Fantastic - Watch as Roker Pier reopens to the public after being closed for nearly two years

Roker Pier was closed to visitors in October 2023 after being battered by Storm Babet with the force of the wind and waves removing around 100 metres of safety railings and damaging the structure of the Grade II listed pier.

However, this morning (August 12) the gates were finally opened once gain and the pier soon sprung back into life with people walking, cycling, fishing and watching the bottle nose dolphins who were also keen to mark the occasion by putting on a display.

The lighthouse which stands at the end of pier was also open for the public to have a look around.

One family enjoying a stroll along the pier and watching the dolphins was the Foster family, who would regularly visit the pier before it was damaged.

Stuart Foster, 47, from Washington, said: “It’s fantastic to get back down onto the pier this morning, particularly with the nice sunny weather.

“It has been closed for nearly two years and so it’s nice to get back on the pier and to see the dolphins - it’s great for the community.

Daughter Abigail, 13, said: “It’s amazing to be back on the pier and I can’t wait to see the dolphins again. I’ve seen them close up when we have been on the paddle boards but I couldn’t get photos and so it’s going to be great to see them from the pier and to be able to get photographs.

Sister Alexis, 10, added: “I’ve so many memories of being on the pier and so it’s great be able to come back here. I used to go fishing on the pier with my dad, which was really fun.”

Also enjoying a stroll along the pier in the summer sun was husband and wife Charlie and Pam Quinn, from Silksworth.

Charlie, 71, said: “It is great to get back on the pier - it has been long overdue. Since the pier closed, everyday I would come down with my binoculars to see if I could spot the dolphins, but now I can go right to the end of the pier and see them up close.”

Pam, also 71, added: “It is brilliant to see the pier reopen. We are down here everyday. We were able to have a look inside the lighthouse, which is an important part of the city’s heritage.”

The repair of the pier was undertaken by Southbay Civil Engineering Ltd, with repairs including replacing the granite boulder protection of the pier, repairing the concrete walkways, and replacing the 100 metres of safety railings which were washed away by the storm.

Sunderland City Council invested £236,000 in repairing the pier and there to perform the official reopening and to unlock the gates was Cllr Kevin Johnston, portfolio holder for Business, Housing and Regeneration.

Cllr Johnston said: “It’s a fantastic day for Sunderland, our city by the sea. All of the work was finished on time and we are now able to reopen the pier for people to come back and enjoy.

“It’s also brilliant to reopen on what is National Mackem Day and people can once again come down to the pier to enjoy a walk and to see the work that has been completed.

“The pier and the lighthouse is one of our main assets in terms of that visual recognition of the city - everyone loves Roker Pier and the lighthouse.”

Southbay's Operations Director Antony Ballantyne added: "We are delighted to have been responsible for delivering a project that will ensure the public can safely access a structure of such regional importance.

“Through working closely with the council and our supply chain we have ensured the Grade II listed pier has been restored in accordance with planning requirements, and can continue to be enjoyed for many more generations to come."

With the children off for the school summer holidays, the City Council were determined to reopen the pier in time for families to enjoy the pier before the onset of winter.

Cllr Johnston added: “We were really keen to get the pier open before the end of the summer holidays and so we still have three to four weeks left of those.

“The pier got a good test last week with the arrival of Storm Florence and it passed with flying colours.”

Roker Pier Tours also set to return

With the pier now reopened, it is also hoped that Roker Pier tours will be able to resume in the last week of August.

The two hour tour follows the tunnel which runs under the pier before meeting with the cellar of the lighthouse. Once there, visitors can climb the ladders to have a look around the recently restored lighthouse.

The tours are organised by the Roker Pier Heritage Group.

Representative and tour guide Maureen McCartney said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to be able to reopen again after 18 months of being closed and we can’t wait to get the tours up and running again.

“Everyone loves the tours and we have never had a bad review. We understand it takes a long time for these repairs, and we are looking forward to meeting the people of Sunderland again and to take them through the tunnel.”

You can find out more about the tours and book a place on the Roker Pier website.

Public access to the pier will continue to be restricted in adverse weather conditions.