This Saturday, March 30th, campaigners will be out in Birkdale Village (near Costa) 10.30 to 12.30 with their petition to re-open Southport's iconic pier.

The petition, organised by Southport Lib Dems, calls for the Council to prioritise the town’s pier and get it back open for residents and tourists.

Southport Liberal Democrats want the council to take the advice included in the recent report that repair work can be conducted in a phased way which would avoid complete closure of the pier.

Cllr John Pugh, leader of the Southport Lib Dems, commented: “The pier remains closed despite the massive response from local people to our petition. Sefton Council continue to insist that the whole pier is rotten yet have sold bits of timber from it to a reclamation yard.

"The pier should be fixed in stages so people can still enjoy it. We urgently need a plan of action and reassurance from the council that it won't be closed indefinitely. We need as many people to sign the petition as possible to show the Council how pressing an issue this is."

Erin Harvey, Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson added:“Spring is beckoning and as the weather gets better and days longer it seems that one of the most iconic draws of our town will remain closed. This will be a hit to our town's draw to tourists and deprives residents of a really important amenity."

You can sign the pier petition online here.

Perhaps a more positive attitude would have been to ask for donations, and ask how much extra they were prepared to pay in Council Tax to meet the cost.