Tynemouth Pier

[RossW]

I know the should we or shouldn't we fish the pier debate has been had on this forum loads and after having a bit of a scary accident a few years back I decided to steer clear of it this winter. Also, I appreciate Alan Charlton's point about risking the lives of the RNLI.

BUT after catching very little from the shore (much less than I used to get on the pier both during daylight comps and at night), I just want to ask this:-

Why is the pier insured for walkers, dog-walkers etc during decent daytime weather but not insured for people to fish it? Surely there is room for anglers during the day....! (Maybe we could lobby the Port of Tyne)

Happy New Year to all.

 

[tonynufc]

ive always wondered why its ok to fish south shields but not tynemouth. even if the port of tyne charged you to fish on the pier i'd pay it, and i'm sure there's plenty more that would pay to fish there.

 

[johnf]

The angling clubs are allowed to fish the (lower prom part of the) pier as they have personal indemnity insurance for their members and prior permission from PTA. Why its not allowed for general fishing could be down to a few things. It's more dangerous in big seas than SS pier as generally most of our rough weather comes from the North, I think the Duke of Northumberland owns the pier?, which might be also be a reason.

 

[RossW]

Thanks for your replies, lads, much appreciated.
But why does the Duke of Northumberland not mind walkers on his pier (if he owns it)?....The pier is shut when it is dangerous. I am only talking about allowing fishing when the pier is open to the public anyway. I don't get it.

How does insurance come into it? It doesn't seem to make sense.

Please help....maybe we can change this

 

[johnf]

Ross
I believe that having Indemnity insurance means that if there is an accident then the Angling Club is liable not the PTA. I don't know if fishing has ever been allowed on the pier, may go back to the days when it was a working pier with the crane on etc. Perhaps an experienced member (note the lack of using the word old) like Alan Charlton will know.
ps. Some nice footage of the pier with a bit of a sea on. gives an idea of what it's like when its massive!

YouTube - Tynemouth Pier with Waves

 

[tonynufc]

its also probably got a lot to do with that pile of bricks at the top of the hill they call a castle, and the amount of litter certain so called fisherman leave behind. everytime i go fishing i end up taking some clowns rubbish to a bin.

 

[RossW]

Cheers lads!

Happy New Year Mr Charlton. Surely you can clear up all this confusion Please note that I have not mentioned your "experience" at all --- doh!

I understand the insurance of clubs but how is it possible for anyone to walk along the pier uninsured? Why is a bloke with a rod more at risk? Why is he not covered by the same basis policy? Walkers could be littering too.....
...Don't mean to be an old bore but I STILL DONT GET IT

 

[Charlton]

plain and simple, the Port of Tyne Authority, who have jurisdiction over the pier, state you can not fish the pier unless you are a member of a club who have pre arranged dates and only from the lower level. You must also have third party insurance in case an angler causes injury to a walker on the pier or another angler. Obvioulsy they have taken into account the number of anglers on South Shields pier that have caused injury to others, who mingle together, I can recall one major incident over the years, maybe Terry woods can put more light on that. Or maybe the Port of Tyne by allowing walkers on the top and anglers on the lower level are making sure that all can use the pier under a controlled environment, not being allowed on when rough or at night. And of course letting anglers on willy nilly would have non club members mingling with club competitions and spoiling there fishing. If you want to fish the pier, just join a club that has access to the pier. I admit this way you have to fish the comp set and not go on when you think the pier would fish best, makes it a bit more of a lottery when fishing. Those are the rules of the PTA, and have been for years, all I can suggest is that if you do not agree with them, give them a ring, i am sure you will get as far as everyone else that has, absolutely nowhere.

 

[tonynufc]

i think its wrong that you cant fish the pier when you want to. fair enough when there's a club match they have the pier as they've booked it. everytime i fish a club match on the pier all the walkers etc love having a crack on with the fisherman so if a club isn't using the pier whats the problem. its always puzzled my why your allowed to fish south shields but not tynemouth.

 

[RossW]

Thanks for the reply Alan - much appreciated and it's good to hear the Port of Tyne's reasons.

I agree about joining a club. When I lived locally I fished the pier with Longbenton and Seaton Burn Club and the access was excellent. The yearly fees were dead cheap - good value. But I suppose the mystifying thing is why the South Pier on the Tyne isn't regulated and the top level on the North Pier is. The Port of Tyne can't argue that it's a safety issue because of this contradiction.

There are two reasons why I won't be phoning them.
Firstly, I am now an occasional angler living miles away so it all affects me a bit less and, when I move back, I'll definately rejoin a club.
Secondly, I would worry that if people bring the contradiction between access on the two piers to the Port of Tyne authority too strongly, they'd be more likely to shut down South Shields Pier to anglers than open the North Pier.

The saddest thing is that, like Tony says, anglers and the general public generally interact really well. Most people walking on the top level of the Pier would be interested in what the anglers were up to. The people who govern us over-legislate for the odd idiot and the odd accident IMO.