THE Mayor of Weston-super-Mare and the leader of North Somerset Council said the announcement for more funding for Birnbeck Pier “reinstated pride” and “sends a message”.

Mayor councillor John Crockford-Hawley and the leader of North Somerset Council Mike Bell both attended the announcement event at the pier yesterday (Monday, October 28).

Weston MP Dan Aldridge also attended the event.

The Mayor said: “I think it reinstated pride in this end of the town. It’s the last piece of the jigsaw.

“Improvements have been made and this is the final bit. This shows there is more than hope, there is faith.”

Cllr Mike Bell said the announcement will contribute in “investing and creating jobs in Weston for businesses to come here and grow”.

The works will also “send a message” to the Weston area after people had to “see something that was an eyesore for years”.

He also added: “We have been working very hard with external partners like the National Lottery so it [the cost] does not fall on the taxpayers and council services do not suffer from it.”

The pier has been awarded a £10m lifeline by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The project, led by North Somerset Council in partnership with the RNLI, will help restore the Grade II* Listed pier structure, which is on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, to make it safe and usable once again.

Local people have also been important to the campaign to save the pier.

This includes organisations such as the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust and Friends of the Old Pier.