'Reeves is clueless!' Britain’s historic seaside piers under attack as 'inhumane' Budget costing owners £180k

Owners of some of Britain's most famous piers said the Budget is having a significant impact on their industry.

Rising insurance and energy prices are compounding the problem, leading to increased costs, fewer jobs and reduced opening hours.

Britain's historic piers are facing a perilous future as Rachel Reeves' Budget delivers a devastating blow to iconic coastal attractions

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The UK has 63 pleasure piers that welcome an estimated 10 million visitors annually and contribute millions to Britain's £8bn tourism economy.

Many fear they may become part of the "20 per cent of hospitality businesses" predicted to collapse within the next two years.

Rory Holburn, owner of Bournemouth Pier and Cromer Pier, says his businesses are facing a "horrific" £180,000 hit to their bottom line.

"We hope that we can survive it," Holburn told the Express.

He believes the Government "don't have a clue what they're doing" and has begun a "long-term anti-business, business-ignorant approach".

The two piers welcome more than 650,000 paying customers annually and are popular holiday destinations in Dorset and Norfolk.

While no redundancies are planned, seasonal staffing levels will be reduced by more than 20 per cent to under 200 workers across both locations.

Holburn says his piers are "reasonably well placed to survive" with low debt levels.

Skegness Pier in Lincolnshire is also struggling under the weight of the Budget's impact

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However, there will be no investment for the next two years, and prices are being increased by 7.5 per cent.

Skegness Pier in Lincolnshire is also struggling under the weight of the Budget's impact.

Director James Mellors reports salary costs are skyrocketing by £100,000 at the pier.

The nearby Fantasy Island theme park, also run by the Mellors Group, faces an even larger increase of £500,000.

"I've never known a year where so many people in the sector are so scared," Mellors said.

Despite welcoming two million visitors annually, the pier is being forced to reduce opening hours and hire fewer seasonal staff.

Mellors is determined to keep prices down for visitors despite the financial pressure.

"We cannot pass this on to our customer," he insists. "It's not an affluent area."

He added: "We don't want to charge people to come in. The idea of Skegness is people come up there, they can enjoy the area and spend as little or as much as they want."

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Clacton Pier in Essex is facing similar challenges under the Budget's impact. Co-owner Billy Ball reports costs soaring by approximately £300,000 annually.

For the first time in their 16 years of ownership, Ball and his brother are halting development of the pier.

The attraction welcomes nearly one million visitors each year but is now forced to implement significant cutbacks.

Seasonal staff will be slashed by around 50 per cent as the business faces a "massive squeeze."

Rides will not operate midweek in June for the first time since the Ball brothers purchased the pier and winter rides will also cease for the first time in four years.

"In the seaside amusement industry, we've been pioneering in a lot of ways," Ball said.

"For us, to be standing here for the first time and say we're going to go in reverse, contract and hunker down is almost unheard of for us as a business."

Holburn described the Budget measures as "inhumane" due to their impact on entry-level workers.

Clacton Pier in Essex is facing similar challenges under the Budget's impact

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"It's all very well to sit in a city thinking that money just happens in banks and happens in big spreadsheets but the people are cleaning tables and getting their first job," he said.

"It's massive ignorance. It's a total ignorance of business."

Local visitors emphasise the cultural significance of these structures.

Ann Hunt, 74, who visits Bournemouth Pier regularly, said: "It's part of Englishness, it's part of our heritage. There's no other country that have piers and all this. It's part of being British."

Tim Wardley, chairman of the National Piers Society, highlighted their economic importance: "Seaside piers are vital drivers of inward investment to the resorts they serve as well as being a part of our historic fabric."

The Treasury defended its approach, stating: "We delivered a once in a parliament Budget to get growth back into the UK economy after over a decade of stagnation."

A spokesperson highlighted that "more than half of employers will either see a cut or no change in their National Insurance bills."

They also pointed to business rate cuts for hospitality from 2026 and corporation tax being capped at 25 per cent.