It's clear Boscombe seafront has undergone some major changes over the years.

The pier, constructed at a cost of £3,813 was originally 180 metres long when it opened in 1889.

 

In the 1930s, one eccentric vicar, Revd James Mackay of St George’s Methodist Church, used to row around the pier during the summer months preaching the gospel to holidaymakers.

The pier was partly demolished during World War II to combat the threat of invasion.

It was refurbished in the 1960s and the building at the end evolved from the Mermaid theatre to a roller skating rink and latterly an amusement arcade before closing in 1989.

In 2008 Boscombe Pier underwent a £2.4 million restoration project as part of the Boscombe Spa Village regeneration scheme.

The pier, which won 'Pier of the Year' in 2010, now has a Reefside Café, takeaway and beach shop in the grade II listed entrance building, new seating, decking, handrails and windbreak, as well as a viewing platform at the end of the pier.