Talk:Pier

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Contents

[edit] Bridge?

When is a pier a bridge? Birnbeck Pier - "It's the only pier in the world which is joined to an island, and it's one of the oldest piers in the country." Paul E. Ester 19:54, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Size matters

So which IS the smallest pleasure pier in Britain? we have two claims on this article, Cleethorpes and Burnham, and one of these official sites (Burnham, I think) mentions another that is even shorter!. Discuss. Lynbarn 23:16, 1 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Point of View Dispute

Archived POV dispute as resolved.Paul E. Ester 15:19, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Talk

Pier really is only used for entertainment piers in some forms of English? Where, and what are the ones used for shipping (or ferries, etc.) called there? Niteowlneils 00:45, 8 Nov 2004 (UTC)

And are they really also limited to ones on salt water? What would ones on large lakes or rivers be called? Niteowlneils 00:47, 8 Nov 2004 (UTC)
Your right I think, a pier is just something that sticks out over water and is supported by piles or pillars[1]. Some the early recreationaly piers were refered to as 'promenading piers', but even then they were often also used for feries. The Liverpool ferries used to run summers services to Landudno and Southport piers[2].--Jirate 00:58, 2004 Nov 8 (UTC)

[edit] Number of UK piers

I suspect the National Piers Society is only interested in piers above a minimum length, and this is why its total is less than the other figure quoted. The Society doesn't, for example, include in its list the small pier at Harwich. Barnabypage 15:26, 30 October 2005 (UTC)


I'm not sure this is correct: "The National Piers Society gives a figure of 55 surviving seaside piers in England and Wales.[1] These include piers at:" Since when was 'Wigan' on the seaside?? Wigan Pier, as famous as it is, is on the Leeds/Liverpool canal. Perhaps this quote should be altered? Maybe just remove the word 'seaside'?

  Burlster 10:41, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Images

There is a long white space in the middle of the page after the first section. At least in my viewing, with IE. Can somebody fix this? I tried, but it just made it look uglier. User:Zoe|(talk) 18:33, 25 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Which Pier

Does anyone recognize this UK pier? Image:Pier_in_uk.jpg --Paul E. Ester 15:01, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

That image is of Bangor Pier, in North Wales. It has recently been fully restored, after being bought - by the the local authority - for one penny, and with help from Lottery grants.
Regards Lynbarn 08:20, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Other uses

Is a pier necessarily over water? For example, I think the word is also used in connection with airports (as in, an elevated, strechted building with entrance to the gates). If so, the terminology in for example Schiphol_Airport#Terminals_and_destinations is incorrect (probably to literally translated from Dutch then) and should be changed. Otherwise, perhaps this article could be extended with a small notice. --CompuChip 16:52, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wigan Pier?

I'm not sure that Wigan should be included here as the location of a pier. Whilst Wigan Pier does exist, as a nightclub, visitor attraction, it is really more a canal side rather than as defined by this article.

Quoting from Wigan Archeological Society:

Wigan Pier is a joke - isn't it?

Not quite! A "pier", in this context, is a device for tipping the contents of coal trucks onto canal boats. There were once many such devices in the Wigan area. "Wigan Pier" is situated on the Leeds-Liverpool canal near the centre of the town. Around it grew a series of associated warehouses. The "joke" is thought to have originated in a music hall act performed by George Formby Senior in which he talked of Wigan Pier in the same terms as the seaside pleasure piers in nearby Blackpool and Southport.

Just wondered what others think. Regards, Lynbarn 12:19, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

Glad to see that I have caused a little controversy! Wigan Pier, and many others like it, were the original piers pre-dated the tourist forms we usually think of. These tourist piers have their origins as a functional and operating area for boats/ships to moor eg. the piers on the River Mersey for the famous Ferry. Most Piers these days are tourist attractions, as is Wigan Pier. I think Wigan Pier fits the bill perfectly.
As for the Night Club, that is just called Wigan Pier and happens to be a building on the opposite side of the water from the actual Wigan Pier building, but just down from the actual site of "Wigan Pier". Out of interest, at the turn of the last century, postcards were produced for "Wigan-by-the-Sea"!
Nothing I like more than a little controversy! ;) - The first line of the Pier article states A pier is a raised walkway over water, supported by widely spread piles or pillars. Nothing to do with the tourist era use. Which of these fit the bill at Wigan? If none, then either Wigan Pier has to go (although it doesn't have one yet, Wigan Pier could probably justify an article of its own on Wikipedia) - or we have to change the definition we're using!
By the way, how far from the sea is Wigan? Lynbarn 13:19, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

I believe that Wigan Pier has been called Wigan Pier since it was built in the 18th Century. This pre-dates many many of the current piers such as Blackpool North/South/Central and Brighton, etc. Wigan Pier does not quite fit the description, therefore I believe the definition might need to be changed. I also believe that there used to be many other buildings on canals that were also once called Piers....I might put in an argument for Piers Morgan.

I've already set up a Wigan Pier page... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigan_Pier Contributions welcome.

Wigan is about 23 miles away from the sea...but (nearly) connected by the Leeds-Liverpool canal (best thing out of Yorkshire in the 18th Century)...soon will be connected when they join it up at Liverpool.

Good start with the Wigan Pier article. As for Piers Morgan? - he already has a page, here! Lynbarn 08:09, 24 May 2007 (UTC)
Furthermore, I've added the following although unrelated page World_Pie_Eating_Championship