Abandoned Birnbeck Pier Weston-super-Mare Extreme Low Tide Explore 2015

[@1joannabullen]

Totally enchanting. I've always wanted to do this! Thanks so much for taking the time to make a brilliant, explorative video that people such as myself can enjoy without killing themselves!!!!

[@sandpit72]

Sadly people go over without knowing the tides, I would only operate in a 2 hour window, 1 hour before & 1 hour after spring low waters I would be on my way back to mainland, much safer.

[@dnlmk_1638]

sandpit72 or maybe the 24 hour overnight challenge? ;)

[@rm1620]

@@sandpit72 trust me that pier has gotten much much worse you think that's broken wait till you see it now

[@sandpit72]

@@dnlmk_1638 Would only need to around 10 hours but would be awesome to sit out the high tide, problem is people phone the lifeboats so staying out of view of the mainland would be an idea.

[@marieholmes]

Thank you for making a fantastic video. It bought back happy memories from the 70s when our family walked on the pier in the evenings. There was a pub at the end of the pier and a carriage display near to the lifeboat station. It was an enchanting place and slightly spooky to us kids at night.

[@bruz602]

What happen to the bridge that was torn up?

[@Pjs75]

As a child I was often taken by my Dad, for trips aboard paddle steamers (of the ‘White Funnel Fleet’ of P&A Campbell), from this pier (known locally as the’ Old Pier’, to differentiate it from the newer ‘Grand Pier’ in the bay). The 40 foot rise and fall of the tide sometimes made berthing interesting. We puffed across to piers and docks in Cardiff, Penarth and Barry in South Wales, along the Somerset coast for visits to Clevedon Pier, sometimes making trips down the Bristol Channel coast to Devon, such as into Ilfacombe Harbour or meeting offshore, for passenger transfers by tender, at Lynton. The magic of steam power, together with the gleaming lifeboat held ready for launching down the ramp, at the lifeboat station on this unique Victorian age pier - it is all now derelict, defunct and damaged. A shadow of my past.

[@shaleshiftersvintagespeedw2291]

I have just read a couple of crime novels set in Weston, both involving the old pier. Therefore great to get a chance to see it. Excellent film.

[@keithshaw3941]

Wow, what a super video . Delighted that someone has made such a visual record of what is, and maybe promoted thought as to what could be. I have joined 'The Friends of the Old Pier Society' who are working to raise awareness with a view to possible long term restoration, in the meantime some stabilisation to prevent further deterioration is urgently needed. The view from the Old Pier are way ahead of those from the New' Pier.

[@RachelLouiseSwann]

I was staying at a hotel in Knightstone in 2015 and was both excited to see Birnbeck Pier still in sight, though low in the sea of course. I think it is a real shame that the pier was not saved. The 'new' Grand Pier is great, but lacks the soul of the old one, and I don't know....there was something really cool and old worldy about Birnbeck Pier - I walked on it as a child around 35-40 years ago. Thank you so much for this amazing video.

[@owood6512]

They should knock the old pier down, but rebuild the whole thing and replicate the pier in its prime (more modern however). Every current building to be replicated but made slightly bigger, and introduce new buildings to fill the space and make it more profitable. A new RNLI station should be built as well as the pier, and a walkway, if possible, should be made from the Grand Pier to the Birndeck Pier. Would give real soul to that area again, but it’s unlikely since the Grand Pier is already successful.

[@RachelLouiseSwann]

@@owood6512 Your idea is fantastic - a walkway between the two piers would be immense! But as the council didn't even apply (as far as I know) for lottery funds of £23 mn to save Birnbeck Pier, I don't think they would undertake such a project. I think the new Grand Pier (2010) is nice, but doesn't quite have the 'soul' of the 1930s original. Does anyone else feel this way?

[@nyeevans13]

Love this film, never knew Weston was so magical. Living in Barry I've often gazed across at the lights on the horizon. There is a similar place near Aberthaw, the abandoned boys village.

[@ransomedavis2208]

haha we also gaze across at the night time lights coming from you neighbour.

[@kieranclements528]

I've looked out at the lights over the other side from both Weston and Barry both really nice views

[@stonedsavage7814]

​@@kieranclements528 as a barry boy who lived near weston I prefer weston. Then again I had many of my dates on the grand pier

[@gregmardell6653]

I used to go on here in the 1970's it had a nice little bar called The Paddle Steamer Tavern.

[@harrystevens3885]

Me too. nice bar, sad to see it in this state, the BBC can waste a 110 million of tax payers money but we cant find some coin for this old lady.

[@bruz602]

So why is the bridge all torn up?

[@philgrove73]

great video, such a shame to see how bad it has become. really appreciate the risk you took to bring this footage, i can only view from a distance or from my drone.

[@billybollockhead5628]

Amazing that it's not been open in over 30 years, but the Walls ice cream logo looks kinda new still!

[@justgetonwithit9527]

Great video. Very interesting, thanks for uploading.

[@grantgreenham2834]

Brilliant video!

[@artiexr222]

Awesome upload thanks for taking the risks to document the pier.

[@MrPutrifyingEagor]

Great Video! Thanks for posting this! Ive often wondered about carrying out this journey myself, to be honest it is a dodgy thing to do due to the unpredictable tides! So fair play to you! I think from memory there are only a couple of times a year you can too this! Thanks again, such a great shame this has been allowed to happen.

[@SilverfoxJB]

I spent so much of my young life playing around this area. So f**king sad to see what has become of the pier.I cannot understand what the owners are doing just letting it rot. Why not sell it, give somebody a chance to rescue it. Although I fear it is already too late. But imagine what a great hotel it could be!

[@dodderss]

Silverfox there was a fire on it so it was cheaper just to build another pier closer to where everyone was

[@AC61.]

They did sell it at one point but the new owners couldn’t get planning permission to build what they wanted to so sold it off to the RNLI who have insufficient funds to restore it.

[@stephenperry4774]

Great video. We’re visiting WSM at the moment and have been looking longingly at this wondering what it’s like there. Now we know. Really interesting.

[@ziggypop79]

Fascinating. Went on there with family in 1988 or 89, when the bar was still in operation.

[@ransomedavis2208]

Great stuff, its bigger than what it looks and i bet at night creepy as hell no squatters out there lol i love history especially local. thankyou for doing this.

[@speleokeir]

Sad the state it's in now. I was born in Clevedon, grew up in Nailsea and remember going on the pier as a kid. For me it's doubly sad that after Clevedon pier was finally restored after 20 years of not having a final section then Birnbeck fell into disrepair.

[@angelsone-five7912]

Smashing film mate, almost like being there in person. Has the island lost some buildings in recent years? Thanks for posting.

[@blgarage9519]

Hazel Brooks i think the walkway collapsed in storm

[@SkinweedCorp]

General B.C. Beauregard yh it look like that on google maps

[@AC61.]

@@amberh6685 it didn’t set on fire that was the old version of the grand pier.brnbeck just got old and was partly destroyed in a storm

[@Runner6970]

Great shame , Far worse state than 18 months ago , Even the RNLI have left . Great video for the records . .

[@mattschannel1502]

I used to fish from birnbeck as a kid! The jetty used to sway In wind! It was great fishing though

[@martinnightingale6033]

So sad to see places like this falling into such disrepair. You constantly hear such and such are going to repair/develop . But it never seems to happen does it . But on the other hand it lends itself to photography . Love the colours of the rust and age thrust upon it by time and tide . Got to admit Ive probably used toilets in worse condition than those haha .

[@DarkHoodness]

There was a news item about this today, so I looked it up out of curiosity. (Also, yay for urbex!) The owners have been issued a repair order, but it makes me wonder how they'll repair it, considering what state it's in... And it's probably in an even worse state today. The sea really hasn't been kind to it. :\

[@michaelrussell3890]

Was down that way a couple of weeks ago. Why are there life rings (which look pretty new) on a derelict pier where people aren't actually supposed to go?

[@Kay1703]

The RNLI used to be there until recently, they have moved now as it just isn't safe

[@michaelsargeant5897]

I was based at RAF Locking in 1980 loved spending time there so sad to see what’s happened to it since then makes me feel really sad hope it can be brought back to life but given the state of the economy probably end up been demolished

[@olliejacobs5974]

I’m on holiday in western I’m 11 years old and I’m interested in the Place

[@mrplow5715]

I love your video I remember going on pier

[@markedwards4764]

I used to live in Weston and catch the bus to here it had a great skateboard park on it !

[@julieharris7624]

I can remember working there, when they held Banquets. 1970s I think.

[@fuzmaginty5822]

Awesome thanks 😊

[@sarahstrong7174]

If they made the island nice people would go on boat trips to visit it. They could have some attractions there. A cafe & entertainment venue, a petting zoo for the kids. Thankyou fo sharing your explore.

[@Gwril76]

Great video. Very interesting !

[@123boat]

Great video 👍😃

[@rachaelclarke9951]

Was this pier in use in the early ninetees?

[@Weston4390]

Very interesting video

[@nataliaozga5481]

Hi Steve 😉

[@ryanstephenkristoferkearns1319]

I just hope it gets restored soon.

[@dulciemargaretcolton145]

Such a terrible shame to let this go to ruin when it had such an active amazing past. Would take about 2million to get it restored to it's best.😢

[@kkrispy2009P]

Wow amazing pier think if it got fixed up

[@austin12ascot]

Why did they build that concrete monstrosity in front of that beautiful building?

[@stuartkeen5234]

Was that the remains of a theatre organ I see there?

[@DroneHDTV]

Hi, is it possible to use a couple of clips from your video for my drone video? I will give credit back to your channel

[@kernow..exp.]

Wow would love to explore that place

[@Fowwista]

Was this where the fire was in 2010? Then they built it elsewhere it is this a completely different pier to the original grand pier

[@sandpit72]

Different Pier.

[@Sof1a510]

This is Birnbeck pier, Birnbeck Road, by the old toll road now the road to Kewstoke

[@Sof1a510]

The fire was in 2008

[@gavlarfpv7841]

Thx for sharing, 🤙🏻

[@PixiesChannel12345]

Shame they can't restore the old [eir looks so derelict.

[@ignorethefact790]

I think it was abandoned cause of high tides that we having now so that's why they made another pier (depending if they were made same time idk about this kind of history)

[@Sof1a510]

Grand pier (New pier) Was built in the 1930s, Birnbeck Pier (Old Pier) was still being used then the old pier was used until the 1990s. Sadly in 2008, the new pier burnt down so they rebuilt the new pier. In 2008 the RNLI stopped using old pier because it was too dangerous.

[@melowone6104]

What air line is flying there ' .

[@nialloconnell5895]

It's on the flightpath for Bristol airport, about 6 miles away. Mostly Easyjet and Ryanair.

[@reallyrebecca8332]

Oh my gosh had a drive yesterday to look at that. I'm 13 and really interested. I want to actually see the fire. I mean😪

[@juliataylor2623]

In a kids imagination this is Attilan, that little chunk of Atlantis that remained above the surface.

[@rachaelclarke9951]

Very interesting and very depressing

[@stevede1766]

WOW that kinda brings it all home ,the coffin doggers we call the town councelors and english heritage should hang there heads in utter shame given they hold responsebilty for the site .HOW THE HELL HAS IT GOT LIKE THAT given that there has been various offers to re generate the site ,but im guessing it would interfere with there alternate objective whatever the hell that is that includes the one called elven ap reese now theres a case who knows how to wreck this town UTTER DISGRACE

[@reallyrebecca8332]

I'd love to walk across there if it was rebuilt and I'd ask my mom.

[@MrICR5]

I know exactly how it's got like that... because people spend their money/holiday abroad instead of in the UK.

[@5coldplay]

How did you not get caught

[@sandpit72]

+The Gaming King Guess I must be a lucky guy :)

[@5coldplay]

I'd love to do that! Was it good?

[@sandpit72]

+The Gaming King : Yep ;)

[@bong3202]

No security guy who owns it lives in Dubai and sells property in London left for ages

[@sandpit72]

@@bong3202 Was security when I went over in 2015, you will notice him in red at 12.35

[@paulmccarthy6971]

That looked like dead low water

[@ljt47exploring64]

Seen alot better days that's for sure

[@reddwarf1234]

nice such a shame beyond repair now. could do so much on there if someone spent some money on it

[@COPY_CAT_98]

hope you didn't get in trouble

[@sandpit72]

No, all good.

[@RickPeake01]

Ten million pounds ..all done up.....Michele mone....60 million pounds ...we've all been done up...like kippers...

[@elleanarose3637]

Hey my town 😂

[@hannahtattoo]

When did the pier actually stop being used? Someone mentioned a fire. Was this the nail in the coffin?

[@Sof1a510]

1990s

[@bigcozysnek]

I’m a year late but yes there was a fire and it was cheaper to build a new pier than repair it sadly.

[@oliverharris9410]

@@bigcozysnek there wasn’t a fire, the fire was at the new pier in 2008, then they rebuilt that one, this was just abandoned

[@bigcozysnek]

@@oliverharris9410 oh thanks for correcting me, i had no idea

[@fighto-br]

*I have seen this*

[@CaskMusic1]

You didn't even try the abandoned piano?! 😂 Nice vid otherwise

[@sianeggins]

There was just a fire

[@reallyrebecca8332]

Yeah that's how it burned. People think that it's insurance people who set it alight but then again,we don't know...

[@AC61.]

There wasn’t a fire

[@AC61.]

It just became derelict and unsafe

[@sianeggins]

It's not abondt