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Teignmouth Grand Pier in Devon has been around since 1867. In those 159 years, it has survived two world wars and countless storms, so is well used to taking a battering. But last weekend’s Storm Ingrid proved to be a tempest too far.
The end of the pier collapsed and was washed away to sea on Saturday (January 24) during the intense storm. Teignmouth National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) shared pictures of the damaged pier and warned locals that it ‘never seen [the sea] this rough before’.
Teignmouth’s mayor Cate Williams told Sky News: ‘[The pier] goes out for a bit and then effectively there is a portion of it that has just washed away, dissolved, and then you have another little bit of the structure that is still standing.
‘The arcade aspect to it, the games, are used by residents and visitors of all ages, so it’s a really important feature. It stands out. As we know, at seaside resorts those with piers are very few and far between, so the fact we have it here is something that we appreciate and enjoy.’
The pier is privately owned by a family, so the council doesn’t have the power to immediately repair and renovate it. In a post on social media immediately after the storm, the owner’s said that it had been a ‘dreadful night’.
In a later update the owner said: ‘We are fully aware that the cosmetic appearance of the pier isn’t perfect; however, the reality is that constant structural maintenance over the last decade is what has allowed Grand Pier Teignmouth to remain standing, despite the recent loss of a section of the deck due to Storm Ingrid. That unseen work has enabled us to fight another day, and we continue to do everything we can to protect the pier.’
The strong winds and powerful waves in Teignmouth also damaged benches, flower beds and paving stones near the seafront. Nearby, a sea wall that was protecting the railway line in Dawlish partially collapsed, meaning services are currently suspended between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth.
Teignmouth Pier said that it’ll release a statement today (January 26) to provide more detail on its current decision, how it plans to crowdfund for the repairs and who it’ll be working with to restore the landmark.
Plus: Agatha Christie’s old British seaside cinema is getting a second life.
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