Clevedon Pier

A major breakthrough came in 1984, when [[English Heritage]] and the [[National Heritage Memorial Fund]] granted a million pounds towards the restoration, with smaller sums from [[Woodspring]] District Council and other funding bodies. The trust, which had been formed by the preservation society, also obtained a 99-year lease. The pier was dismantled in 1985, taken to [[Portishead, Somerset|Portishead]] dock for restoration, and reconstructed in 1986.

A major breakthrough came in 1984, when [[English Heritage]] and the [[National Heritage Memorial Fund]] granted a million pounds towards the restoration, with smaller sums from [[Woodspring]] District Council and other funding bodies. The trust, which had been formed by the preservation society, also obtained a 99-year lease. The pier was dismantled in 1985, taken to [[Portishead, Somerset|Portishead]] dock for restoration, and reconstructed in 1986.

After a long campaign by local people to raise funds for restoration (supported by [[John Betjeman|Sir John Betjeman]], who described Clevedon as "the most beautiful pier in England", the pier eventually reopened. Some funds were raised by "sponsored planks" – small brass plaques with names or messages are inlaid on the wooden planks and benches, recording donations. Reconstruction of the pier spans and decking was completed on 27 May 1989, and the pier was reopened to great enthusiasm. The pierhead was still shut, however, and it was not until 23 May 1998 that it was finally restored and opened to the public, as a result of funding from the [[Heritage Lottery Fund]]. In 1999 the National Piers Society awarded Clevedon Pier the title of Pier of the Year, and it also won a Civic Trust Award. The pier was re-designated a Grade 1 [[listed building]] in 2001,{{cite web |date=8 December 2005 |title=Royal Pier Hotel, Marine Parade, Clevedon |url=http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc11467.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927022453/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc11467.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007 |access-date=25 October 2008 |publisher=North Somerset Council}}{{cite web |date=15 January 2002 |title=Pier wins top listing |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1761210.stm |access-date=25 October 2008 |publisher=BBC News }} the only other pier with this status being [[Brighton]]'s [[West Pier]] (largely destroyed by fire and storms between 2002 and 2004).{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Maev |date=25 January 2003 |title=Pier's death throes prolong agony |newspaper=The Guardian|location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2003/jan/25/urbandesign.arts |url-status=live |access-date=1 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910132510/http://www.theguardian.com/society/2003/jan/25/urbandesign.arts |archive-date=10 September 2014}}

After a long campaign by local people to raise funds for restoration (supported by [[John Betjeman|Sir John Betjeman]], who described Clevedon as "the most beautiful pier in England", the pier eventually reopened. Some funds were raised by "sponsored planks" – small brass plaques with names or messages are inlaid on the wooden planks and benches, recording donations. Reconstruction of the pier spans and decking was completed on 27 May 1989, and the pier was reopened to great enthusiasm. The pierhead was still shut, however, and it was not until 23 May 1998 that it was finally restored and opened to the public, as a result of funding from the [[Heritage Lottery Fund]]. In 1999 the National Piers Society awarded Clevedon Pier the title of Pier of the Year, and it also won a Civic Trust Award. The pier was re-designated a Grade I [[listed building]] in 2001,{{cite web |date=8 December 2005 |title=Royal Pier Hotel, Marine Parade, Clevedon |url=http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc11467.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927022453/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/cairo/docs/doc11467.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007 |access-date=25 October 2008 |publisher=North Somerset Council}}{{cite web |date=15 January 2002 |title=Pier wins top listing |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1761210.stm |access-date=25 October 2008 |publisher=BBC News }} the only other pier with this status being [[Brighton]]'s [[West Pier]] (largely destroyed by fire and storms between 2002 and 2004).{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Maev |date=25 January 2003 |title=Pier's death throes prolong agony |newspaper=The Guardian|location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2003/jan/25/urbandesign.arts |url-status=live |access-date=1 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910132510/http://www.theguardian.com/society/2003/jan/25/urbandesign.arts |archive-date=10 September 2014}}

The landing stage at the end of the pier is used throughout the summer season (June to September) by the [[PS Waverley|''Waverley'']] and her sister ship, the [[MV Balmoral (1949)|''Balmoral'']], and is a popular spot for [[angling]].{{cite web |title=Clevedon Pier Sea Angling Club |url=http://www.clevedonpierseaanglingclub.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203042603/http://www.clevedonpierseaanglingclub.com/ |archive-date=3 December 2012 |access-date=2 September 2012 |publisher=Clevedon Pier Sea Angling Club}} There is a cafe at the pierhead, and a souvenir shop at the toll house. The upper floor of the toll house is an art gallery with a different exhibition every month. The pier is open every day of the year except Christmas Day. Scenes from the 2010 film, ''[[Never Let Me Go (2010 film)|Never Let Me Go]]'', starring [[Keira Knightley]] were filmed near Clevedon pier during 2009,{{cite web |title=Keira Knightley filming Never Let Me Go | Clevedon News |url=http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Hollywood-star-Knightley-film-Clevedon/article-924666-detail/article.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091020184203/http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Hollywood-star-Knightley-film-Clevedon/article-924666-detail/article.html |archive-date=20 October 2009 |access-date=30 April 2010 |publisher=This is Somerset}} and the pier also featured on the promotional posters. [[One Direction]]'s music video for their single "[[You & I (One Direction song)|You & I]]" was filmed on Clevedon Pier.{{cite news |date=22 April 2014 |title=One Direction fans flock to Clevedon Pier |work=[[Bristol Post]] |url=http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Direction-fans-flock-Clevedon-Pier/story-20992557-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018235648/http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Direction-fans-flock-Clevedon-Pier/story-20992557-detail/story.html |archive-date=18 October 2014}} An appeal was launched in 2012 to raise £1.6 million for a new visitor centre and educational facility,{{cite web |title=Clevedon Pier appeal to raise £1.6 m 'well under way' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18171285 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526112129/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18171285 |archive-date=26 May 2012 |access-date=1 September 2012 |work=23 May 2012 |publisher=BBC}} an additional £800,000 of grants have been applied for to cover the cost of repainting the legs of the structure.{{cite web |title=Clevedon Pier seeks £800,000 for urgent repair work |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18531172 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624021358/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18531172 |archive-date=24 June 2012 |access-date=1 September 2012 |publisher=BBC}} In December 2012 it was announced that the pier had received £720,000 of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to improve the visitor centre.{{cite web |title=£1.3m lottery windfall to enhance two of our finest Victorian landmarks |url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/pound-1-3m-lottery-windfall-enhance-finest/story-17635298-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223074202/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/pound-1-3m-lottery-windfall-enhance-finest/story-17635298-detail/story.html |archive-date=23 December 2012 |access-date=3 February 2013 |publisher=This is Bristol}}

The landing stage at the end of the pier is used throughout the summer season (June to September) by the [[PS Waverley|''Waverley'']] and her sister ship, the [[MV Balmoral (1949)|''Balmoral'']], and is a popular spot for [[angling]].{{cite web |title=Clevedon Pier Sea Angling Club |url=http://www.clevedonpierseaanglingclub.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203042603/http://www.clevedonpierseaanglingclub.com/ |archive-date=3 December 2012 |access-date=2 September 2012 |publisher=Clevedon Pier Sea Angling Club}} There is a cafe at the pierhead, and a souvenir shop at the toll house. The upper floor of the toll house is an art gallery with a different exhibition every month. The pier is open every day of the year except Christmas Day. Scenes from the 2010 film, ''[[Never Let Me Go (2010 film)|Never Let Me Go]]'', starring [[Keira Knightley]] were filmed near Clevedon pier during 2009,{{cite web |title=Keira Knightley filming Never Let Me Go | Clevedon News |url=http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Hollywood-star-Knightley-film-Clevedon/article-924666-detail/article.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091020184203/http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Hollywood-star-Knightley-film-Clevedon/article-924666-detail/article.html |archive-date=20 October 2009 |access-date=30 April 2010 |publisher=This is Somerset}} and the pier also featured on the promotional posters. [[One Direction]]'s music video for their single "[[You & I (One Direction song)|You & I]]" was filmed on Clevedon Pier.{{cite news |date=22 April 2014 |title=One Direction fans flock to Clevedon Pier |work=[[Bristol Post]] |url=http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Direction-fans-flock-Clevedon-Pier/story-20992557-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018235648/http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Direction-fans-flock-Clevedon-Pier/story-20992557-detail/story.html |archive-date=18 October 2014}} An appeal was launched in 2012 to raise £1.6 million for a new visitor centre and educational facility,{{cite web |title=Clevedon Pier appeal to raise £1.6 m 'well under way' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18171285 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526112129/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18171285 |archive-date=26 May 2012 |access-date=1 September 2012 |work=23 May 2012 |publisher=BBC}} an additional £800,000 of grants have been applied for to cover the cost of repainting the legs of the structure.{{cite web |title=Clevedon Pier seeks £800,000 for urgent repair work |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18531172 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624021358/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18531172 |archive-date=24 June 2012 |access-date=1 September 2012 |publisher=BBC}} In December 2012 it was announced that the pier had received £720,000 of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to improve the visitor centre.{{cite web |title=£1.3m lottery windfall to enhance two of our finest Victorian landmarks |url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/pound-1-3m-lottery-windfall-enhance-finest/story-17635298-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223074202/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/pound-1-3m-lottery-windfall-enhance-finest/story-17635298-detail/story.html |archive-date=23 December 2012 |access-date=3 February 2013 |publisher=This is Bristol}}