Wellington Pier

The pier was opened on 31 October 1853 and the 700-foot wooden structure cost £6,776 to build. The pier was designed by P. Ashcroft. In its first year of opening the pier was a huge success and made an impressive profit for they time of £581. Five years later a second pier was built close to the Wellington which had a very large financial effect on the profitability of the pier. By 1899 Great Yarmouth Corporation bailed out the failing business for the sum of £1,250 and had plans to improve the entertainment and amusement of the pier. On 13 July 1903 a new Pavilion was opened and a failed Winter gardens was bought from Torquay and was incorporated into the design of the pier.
In the early 1970s, the pier was substantially strengthened with major steelwork renovations. It was leased from the local council by entertainer Jim Davidson in 1996. He invested around £750,000 of his own money; this was spent on the inside, but the outside was left as neither the lottery nor local projects would fund it. The theatre stood empty until it was partially demolished in early 2005. By late 2005 the front part of the pier has been totally re-developed as an amusement arcade. Between 2005 and 2010 shows were held at the theatre starring Jim Davidson and Bradley Walsh and featured support vocalists such as Tracy Dean.

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