End of the pier: Restored Cleethorpes gem goes under the hammer

It may rank among the nation’s shortest piers, but Cleethorpes pier is worth its weight in gold to thousands of people who have spent their summer holidays promenading along it with their nearest and dearest.

Now the North East Lincolnshire pier could be yours, provided you can meet the asking price and show you have an in-depth knowledge of the leisure sector.

Cleethorpes pier has been put up for sale by its current owners, who have played a heroic role in transforming its fortunes

The pier, which was built in 1873, was once 1.200 ft long. Its size was reduced by storm damage and wartime austerity, and it later passed through the hands of a series of owners who struggled to re-capture its grandeur. Its future seemed bleak, until Bryan Huxford and his family bought the pier two years ago.

They have spent between £3m and £3.5m renovating the structure, and turning it into the sort of attraction our Victorian ancestors would have been proud of. It even triumphed in the 2016 Pier of the Year awards, but the Huxfords believe their work is done.

Mr Huxford said: “I understand that there will be some who see this decision to sell as yet another failure for the pier, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

“I have achieved what I set out to do in bringing this beautiful building back to life and giving local residents something to be proud of.

“However, as a successful businessman I know that you should play to your strengths. Unfortunately, I am not at the right time in life to start to learn a new industry, but despite that, and my lack of experience in the food and drink sector, we have already shown what a success the pier can be. So, in the right hands, I am confident that this business will continue to flourish.

“This has never been about making lots of money, so the priority is in finding the right buyer – one who gives me the confidence to know that I am placing the pier and its future in safe hands that will ensure longevity of success.”

The National Piers Society, which presented Cleethorpes pier with the Pier of the Year award earlier this year, said it was “very surprised” to learn that it had been put up for sale so soon after renovations had been completed.

A spokesman said: “ We would like to salute Bryan Huxford, his family and associates for the magnificent work they have carried out since 2013 to rescue Cleethorpes

pier from oblivion, not only inside the pavilion but on the all-important foundations beneath it. The pier has become a must visit destination and has had a transforming effect on the resort as a whole.

“The current owners are leaving the pier in exceptionally good order and we have no doubt that it will attract plenty of interest from potential purchasers.”

A spokesman for the Huxford family said they were not disclosing the asking price . The agents instructed to handle the sale of the pier are Andrew Watt of CBRE and Carl Bradley of Clark Weightman. For more information call Andrew Watt on 0113 394 8819

• Cleethorpes Pier opened on August 4 1873. Around 2,800 people paid the then enormous sum of 4d - or 6d for bath and sedan chairs - to visit the pier on the opening day, following which the toll was reduced to 1d.

Over the next five weeks the number of visitors totalled 37,000, the majority travelling by rail , according to research from the National Piers Society.

Local residents were not amused by the new arrivals. At the time, the shocked locals complained of “an influx of the great unwashed, including young men dancing together and smoking small black pipes.”