Historic Roker Pier reopens in time for Tall Ships Races in Sunderland

The historic Roker Pier has been reopened in time for the finale of the Tall Ships Races in Sunderland this week.
Visitors will be able to watch the ships from Roker Pier.Visitors will be able to watch the ships from Roker Pier.
Visitors will be able to watch the ships from Roker Pier.

The international event begins in the city tomorrow, with more than 50 ships and up to 1.5million visitors expected.

Roker Pier has been reopened ahead of the races, having been closed for a programme of extensive restoration in 2012.

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Visitors will be able to enjoy tours of the tunnel and lighthouse after restoration of the lighthouse interior, tunnel floors and drains, and improvements to accessibility.

The pier will now be a key viewing point for the Tall Ships Races, which will draw to a close on Saturday.

Coun John Kelly, Sunderland City Council portfolio holder for communities and culture, said: "It’s a wonderful moment in the history of the River Wear.

“The pier is the gateway to the river – and to what was once the greatest shipbuilding port in the world - and we are delighted that Sunderland City Council, with funding from the Heritage Lottery, has been able to restore it in time for the Tall Ships Races.”

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The five-day festival of ships, circus, music theatre and entertainment will come to an end on Saturday when the ships take part in a Parade of Sail.

The vessels, from around the world, will bid farewell to Sunderland as they head out to start the first leg of the races, to Esbjerg in Denmark.

The ships are expected to start leaving at about 1.30pm and start the Parade of Sail, heading northwards to Souter Point.

They will be followed by the ships berthed within Hudson Dock, and all ships are due to have cleared Roker Pier by about 6pm.

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Organisers say the best viewing points will be at the seafront at Roker and Seaburn, with 1,000 visitors able to watch from Roker Pier.

Before it was restored, the pier had fallen into disrepair after decades out of use.

Work was almost completed in November 2016, but gale force winds and huge waves washed away the railings and their coping stones at the furthest end.

Storms earlier this year further delayed the project's completion, but the pier is now open again to the public.

Weather permitting, the pier will be open from 12pm until around 8pm, or until all the ships have sailed away.

There are no tickets and entry is free, but on a first-come, first-served basis.