Bosses at one of East Anglia’s busiest tourist attractions – Clacton Pier – have closed its doors in line with government guidance over the coronavirus outbreak.
All public areas of the pier were shut by 8pm on Friday, and will remain closed until leisure premises are allowed to reopen.
Now director Billy Ball has said teams will be working hard to ensure the pier is properly looked after and safeguarded.
That means a small number of staff will remain on the attraction during its temporary closure.
“Clacton Pier is totally committed to supporting the effort to reduce the impact of coronavirus and as a result we took immediate action to close to the public until further notice,” he said.
“This action was taken in line with the instructions of the Prime Minister.
“We thank all our customers for their fantastic support and look forward to seeing them again as soon as possible.
MORE: Colchester Zoo temporarily closes due to coronavirus and says future is uncertainHe added: “We will be working hard to ensure our important heritage landmark is properly looked after and safeguarded.
“These will be a minimum number of security, maintenance and admin staff – who will be keeping a safe distance away from each other while carrying out their duties – while some others will be working from home.
“This is a very difficult and concerning time for all of us but together we can and will get through this.
“Our message to everyone is to stay safe.”
MORE: National Trust closes all parks to stop coronavirus spreadMr Ball welcomed the moves the Government has taken to pay employees 80% of their wages, which he said will be a huge help to them and the business.
“Other measures – such as business loans – are also really important to keep firms going throughout this period,” he added.
“It will enable us to be in a better position to pick up the reins and reopen once we reach that stage.”
His announcement comes amid a number of other high-profile closures, such as Colchester Zoo, the bosses of which penned a letter appearing to suggest it may struggle to survive.• For all the latest information about the coronavirus, join our Facebook group. All of our coronavirus stories can be found here.
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