Birnbeck Image Slider Photo #1 Birnbeck Image Slider Photo #2 Birnbeck Image Slider Photo #3 Birnbeck Image Slider Photo #4 Birnbeck Image Slider Photo #5 Birnbeck Image Slider Photo #6 Birnbeck Image Slider Photo #7 Birnbeck Image Slider Photo #8

Welcome to the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust's website !

Birnbeck Pier, known locally as the Old Pier, stands on the North Somerset coastline at Weston-super-Mare. Built between 1864 and 1867, it is a unique structure, being the only British seaside pier that links the mainland to an island. Over its lifetime it has enjoyed mixed fortunes. In its heyday, it was the Victorian and then Edwardian equivalent of a modern theme-park, with tourist attractions such as a water slide and fairground rides. It was a major transportation link, with scheduled steam ship services arriving from and departing to destinations including Cardiff, Minehead, Ilfracombe and Lundy Island.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE LATEST BIRNBECK NEWS!

PUBLIC SAFETY WARNING - BIRNBECK PIER AND ISLAND

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR BIRNBECK FUNDRAISING EVENTS - CLICK FOR DETAILS!

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR BIRNBECK PIER FUNDRAISING/SOUVENIR ITEMS!

Birnbeck Island

The last of these sailings, by the MV Balmoral, took place in 1979. Since then, the pier has suffered a slow and steady decline in both popular attraction as well as in its general condition. Its ownership has changed a number of times, with various multi-million pound development plans being proposed on each occasion. None of these large-scale and perhaps overambitious modernisation schemes have ever come to fruition. The Birnbeck Regeneration Trust seeks a regenerated and expandable island complex, with a mix of old and new - aimed at giving the island a commercially viable future.

The Trust has long campaigned for a revival of the entire Birnbeck area. Since 2004, it has actively worked towards achieving its stated aim of:

Preserving for the benefit of the people of Weston-super-Mare, and the Nation, the natural, historical, architectural and constructional heritage of Birnbeck Pier and Island, together with associated buildings and structures, and the land and buildings adjacent and above the shoreline.

At present the Trust is still working hard with key stakeholders to help form new partnerships aimed specifically at bringing the urgently necessary conservation-based restoration and regeneration of Birnbeck Pier, the whole island including its saveable structures and the mainland buildings to a long-overdue and successful conclusion.

PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO VISIT BIRNBECK ISLAND AT WHAT SEEMS TO BE LOW TIDE. THE WATERS HERE ARE VERY DECEPTIVE AND THERE ARE UNSEEN RIPTIDES TRAVELLING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN EASILY HAPPEN TO THE UNWARY. THEY WERE VERY LUCKY. HAD THEY NOT BEEN SPOTTED THE OUTCOME OF THIS UNFORTUNATE EPISODE, ALMOST CERTAINLY, WOULD HAVE BEEN OF A DIFFERENT ORDER OF SERIOUSNESS.

Please see this RNLI RESCUE VIDEO - posted on Facebook by RNLI Weston Lifeboat Station

Please donate and help us save Birnbeck Pier:

The Birnbeck Regeneration Trust (Registered Charity No. 1103012) is entirely dependant on public support to be able to advance this project. Our recent fundraising efforts, working in conjunction with the Friends of the Old Pier Society, have been dedicated towards enabling us to commission up-to-date externally-conducted feasibility studies and structural surveys of the historically-important Birnbeck buildings and landmark structures. We also need donations to help us meet our operational costs.

Birnbeck Concept

(A conceptual vision of how Birnbeck Island might look in the future.)

You can donate any amount, large or small, via Paypal:



Please also see our Fundraising page to view our range of souvenir items and find details of various ways to donate to help support us in our efforts to get Birnbeck Pier saved for future generations to enjoy.

Birnbeck Marketing Photo #01 Birnbeck Marketing Photo #02


       Please click here to learn more about BIRNBECK PIER AND ISLAND

       Please click here to learn more about the BIRNBECK REGENERATION TRUST

       Please click here to view our BIRNBECK PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE GALLERIES

       Please click here for further details of our FORTHCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENTS

* BIRNBECK WEBCAM! *

WEB CAM

We have a webcam set up to overlook Birnbeck Island and also the surrounding Bristol Channel area. Please view it in full size on our webcam page.

Birnbeck Aerial Views

We have now embedded a number of YouTube videos featuring aerial (radio-controlled drone) footage of Birnbeck Pier and Island. You can view them here.

Our Birnbeck Team

We have now established a new body of Trustees by a process of nomination and election, and have assembled an expanded team of willing volunteers to help with our fundraising efforts in conjunction with our sister organisation, the Friends of the Old Pier Society. The names and positions of our present Trustees are listed here.

Our Facebook Page

We have a community page on Facebook for public comment and feedback about the Trust's activities. Please engage with us there and inform us of your views about both Birnbeck Pier and the project itself.

Just for Fun

Do you have a few spare minutes? Have a go at our online 'Birnbeck Pier in its heyday' jigsaw puzzle!

** CAN YOU HELP US? **

We have an ever-present need to increase the size of our team of volunteers to assist with all of our fund-raising and other activities. If you have time to spare, and would like to help the project move onwards and upwards towards its eventual ambition of saving Birnbeck Pier, please contact us via this page.

Questions and Answers?

We have now prepared a set of answers to a large number of frequently asked questions which regularly feature on social media websites and in local news publications. You can read them here on our FAQ page.

Additional Information

Links to third-party websites with content of interest relating to Birnbeck Pier and Island are listed here on our Further Information Page.

A Story from Birnbeck...

Please click here to read Paul Stephens' Birnbeck short story entitled 'On the Island'.

How to find Us:

Unfortunately our Pier View Information Centre is currently closed partly due to the present Covid crisis and partly due to the changing situation at Birnbeck. Please see our FAQ page for more details about this.

Birnbeck Map

* FUNDRAISING ITEMS *

Tea Pot

AVAILABLE NOW!

Please see our full range of Birnbeck Pier fundraising souvenir items - all available by mail order!

Birnbeck Development

Please see our Birnbeck News Page for all our latest news and updates. As this project advances, we will publish details on a stage-by-stage basis. We intend to utilise local media outlets to help advance the campaign. Please bookmark this website in your browser for easier future access.

Sponsorship

The campaign administrative team are already exploring multiple ways of raising the necessary funds to move the project forwards. Cooperative public and business support will be vital for the success of the project. Please contact us if you believe that you can help us in any meaningful way.

Our Past Supporters

A number of individuals and organisations have supported the Trust in various ways. We thank them hugely and have added their names to this page.

The Birnbeck Regeneration Trust is partnered and has been supported by:

Partners:


Pier Partners Composite Image#1

Past Awards:


Pilgrim Trust            Historic England
Tesco Bags of Help                                Weston-super-Mare Chamber of Commerce

Previous Project Contributors and Supporters:


WWR Llynch JCC Hazy Days

ICS        Imperial        Reaper Bar     MKH

Crosville Logo   365   Concept Wear

Weston Fencing

Please also see our Supporters Page for a full list of links for all of our various benefactors,
all of whom we thank hugely.