BCP COUNCIL has taken in more than £1m in ticket sales from Bournemouth Pier, figures obtained by the Echo show. 

The local authority currently charges adults £1.65 and children £1.35 to enter the pier between Easter and October 31. 

An Echo Freedom of Information request has revealed this year more than 164,000 tickets were sold, bringing in £219k. 

Last year, that figure was 190,000 resulting in £245k of revenue, 2022 saw 156,000 tickets sold bringing in £218k and in 2021, £236k was brought in from 173,000 tickets being sold. 

In 2020, the council only made £129k from the 93,000 ticket sales – a drop because the toll was closed until July 1 due to Covid restrictions.

Bournemouth PierBournemouth Pier (Image: Stephen Bath)

Since the 2023 season, BCP Council introduced a season ticket – available for one person at a cost of £5.50 - and sold 2,155 in its first year and 2,092 this year. 

In total, £1,049,250 has been made in revenue since 2020.

BCP Council said the money made from ticket sales – which is reviewed annually – is spent on health and safety priorities and staffing costs. 

Revenue is not split with Openwide, the operator of the pier, a spokesman said. 

Meanwhile, engineering design and tender documentation for the scheduled refurbishment is currently being prepared and the council expects this to go out to tender in a few weeks. 

BCP Council said it doesn’t anticipate a significant impact from the nearly £10m worth of structural repair work on the ticket sales. 

Richard Herrett, cabinet member for destination, leisure and commercial operations, said: “We are looking forward to this vital refurbishment supported by the Levelling Up fund.  

“Work is scheduled to start in spring 2025 and will mainly reinforce the foundations of the pier.  

“This project will help enable our wonderful pier to continue to be an attraction for visitors and residents for years to come.” 

Completed in 1880 at a cost of £21,600, Bournemouth Pier was a marvel of engineering at the time. 

But over the years, weather and a battering from the sea has left much of the structure weakened and in need of major work. 

Residents had previously hit out at the "dreadful" state of the pier over damage to the landing stages, stairs and fenders. 

The council said although it is difficult to accurately predict the lifespan of the pier with its current problems, work to the timber could increase this by 15 to 20 year and 25 to 30 years for the concrete.