New picture shows piles of broken fittings as Worthing Pier repairs continue

The picture comes not long after the pier was temporarily closed by Worthing and Adur District Council last Thursday, after the structure’s iron supports were damaged in a storm.

Council officers suspect the damage was caused by a large piece of floating debris during a bout of severe weather.

Contractors have removed the damage support – which is visible in the pile of debris in this recent picture – but are waiting on safer, more favourable conditions to head into the pier and replace it.

A council spokesperson has explained that they had originally planned to complete the replacement between October 15 and October 20, when the tide would retreat far enough to allow contractors to work safely, but they have not received the replacement pile in time. As a result, interim repairs have been completed on the remaining supports to help them take the weight of the pier.

The next opportunity to make a full repair will not come until November 14, but the council says it is exploring ‘whether there are other steps we could take that could potentially allow us to open the pier to at least a limited number of people, such as by finding a short-term way to reduce the strain on the section of the pier where the missing pile is.’

To that end, they are keeping in touch with tenants on the pier, as well as the Worthing Lions, who are planning a fireworks display on the pier on November 5. “Our teams are working hard with our contractors and suppliers to repair the structure, but as with any unique heritage asset, this is a dynamic situation as further investigations are continuing while work is being carried out,” a spokesperson said.

It’s currently estimated that the full repair could cost in excess of £100,000, and, although the council has an allocated budget for pier repairs which will be used to fund some of the work, it’s believed that some of the money may have to come from other budgets.