History of

After an 1893 Parliamentary Bill, work on the 1550 foot pier (including a pontoon landing stage) began to the design of J.J.Webster of London. The pier was opened on 14th May 1896 by Lord Penrhyn. It had cost £17,000. Steamers called from Douglas, Liverpool, Blackpool, and elsewhere, and there was Pierrot entertainment.

In 1914, a cargo steamer collided with the pier. Repairs were carried out by the Royal Engineers. The 3 foot gauge baggage line was removed at this time.

The pier closed for safety reasons at the end of 1971. Ownership passed to Arfon Borough Council in 1974, who decided to demolish the structure. However, the City Council objected and listed building status was obtained for the pier, one of the finest in Britain. Eventually, the City Council took over the pier for a nominal 1p.

With help from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Welsh Office and the Manpower Services Commission, restoration began in November 1982 and the pier was officially re-opened on 7th May 1988 by the Marquis of Anglesey.

The National Piers Society was accepted as a member of the Bangor Pride civic partnership and offered to do all it could to promote and sustain interest in the preservation and continued enjoyment of the Garth Pier.

However, in November 2011 it was reported that £2m was needed for essential maintenance work to Bangor pier – with claims maintenance had been “ignored” since the 80s. A public meeting also in November heard complaints that not enough was being done to bring visitors to the area. Disputes arose between local people who wanted a greater say in how the pier was managed and the Council's Town Clerk who felt that the right approach was for people to stand for election as local councillors.

The Council reported that they had amassed a pool of one million pounds for maintenance but that the actual requirement could be twice this amount because of environmental considerations during pier maintenance operations.

By February 2012, it had become clear that the Council's budget was short by a million pounds and the Council announced they were looking for grant aid to help pay for the pier's refurbishment.

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