The UK’s oldest pier has just had a £10 million revamp

Around this time last year, a glossy new refurb of the UK’s oldest pier was revealed. Ryde Pier on the Isle of Wight reopened following a major upgrade to the railway line connecting Ryde Esplanade to Ryde Pier Head, but the work didn’t finish there. Since then, it has undergone another £10 million transformation. 

Work on the Ryde Interchange, which covers Ryde Esplanade railway station, bus stations and a taxi rank, has finished more than a year later than planned. It was meant to be completed in March 2023 but, according to local authorities, it has proved to be ‘worth the wait’. 

The makeover involved upgrades to the station buildings and the Esplanade bus interchange, which has been made safer for buses to manoeuvre, plus an accessible new boardwalk for pedestrians, linking Ryde Pier Head with Ryde Esplanade. 

Hailed as a ‘landmark day for Ryde’, the refurb has also opened more views of the pier and included the addition of fully accessible toilets. 

Phil Jordan, leader of the Isle of Wight council, said: ‘Following this summer season, we also plan to replace the existing bus shelters with a more robust design featuring pitched, rather than barrelled, roofs and lower traditional seat heights. 

‘One final, fantastic upgrade, the new shelters will then be fitted with real-time information for bus services giving the much-needed and requested information that is fit for the 21st Century.’

For that final upgrade to happen, the pier will close from September 6 until May 2025. And the Island Line running from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin will also shut in its entirety for a month later this year. 

Heading to the Isle of Wight soon? Be sure to check out Time Out’s pick of places to stay and our list of all the best things to eat, drink, do and see on the island. 

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