Carousel for Southwod Pier approved by East Suffolk Council alongside safety work

A new carousel has been approved in a seaside town's pier alongside safety improvement works.

Charles and May Barwick, owners of Southwold Pier, applied to East Suffolk Council to bring a new carousel and accompanying ticket kiosk to the promenade.

The plans were for the new attraction to be open seasonally, between May and September, and removed during the off-season.

Alongside the carousel, the owners proposed to reconfigure the parking area in front of the building and build a new infill section of decking.

In all, the changes were meant to widen the pedestrian area and make it safer for visitors.

There were some concerns, however, with Southwold Town Council objecting to the ticket booth being built.

Simon Flunder, the town's mayor, said: "We do support the intention but we just feel the pay booth isn’t the right thing for the location.

“We believe the design and size of the pay booth is out of character for the area and not in keeping with the surrounding amenities."

Overall, councillors felt the booth could be important, particularly during the hot summer months.

The application was approved unanimously.