Burnham-on-Sea Pier Pavilion

Burnham-on-Sea is a lovely English resort with its wonderful golden sands and long esplanade, that is probably often overlooked because of its more famous neighbour, Weston-super-Mare. Although Burnham-on-Sea Pier Pavilion is considered as the shortest pier in Britain and comprises of no more than a shoreward end pavilion on concrete piles, it is never the less a lovely structure that, unlike a lot of its bigger counterparts, still retains its Edwardian features and elegance.

Believed to have been built between 1911-1914 Burnham-on-Sea Pier Pavilion was to be the first concrete structure of its kind in Europe. The concrete is extremely strong and is largely made up from Granite Chipping's shipped from Penryn in Cornwall. This same material is used in maintenance work to this day.

The design of the pavilion has associations with the famous Bristol engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859), showing some similarity with the railway stations at Bristol Temple Mead and Bath Spa. The pavilion stands in the centre of the esplanade and is, quite rightly, very much the central feature of the town's pleasantly uncluttered seafront. The original purpose of the pavilion and why no promenade deck and landing stage ever came to fruition, still remains largely a mystery.

Today the pavilion is owned and run by Mr H Parkin who purchased what was a derelict structure in 1968. Much money and effort has been expended on restoring Burnham-on-Sea's Pier Pavilion and maintaining its original features. Today the pavilion entrance comprises of a selection of small shops selling food and refreshments, with the main building housing an amusement hall.