- Colwyn Bay Pier is in Conwy, Wales.
- Victoria Pier, partially restored
- Check access, weather and local guidance before travelling.
About Colwyn Bay Pier
Colwyn Bay's Victoria Pier is a Grade II listed pier on the North Wales coast, partially restored after a century of fires, storms and decline. The original Edwardian pier was largely demolished in 2018, but a truncated reincarnation reopened in 2021 reusing its surviving ironwork.
The story of Colwyn Bay Pier
Victoria Pier was designed by Mangnall and Littlewood of Manchester and built by the Widnes Iron Foundry and William Brown & Sons, opening on 1 June 1900 to a length of 220 feet with a 2,500-seat pavilion. It was extended in 1903 to 227 metres, and a 600-seat Bijou Theatre was added in 1916. The main pavilion burned down in 1922 and was rebuilt the following year by the pier's new owners, the local council. In 1933 the pavilion was destroyed by fire once more, and just two months later a separate blaze wrecked the Bijou Theatre; a replacement pavilion opened in 1934. The pier changed hands several times and fell into long decline. A storm in 2017 — Storm Doris — caused large portions to collapse into the sea, and the final section was demolished on 30 May 2018. A restoration programme led by Conwy County Borough Council reused the nine surviving cast-iron columns in their original 3-by-3 arrangement and refurbished 74 of the 99 recovered balustrade panels, reopening the pier in July 2021 at a truncated 43 metres while retaining its Grade II listed status.
Visiting with care
The restored pier is open year-round and offers views along Colwyn Bay, though it no longer reaches the sea at its shortened length. It sits on the town's promenade, convenient for the beach and the Welsh Coastal Way, and is a modest but genuine piece of Colwyn Bay's seaside heritage.
Interesting facts
- Designed by Mangnall and Littlewood of Manchester, opening on 1 June 1900 with a 2,500-seat pavilion.
- The main pavilion burned down in 1922 and again in 1933, with the Bijou Theatre lost to a separate blaze two months later.
- Storm Doris in 2017 caused large portions to collapse, and the final section was demolished in May 2018.
- Reopened in July 2021 at 43 metres, reusing the nine original cast-iron columns and retaining Grade II listing.
Getting there
Parking and access details — check locally for the latest information.