Clacton Pier lighting up to mark coronavirus lockdown anniversary
The decision to illuminate the pier was inspired by Greatest Hits Radio Essex
Claction Pier will be lighting up today (23 March) to mark one year since the first coronavirus lockdown was announced.
In a speech to the nation on 23 March, 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the country would be going into lockdown.
He instructed people to stay at home, to stop COVID-19 spreading.
Now, one year on, Clacton Pier is marking the anniversary by lighting up red, white and blue.
It came after the idea was put forward by Greatest Hits Radio Essex.
Nigel Brown, communications manager at Clacton Pier, said:
"We want people to just think back, think what this year has been like.
"It's been a difficult one for everybody.
"Although we're getting to the stage where we're coming out of it, there's still a way to go and we just need to remember we need to follow the rules and guidelines."
He went on to explain why he thinks it is important to highlight the anniversary:
"I think it's because it has been such a disruptive year for everybody and so many people have had to go through so much.
"Adults, children - it's affected everybody.
"We like to be part of the community as Clacton Pier - it's something we pride ourselves on - and if we can try and bring people together and just remind them it is still going on, we're a year on, we're not there yet but we're on the right path."
Nigel added that without Government support, such as furlough, they could have gone under during the pandemic.
He said:
"What we're looking forward to now is, instead of just paying money out and not taking any over the counter, that people will come back to the pier, we will see customers again and we will start to be taking some proper money for the business.
"Clacton Pier is nothing without its customers.
"We've been going round there for months now - people have still been working there - but it's a shell, it's an empty place.
"Welcoming our customers back is so important to us."