St Anne's Pier

Lytham St Annes has long had a reputation of being a quieter alternative to nearby Blackpool, and this is reflected to some extent with the pier. In its current form, the pier has a distinctly delicate and attractive presence on the beach, largely enhanced by its unique arched support beams. The entrance is guarded by a Victorian toll building (no toll operates today), of a mock-tudor design which is very unusual for a pier. Behind it is an amusements building, of steel construction and built in 1953. Due to it being from the early post-war era, it is very utilitarian in appearance but seems functional enough. This section contains some amusements, a cafe and toilets. Beyond this is an extension to the amusements, more of a narrow hall arrangement, and built in c.1958, again in steel. A refurbishment of this area, sometime in the last 30 years, enhanced its appearance, with semi-traditional moulding on the exterior, and a series of interesting outdoor balconies. The amusement halls are very noisy, as expected, but the balconies were locked shut at this time, preventing amusement-haters from seeking refuge from the noise until they get to the end. Approaching the end of the amusements is a pinboard of historic photographs and articles of the pier, which was very interesting to see. Here you will find that the pier was once much longer, since shortened by fires in 1974 and 1982. Getting outside onto the deck brings about a great sense of relief, as it is surprisingly quiet and peaceful there. The seaward deck is just about long enough to fully experience the views, and is quite a pleasant place to be. It is just a shame that the amusements take the full width of the deck, commanding you to go through again, when you want to leave.

Update 2024: This review was originally written in 2018 and I proceeded to complain about the concerning condition of the pier's substructure, which at that time saw structurally compromised bracing and falling debris. A careful analysis of recent photographs shows that much of this substructure has since been replaced by the owners; the pier is therefore in a very good condition today. The seaward decking appears to have had some additional work and both deck kiosks are fully restored and in use. I congratulate the owners and look forward to seeing the improvements for myself.