South Pier

The South Pier, one of Blackpool’s trio of iconic piers, stands alongside its counterparts, the Central and North Piers. Although today it is known as South Pier, when it first opened in 1893, it was named the Victoria Pier. The pier was designed by architect T.P. Worthington and is the youngest of Blackpool’s three piers, despite its age. It was commissioned by the Blackpool South Shore Pier & Pavilion Co. Ltd., with construction starting in 1892 and costing £50,000, a considerable sum at the time. The pier officially opened to the public on Good Friday in 1893, becoming an instant attraction for visitors to the bustling seaside resort.

The original Victoria Pier stretched 429 feet out into the Irish Sea and was much more than a simple promenade. It boasted 36 shops, offering visitors a variety of goods and refreshments, as well as a bandstand that hosted live music performances, a key feature in the pier’s entertainment offering. The centrepiece of the pier was the Grand Pavilion, a large and opulent entertainment venue that opened a few weeks later on May 20th, 1893. The pavilion became a hub for performances and events, further solidifying the pier’s place in Blackpool’s social and cultural life. Though it has undergone numerous changes and redevelopments over the years, including the eventual renaming to South Pier, its rich history continues to attract visitors. From its origins in the Victorian era, designed to cater to the burgeoning tourist trade, the pier has remained a key attraction in Blackpool, a testament to the town’s long-standing tradition of seaside entertainment.