- Boscombe Pier is in Dorset, England.
- Check access, weather and local guidance before travelling.
About Boscombe Pier
Boscombe Pier is a modest, modernised pier in the Bournemouth conurbation, known for its surf reef and art installations along the deck. It is quieter than Bournemouth Pier and popular with walkers and surfers.
The story of Boscombe Pier
A pier was first proposed at Boscombe in 1884 but the present pier was opened in 1904, built by the Bournemouth Corporation to serve the growing Boscombe estate as a promenade pier. The pier was shortened after storm damage in the 1920s and again during the Second World War when the seaward end was removed to deter enemy landings. In 2008 the pier was renovated and reopened with a modern entrance building and art installations along the deck. An artificial surf reef was installed offshore in 2009, the first in the UK, though it was largely unsuccessful and decommissioned in 2011.
Visiting with care
Open year-round and free to walk, the pier is a calm, uncrowded alternative to Bournemouth Pier with views along the coast and access to the sandy beach. The Boscombe Surf Reef area is popular with surfers and the pier is part of the Bournemouth coastal path.
Interesting facts
- Opened in 1904 by Bournemouth Corporation as a promenade pier.
- Shortened after storm damage and again during the Second World War.
- Renovated in 2008 with a modern entrance and deck art installations.
- An artificial surf reef was installed offshore in 2009, the first in the UK.
Getting there
Parking and access details — check locally for the latest information.