AN ICONIC English pleasure pier has been forced to close while “essential works” take place this month.
The seaside structure shut today but is expected to reopen soon.
Weymouth Pleasure Pier will be closed for two weeks while essential surfacing repairs are carried out.
A refurbishment of the beach access steps is also set to take place during this period, while the new handrails will be finished off too.
Dorset Council has said that the beach access will be open in time for the town’s annual Ironman event, which will take place on Sunday, September 20.
News of the closure was shared via the council’s Facebook page in a post that read: “A reminder that the Weymouth Pleasure Pier will be closed for two weeks from Monday 7 September while surfacing works are completed along the wall.”
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It continued: “The beach access steps at the end of the wall will also be closed during this period to enable refurbishment works and completion of the new handrails.
“The beach access steps will be reopened ahead of the Ironman event taking place in Weymouth.
The council thanked residents for their “understanding and cooperation” while the essential works are carried out.
Weymouth Pleasure Pier was previously closed for seven weeks between June and July for more “essential maintenance”.
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The site was shut down over the summer months to replace failing harbour walls and safeguard the seafront for the future.
The repairs are part of a wider plan in place to address longstanding deterioration in the seafront defences around the peninsula.
Other problem areas including corrosion and voids behind existing harbour walls, and small sinkholes near footpaths also cropped up in investigations.
Previous repair work to the structures was last completed in 1970, meaning they were no longer viable for withstanding pressure from rising sea levels and more frequent storm surges.
Work has been carried out to strengthen the existing structures to ensure they can serve their purpose for decades to come.