Penarth pier to be celebrated by party (From Penarth Times)

Penarth pier to be celebrated by party

8:40am Friday 11th March 2011 in News By Robert James Owen

PENARTH Pier, the ‘jewel in the crown of Penarth’, is to be the focus of a celebration - to mark the start of British Tourism Week - and some leading figures promoting Penarth tourism are calling for the town to make a special effort to recognize its value to the local area.

Party on the Pier’, which will take place on Saturday (March 12) with a programme of music and

activities from 11am to 4pm, will promote the value of a pier to leading UK resorts and will be the biggest nationwide event on Britain's piers since ‘Year of the Pier’ in 1996.

“The coast of Wales has many seaside resorts, but the number that can boast a traditional seaside pier has now fallen to just seven, and even some of these piers have serious structural problems,” said chairman of the Penarth Society Chris Wyatt.

“Our own pier here at Penarth has now been standing for 115 years and, due to the enlightened efforts of our local council, is in remarkably good condition.

“Of course, the very poor state of the Pier Pavilion leads some people to assume that the pier itself is in a similarly poor condition but, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

“Penarth Pier is actually one of the best maintained seaside piers in Britain and one of a relatively small number from which pleasure steamer trips can still be taken.”

“Penarth Pier does not have the arcade games, noisy funfair rides and one arm bandits that are a feature of many of the fifty eight remaining British piers, and many would say is all the better for that,” added Mr Wyatt, who is also Wales representative for the National Piers Society.

“But the pier is still a hugely popular venue for residents and visitors alike and with the promise of a new revitalised Pier Pavilion, we can look forward to an exciting future for this jewel in the crown of Penarth.”

And Councillor Anthony Ernest, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Leisure and Amenities, agreed Penarth Pier has always been the ‘jewel in the crown’ for Penarthians and said it deserves to be celebrated.

"Penarth Pier is such an iconic landmark which brings back many happy memories for townspeople of every age group, whether young at heart or touching their vintage years,” he said.

“Penarth has always relied on tourism as an essential element of our economy, and it is entirely appropriate that we should be celebrating the seaside pier, during this year's Wales Tourism Week, as a ‘must have’ feature of every major coastal resort."

If you would like to learn more about Penarth Pier and all of Britain’s other seaside piers, visit the National Piers Society website at www.piers.org.uk, and for more information on Saturday’s event visit britishtourismweek.com.