Natalie Jamieson-Morrison has described how her “heart sank” when she heard of the fire at Southport Pier on 31 August which threatened the kiosks and cafes that make up her family business, with the news serving as the “cherry on the top” of a devastating three years.
Following the fire at Southport Pier last week, Natalie Jamieson-Morrison has described the “sheer horror” she and her family experienced on hearing the news, telling the BBC that the blaze felt like “the cherry on the top” of an immensely challenging three years.
Though the fire on 31 August was contained before it caused irreversible damage to the Grade II-listed landmark, the blaze directly threatened the Jamiesons’ kiosks on the pier, which have had to remain empty since the pier was closed by the council in 2022.
“Natalie Jamieson-Morrison said the blaze on Southport Pier was another ‘devastating’ blow as she feared all their units were going to be destroyed by the flames,” reported the BBC. “The news of the fire on Saturday felt like the ‘cherry on the top’ of everything they had been through, she added.”
“Jamieson-Morrison’s family have been running businesses on the pier for more than 20 years employing ten staff with more than 20 seasonal staff. The fire had started outside one of their units which was a souvenir shop and smoothie bar.”
She told reporters that her “heart sank” when she was woken early on the morning of 31 August to be told of the fire, stating the prolonged closure of the pier still “devastates us daily.”
“It has completely devastated our family and our livelihood, along with our whole workforce who were put out of work with one day’s notice.”
Having already invested heavily in the amusements arcade, the Jamiesons had spent £250,000 on the cafe and two new kiosks immediately prior to the closure, which are not “just sitting and rotting away.”
“We also desperately need some sort of compensation package to get us back up and running again.”
Fire fighters
Natalie Jamieson-Morrison said……. “It has completely devastated our family and our livelihood, along with our whole workforce who were put out of work with one day’s notice……
