Plans to transform Totland Pier into a new all-year dining destination, boasting stunning views over the Solent, have been revealed – with the first guests set to be welcomed in May 2024.
The Woolridge Group, which already runs the respected Seasons Kitchen in Surrey, welcomed local businesses and the media to a special launch event on Tuesday night where the exciting plans were put on display.
Known simply as ‘The Pier by Seasons’, the new restaurant will serve up seasonally inspired dishes created using the best of the Island’s produce. Upstairs, guests will be able to enjoy world-class cocktails, wines and champagnes in The Pier’s cocktail lounge. As well as casual diners, the venue will be able to host weddings, parties and brand takeovers.
The quality of the food and drink available is expected to be exceptional – if the offering on Tuesday night is anything to go by.
With planning permission already in place, work to transform the building at the wet end of the historic pier is set to begin in November, with works expected to be completed by April next year. All being well, diners are to be welcomed from the May bank holiday weekend.
It is hoped that the business will open year-round resulting in approximately 60 new jobs being created.
At the dry end of the pier, plans are afoot to transform the former Bay Café into a number of accommodation rooms but Island Echo is told there is no rush for this to take place. Neither holiday lets nor a hotel, the accommodation suite will simply offer a place for guests to stay overnight during their visit to the West Wight.
The arrival of The Pier could make a real, positive impact on the local economy, particularly for hoteliers and taxi drivers. Guests are expected to flock to Totland from across the Island and the South Coast, but the team behind the ambitious plans want to ensure that locals remain a core part of the business.
Totland Pier was built in 1880 but was almost lost to the sea in 2017, before being restored. The Woolridge Group have owned the pier since 2022.
Will us locals be able to afford to go there?? Also the waterfront inn’s business will suffer surely being so close together?
The Waterfront won’t suffer. Everyone will go there for excellent food, fantastic views and reasonable prices
Moan moan moan. You miserable buggers make me sick. A high quality restaurant/cocktail bar coming to the island is a great thing and it will bring in more money to the local economy. If you get off your lazy arses and find a well paid job, you will be able to afford to go there, but I doubt you will be missed if not. I’ll be there having a grand time with my red trousers on sipping overpriced cocktails like they are going out of fashion. Happy days!
You really are one sick puppy, there are people who can barely afford to eat, and stay warm and you think this is a good idea. It will exist for a few months, then close, then be turned into flats. The usual story. So what is your “well paid job” then, arms dealer, drug lord, if so then perfect place for you.
Mr Bentley. Suggest you go and cruel back under your stone.
I love this response. Absolutely bloody brilliant, and completely correct.
see you there with my pink socks on
Oh well the drugs coming in around there will be rife then. A lot more than usual. Terrible news for the local residents, drunk drivers galore, it will be a free for all at closing time.
I hope they are going to install a landing stage so that boats such as The Waverley can call again.
Out of the reach of locals pockets. Pink trousers only
Is this another high cost eatery that many locals will not be able to afford to enjoy? However I expect that they will be served well by the yachts from over the Solent.
It’s called the tourist trade.
Another high cost establishment (like the pretentious Hut) which locals will not use, and more drunk ‘sailors’ crashing their boats!
The hut is ok. Yes more expensive than McDonalds but also not comparable in quality either.
Most of you are idiots commenting as usual.
No fishing on there I suppose….no….I didn’t think so.
I hope the owners have done their sums, because no matter what they say about year-round opening, trade during 4- 6 months of the year is likely to be minimal. If looks are anything to go by, it will be out of reach of many islanders who may have helped to keep it going during the off-season.
Even Cowes, which is well known worldwide, is relatively dead during the winter months, so I don’t know how an upmarket restaurant in Totland will fare?
I hope it does ok, simply for the people who will be employed there, but I just wonder if it’s in the wrong (although very pleasant) location?
I am sure they have done their research so I wouldn’t worry about them. I am certain that they know better than you. I will be going their all year round and so will others on the island who like fine dining in pleasant surroundings.
Most of the restaurants on the island are total dumps and maybe this will make them up their game.
Bet they haven’t, I can’t ever see this actually being built! The cost to restore the pier to a standard to build what they are proposing must be astronomical!
What is their plan for parking? At the moment there is 4 parking spaces there.
Won’t last a year. Then gets planning to change use to residential. Pocket a few million, retire?
Residential on a pier!!! What a truly stupid notion. Ha ha ha.
Totland Bay will be ruined..Just like how Colwell is now..Drunken toffy nose twats walking about drinking, while waiting for their lift back to their fancy yacht or they get in their fancy car & drive after drinking..
NO I am not a lazy ars..I’ve worked all my life, even when my girls were babies..At one time I was holding down 3 jobs..I am now disabled & unable to work..
We moved here 36yrs ago for a better life, which we have had..My husband dropped over £10k in wages when we moved here..That was a lot of bloody money then & still is..
There will not be many locals who can afford to go there..
But they would definitely enjoy a meal more at Cath & Mike’s..They use to run the pier cafe, which was lovely too.
Clearly, “you cut your coat according to your cloth”. I would love to be eating in Michelin starred restaurants being driven around in a Rolls Royce but that is beyond my means. But you should not criticise others for doing well for themselves.
“The jealous are possessed by a mad devil and a dull spirit at the same time”
I have a fancy car and a boat. I don’t drink and drive either. Sorry you are so miserable and hurt by having to take a £10k pay cut to move to the island. Maybe you should have had more ambition in life.