North Pier in Blackpool named among UK's greatest piers

Introducing its list, the publisher said: “We compare the nation’s 60 seaside piers to crown a worthy champion of this fine and thoroughly British institution”.

Discussing how the list was made, it added: “What metrics? Well, everything from obvious factors such as length and age, through to the variety of amusements, facilities and food outlets.

“Our study also considers adjacent factors, such as whether a pier is still accompanied by a grand hotel of a similar Victorian vintage. The “Pier of the Year” title is also relevant, with 30 points granted for each lifting of that particular trophy”.

North Pier in Blackpool made it into the top 10 list, ranking in 6th place, and earned 400 points – here’s what The Telegraph had to say about it.

Blackpool’s North Pier among UK’s greatest

The Telegraph said: “It is all but impossible to write a piece on Britain’s piers without mentioning Blackpool. Lancashire’s great coastal resort is so stubborn a reminder of the Victorian seaside era that, as well as its Eiffel-esque Tower, with its sacred ballroom, the town still has all three of the piers which sprouted on its shoreline in the second half of the 19th century.

“While the Central Pier (1868) and the South Pier (1893) both have their delights, the North Pier is the most venerated; the only member of the trio to wear listed status (Grade II; 30 points).”

It added: “This is because it stands as the oldest remnant of Eugenius Birch’s genius. Birch was the architect responsible for 14 of Britain’s Victorian piers (including Eastbourne’s, as well as those still operating in Bournemouth, Hastings and Aberystwyth) – and with the demise of Margate Pier (built in 1855; demolished in 1998), the North Pier (opened on May 21 1863) is the grandfather of the group.

@visitblackpool Visit the North Pier with us #blackpool #tourism #visitblackpool #northpier #northpierblackpool #heritage #foryoupage #fyp ♬ Coastline - Hollow Coves

“It has other fine attributes – a range of rides (25 points); a 1,564-capacity theatre (25 points); food outlets including an ice-cream parlour (34 points) – but its heritage is its key virtue.”

It’s free to enter the North Pier and the newspaper shared some “notable highlights”: “A giddy assortment of old-fashioned treats and trinkets; among them a traditional carousel, a palm-reader – and live organ performances at the Sunset Lounge.”

You can see the full list of Britain's greatest piers via The Telegraph's website.

North Pier has a 3.6 rating on Tripadvisor, with one visitor saying: “We visited Blackpool with the grandkids to see the illustrations. North pier is my favourite because it is reminiscent of the old days. To our surprise we found a double decker carousel and it was awesome.

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“Very decorative and the attendant was quite knowledgeable about its history. We loved it and most certainly the best thing to see on the pier.”

Another visitor shared their experience: “Our favourite pier of the three. Lots of original features and character, especially the tea garden at the end. All the usual fun of the fairground, too.”

This person said: “How can you visit Blackpool and not take a stroll along one of its three piers? North Pier is a fabulous tourist relic of the Victorian Era.

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“Free to visit and walk along - though please take care as a couple of the boards were slightly rotten and slimy underfoot!

“Quiet early on a Sunday when the gate first opens, though it soon gets busy. Great views of the beach, Tower and south to the central pier. Highly recommended!”

Piers across the UK were mentioned in the list, including Llandudno Pier, Worthing Pier, Palace Pier in Brighton and more.