. (1994).
826:. Doctor Who Locations
575:National Piers Society
528:Carradice, P. (1994).
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354:In 1947 the 7,130 ton
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175:51.4350861; -3.1665083
878:Penarth Pier Pavilion
857:Williams, S. (1975).
724:Penarth Times online
626:Williams, S. (1975).
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443:Penarth Pier in 2008.
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428:Heritage Lottery Fund
393:Heritage Lottery Fund
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1414:Ryde (Seaview Chain)
1197:St Anne's-on-the-Sea
1027:Brighton Palace Pier
291:The pavilion in 2013
277:The pavilion in 2009
1142:Saltburn-by-the-Sea
861:. Stewart Williams.
630:. Stewart Williams.
433:planning permission
323:pavilion, built of
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1211:Weston-super-Mare
798:"Pier of the Year"
737:Walesonline.co.uk
581:on 13 January 2012
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415:. In 1961, former
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132:February 1895
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376:pleasure steamer
203:Vale of Glamorgan
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129:Opening date
98:Total length
73:Vale of Glamorgan
33:The pier pavilion
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1429:St Leonards Pier
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915:Pier of the Year
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804:on 24 June 2014
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93:Characteristics
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1156:Southampton
1130:South Parade
1012:Bognor Regis
914:
908:
883:Penarth Pier
858:
849:
828:. Retrieved
818:
806:. Retrieved
802:the original
792:
780:. Retrieved
770:
758:. Retrieved
748:
738:
733:
720:
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682:. Retrieved
678:the original
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627:
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605:the original
595:
583:. Retrieved
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508:
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485:
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478:
475:
452:
425:
413:snooker club
406:
402:
389:
379:
371:
367:underpinning
361:
353:
349:World War II
345:
340:Bank Holiday
337:
316:minesweepers
309:
297:
248:
245:Construction
232:
224:
188:Penarth Pier
187:
186:
158:51°26′6.31″N
22:Penarth Pier
18:
1419:Scarborough
1329:Isle of Man
1320:St Julian's
1279:Aberystwyth
1121:Portsmouth
1037:Cleethorpes
1022:Bournemouth
926:Cromer Pier
830:24 February
760:24 February
710:24 February
684:24 February
653:24 February
611:24 February
585:24 February
385:MV Balmoral
312:World War I
239:liquidation
207:South Wales
173: /
161:3°9′59.43″W
148:Coordinates
121:Constructor
77:South Wales
50:Pedestrians
1559:Pier fires
1513:Categories
1471:Colwyn Bay
1450:Portobello
1434:Withernsea
1388:Morecambe
1220:Grand Pier
1207:Teignmouth
1160:Royal Pier
1101:Lowestoft
1080:Wellington
1062:Felixstowe
1057:Eastbourne
991:Blackpool
842:References
782:19 October
409:restaurant
338:On August
213:Background
1379:Fleetwood
1358:Brighton
1294:Llandudno
1289:Beaumaris
1230:Bandstand
1226:Weymouth
1192:Southwold
1187:Southport
1171:Southend
1165:Town Quay
1105:Claremont
1092:Herne Bay
1075:Britannia
1067:Gravesend
705:BBC Wales
502:episode "
499:Torchwood
251:cast iron
1498:Category
1443:Scotland
1424:Shanklin
1397:West End
1256:Scotland
1247:Yarmouth
1242:Worthing
1235:Pleasure
1215:Birnbeck
1152:Skegness
1125:Clarence
1117:Paignton
1087:Hastings
1042:Clevedon
1017:Boscombe
852:. BARON.
532:. BARON.
419:gymnast
417:Olympics
378:PS
360:SS
356:Canadian
321:Art Deco
113:Designer
1455:Trinity
1392:Central
1374:Coatham
1352:England
1304:Swansea
1299:Penarth
1202:Swanage
1180:Railway
1147:Sandown
1032:Clacton
995:Central
985:England
808:27 June
449:Present
310:During
305:theatre
257:History
227:Cardiff
199:Penarth
139:1895-02
137: (
108:History
69:Penarth
47:Carries
1409:Redcar
1384:Lytham
1336:Ramsey
1284:Bangor
1263:Dunoon
1047:Cromer
235:London
65:Locale
1464:Wales
1272:Wales
1110:South
1097:Hythe
1005:South
1000:North
920:2014
513:Notes
190:is a
83:Owner
55:Spans
1476:Rhyl
1367:West
1175:Pier
1137:Ryde
1052:Deal
832:2012
810:2014
784:2011
762:2012
712:2012
686:2012
655:2012
613:2012
587:2012
411:and
195:pier
39:Type
885:at
495:BBC
488:S4C
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