News & Media

31st March 2025

RESTORATION OF ICONIC NORTH EAST PIERS ENTERS FINAL PHASE

North and South Piers Restoration Enters Final PhaseThe Grade II listed North and South Piers in Tynemouth and South Shields are now in the final phase of a £4.5 million restoration, following significant storm damage caused by Storm Babet in October 2023.High waves and extreme winds damaged stone walls, handrails, paving, and both historic lighthouses. The Port of Tyne, custodian of the piers, has led the repair effort with a commitment to restoring these iconic coastal landmarks.Following a winter pause due to weather, restoration work has resumed, including the replacement of specialist granite stonework on the North Pier.The Port thanks the public for their patience and urges everyone to respect safety closures to avoid further delays. Completion is expected before winter 2025, weather permitting.

The iconic North and South piers (located in Tynemouth and South Shields) are now entering the final phase of a £4.5 million restoration project.

The Grade II listed piers have been undergoing essential repairs and structural enhancements, after being badly damaged during Storm Babet in October 2023.

Wave heights of up to 9 metres and winds of up to 70 knots saw large sections of stone walls, handrails, block paving, and coping stones washed into the sea. Steps and pavements, as well as both lighthouses, were also impacted.

The piers play a crucial role in guiding vessels safely into the River Tyne and have long been iconic landmarks for generations of local residents and visitors. Their owner and custodian, the Port of Tyne, has led the restoration project, with a commitment to restoring the piers to their former glory.

Work has now begun on the final phase of the project, after a planned pause during the winter season when weather conditions make it unsafe to work in such close proximity to the sea. A lot of progress has been made so far, and this phase will see specialist granite stonework from Portugal being replaced on the North Pier.

The Port of Tyne would like to thank the public for their patience and understanding throughout this process and are calling on the local community to support the necessary closures in the interests of safety, to protect both the public and the contractors working on site. Unauthorised access to the piers has unfortunately caused delays to the project so far, and the Port is keen to avoid this moving into this important final phase.

Graeme Hardie, Operations Director at the Port of Tyne, said: “We are pleased to begin work on the final phase of repairing the piers that were damaged in Storm Babet back in 2023. As we move into the final phase, we are committed to engaging with the local community to find ways to protect and preserve the piers for the long term. We appreciate the community’s support and understanding as we work towards reopening the piers. I want to remind the community that live construction sites pose significant safety risks, and we ask everyone to respect barriers and signage. We look forward to completing these works so everyone can start to enjoy the piers again.”

Completion of the restoration project is anticipated before winter 2025, subject to weather conditions and closure guidelines being followed. The Port of Tyne will continue to keep the local community updated on the progress of this final stage of the project.

For more information on the Port of Tyne, visit www.portoftyne.co.uk/