FOREWORD
Alan Titchmarsh with the children of Yarmouth School
and Little Stars Pre-School
Alan Titchmarsh opens
Yarmouth Pier
PHOTOS: From top: Unveiling
plaque with project manager
Richard Gribble;
Pier illuminated for evening;
Spectacular end to the day.
Despite the best efforts of
the voracious gribble worm,
Yarmouth pier is again open.
The Not the End of the Pier
Show on Saturday April 27 saw
the pier opened by the High
Sheriff of the Isle of Wight.
Alan Titchmarch was
welcomed by chairman of the
harbour commission, John
May, and was cheered by the
children of Yarmouth Primary
School. He greeted the crowd
gathered at the pier entrance,
and in a speech delivered with
the ease and charisma for
which he is known opened by
referring to the unexpectedly
kind weather. “Typical
Groundforce weather – not!”
he said, referring to the
television programme which
gave him universal popularity.
Cutting the rope, he
led a posse of Yarmouth
dignitaries slowly along the
newly restored pier, chatting
and joking with the school
children en-route. At the end,
www.wightfrog.com/islandlife
2000, the arts and
environmental charity, ran a
series of activities for children.
Ironically the majority of
these celebrated the gribble
worm, the cause of the pier’s
near-destruction: gribbles
could be made from clay,
made into badges, or found
in Yarmouth’s shop windows.
The less arty could do beach
safaris, while all ages could
enjoy the pictorial archive of
the pier.
In the evening families
gathered on the beach, while
others lined the newly restored
pier to watch the stunning
display of fireworks.
he unveiled a plaque naming
those who had donated £100
or more to the restoration
fund. Harbour Master Chris
Lisher later confirmed that as
many donations of £95 had
been received, to preserve
anonymity. Others who had
donated £150 have their names
inscribed on the planks that
form the pier head – matching
those on the body of the pier
who donated to an earlier
appeal, 20 years ago.
Photos by Roz Whistance:
While Yarmouth Harbour
Commission took Mr
Titchmarsh and representatives
of those
who had
worked
on the
restoration
to a
thank-you
lunch at
the George
Hotel,
joint host
Yarmouth School’s depiction of the pier, with Hannah
Island
Birks of Island 2000 preparing art activities
13