Worthing Pier closure: Council provides ominious update and reveals suspected cause of damage as businesses 'left high and dry'

Worthing Pier had to be temporarily closed for safety reasons last Thursday (October 10) after part of the structure ‘suffered storm damage’ for the ‘first time in more than 25 years’.

In a new update, the borough council said ‘one of the biggest challenges’ is that the repair can only take place at a spring low tide – when the tide goes out far enough for the work to be completed safely.

The first such set of tides began on Tuesday (October 15) and runs until Sunday (October 21).

The council added: “We have been trying, with our contractors and suppliers, to get the work done in this period.

“Unfortunately the damage happened so close to that tidal window that our suppliers have been unable to get us the replacement pile we need in time. Instead, we are having an interim repair done to help the remaining piles to support the weight of the pier, so the strain on those piles can be mitigated as much as possible.

“The next set of spring low tides does not begin until November 14 – which is the earliest we will be able to begin the repair.

"However we are 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.”

The team at Perch on the Pier ‘have spent the past week in limbo, hoping for the best’. Managing director Alex Coombes said on Wednesday evening: “The disappointing news is that it’s looking increasingly likely that we will not be able to return to the pier until late November.

“We are also creating a furlough system, which will, unfortunately, include asking some team members to take unpaid leave.”

The Tern fine dining restaurant has moved to a temporary new home but staff at other businesses on the pier, including the arcade, are out of work for the foreseeable future.

Worthing Borough Council has told this newspaper, this week, that a suspected cause has been identified.

A spokesperson said: “Engineers carry out regular inspections of Worthing Pier. On 4th October they identified that unfortunately part of the underside of it has suffered what we believe to be storm damage. We cannot be certain what has caused the damage but we suspect it could have been a large piece of debris floating on the sea.

“Worthing Pier is a unique, historic attraction and we’re working closely with specialist engineers to reopen it as soon as we can.

“We understand the impact this is having on the pier’s businesses and are keeping them informed but the safety of the public must be our priority.”

In a post on social media, the council said it has been ‘working hard to get a fuller understanding of the structural issues’ at the pier.

The council added: “We’ve been working with independent structural engineers, our contractors and suppliers to get a more detailed picture of what needs to be done to make sure the pier can be opened safely.”

This comes after the Conservative councillors on Worthing Borough Council called for honesty and transparency about the situation.

A group spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with the various businesses on the pier, who between them employ about 60 persons, who now face an uncertain future, they have been left high and dry with no certainty of when they may be able to fully return.

"We have yet to hear from the council how they intend to support or compensate these businesses for their lost revenue.

"Whilst it is reassuring that the two restaurants have been able to relocate at considerable cost to themselves and their staff, the other businesses do not have that opportunity.”

The council has explained what steps it has taken after the damage first came to light.

"We brought in specialist structural engineers to assess the structure and plan the urgent repairs necessary,” a spokesperson added.

"Our contractor also removed a broken pile to remove the risk that it could cause further damage and weaken the structure further. Scores of inter-connected piles sit on the seabed and support the pier from underneath.

“After further independent assessment, we have been advised that allowing the pier to remain open while we wait for the supporting pile to be replaced will put visitors and staff at risk.

"The safety of the public is paramount so we have closed the pier temporarily until we are satisfied that there is enough support being provided to the structure.”

The council said its contacted all the pier tenants over the potential need for closure on October 4 ahead of the final notification on October 9 that the ‘independent advice was to close the pier’.

"Since then we’ve been giving them regular updates on the situation and assisting them where we can,” they added.

The pier, built in 1862, is a grade II listed structure.

The Conservative group said ‘questions need to be asked and now answered’ about how this situation has come to pass.

A spokesperson said: ”The pier has been regularly inspected by a local engineering firm and we understand that a recent report was made this year.

"So what was in that report, what work was identified as being needed and what was or hasn't been done that led us to this awful situation and the closure of our iconic pier?

"These questions must be asked against a budget cut in the allocated budget in 2023/24 from £521,480 to 2024/25 of £364,150 – a reduction of £157,330.

"One question being asked is 'Was the drive to save money by cutting spending a contributing factor that has seen maintenance ignored or deferred and the pier put at risk?

"If so, the Labour councillors must accept full responsibility for their decision making and this unprecedented situation.

“So far, the council has not released the structural report or confirmed when the work will be done. If they are reliant on the 'spring tides' then it could be as long as late November before this is achieved and that will be subject to the prevailing weather conditions at that time.

"This not only affects the operators on the pier, but also brings into question the annual firework display from the pier on November 5, how can this now happen?”

In response, the borough council said it is ‘continuing to keep in contact with our tenants’ – as well as the Worthing Lions, ‘who are currently planning to run their annual fireworks display’ from the end of the pier on November 5.

“Teams across the council are working hard with our contractors and suppliers to get this unique and precious asset fixed and back into a safe condition so that everyone can enjoy it again,” the spokesperson added.

“We recognise the disruption the closure is causing to businesses and visitors but would stress that keeping people safe has to be our priority.”