Penarth Pavilion
HISTORY.
After opening, in 1898 the pier became the subject of a painting by artist Arthur Atkins. In 1907, a small "Concert Party" theatre was built at the far end of the pier.
In 1929, the pier was sold to Penarth Borough Council. As a result, a new concrete landing stage was built at the seaward end, and in 1930 a spectacular Art Deco pavilion, built of ferro-concrete, at the shoreward end.
On August Bank Holiday 1931, a fire broke out in the wooden theatre. A dramatic sea and land rescue commenced, with the fire department attending the scene until the fire burnt out three days later. Over 800 people survived. As a result, a large proportion of the pier was destroyed. The pier was rebuilt at a cost of £3,157, without replacement of the wooden theatre.
In 1947 the 7,130 ton Canadian cargo steamship SS Port Royal Park, under contract to the flag of the Tavistock Shipping Company, collided with the pier causing severe structural damage. Repairs, including underpinning to the cast iron columns and the addition of new cast concrete columns, took two years to complete at a cost of £28,000. The pier reopened in 1950.
In August 1966, whilst operating in dense fog, the 600-ton P & A Campbell pleasure steamer PS Bristol Queen hit the pier, causing an estimated £25,000 damage. Cruises by P&A Campbell from the pier ceased in 1981.
In 1994, a restoration programme was completed at a cost of £650,000, including repairs to the rotting substructure. This wood now forms one of the offerings at the souvenir shop. In 1996 a £1.7M programme started, replacing steelwork, decking and the berthing pontoon. The final restoration was completed after a £1.1M grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with the restored 650 feet (200 m) formally reopening in May 1998.
The pier pavilion
The 1929 designed art deco Pier Pavilion, opened in 1930 by the council, was used as a venue for traditional seaside entertainment, as well as a concert hall. As it lacked heating, the hall was greatly under utilised in the winter, although was used as a cinema, dance hall (Marina ballroom), and nightclub.
From the 1960s onwards, it was rented out to a series of commercial tenant customers, who used it as a restaurant and snooker club. In 1961, former Olympics gymnastGwynedd Lingard founded the Penarth and district gymnastics club, which today is the sole tenant.
However, the building is now in a very dilapidated state. In 2008, the charity Penarth Arts & Crafts Ltd (PACL) was formed to restore the pavilion. In November 2009 PACL were awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £99,600 to develop plans for detailed restoration. PACL have now developed a £3.9m refurbishment scheme, to use enable the pavilion to be restored as a cinema, cafe, observatory and multi-purpose community complex. After planning permission was granted for the project, the HLF awarded PACT a further £1.68m in May 2011. The project is scheduled for completion in Spring 2013.
