Clacton Pier is paying homage to its historic roots with the former entrance sign re-instated on a new building on the east side of the attraction.

Originally sited at the pier’s entrance during the 1990s, the traditional carnival style sign was replaced by a digital screen and lettering in keeping with the major multi-million pound project undertaken by the Ball brothers following the pier’s acquisition from the Harrison family in 2017.

Carefully stored in the Jolly Roger along with other items of historical interest since then, the old welcoming sign has now been cleaned and put up on a new maintenance and office building on the east side.

Nigel Brown, Clacton Pier’s communications manager, takes up the story. “It was always our intention to look after it and find a place to display it, but it simply did not fit with the image we were looking to portray at the entrance,” he advised.

“However, it is part of our history and now has pride of place on a nautical themed structure which houses workshops for our maintenance team including engineers, painters, carpenters and electricians.”

And they will be keeping busy during the low season working on another Clacton Pier classic on the comeback trail: The Helter Skelter.

Built in 1949 by English specialist firm Supercar, the pier’s oldest ride was dismantled at the end of 2024 for repairs, with a return originally earmarked for the summer just gone.

But it’s turned into a labour of love with the scheme proving more extensive than originally anticipated, as Brown explained: “The more the team got into the job, the longer the list of work became. Due to economies of scale and wanting to get it to the high standard desired, the repairs and refurbishment have been delayed.”

He confirmed: “Although the bottom section of the 50ft Helter Skelter went up in the summer, that has now been taken down for the winter and the full structure will return in spring next year.”