From the Dover Express, Thursday, 18 July 2019. By SEAN DOHERTY.

ANGLING ASSOCIATION COULD BE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN

Pier repairs threaten fishing.

THE Dover Sea Angling Association (DSAA) could have to close down, it has warned.

The non-profit club, which was established in 1903, has managed Dover Admiralty Pier's public angling and promenading since 1987, when Dover Harbour Board handed over permanent control in exchange for doing repair works.

The association borrowed £180,000 to carry out the initial repairs and a spokesman said it has spent more than £300,000 on improvements since then, including building a toilet block and kiosks, as well as repairing damage from later storms.

More than 10,000 people take part in angling at the pier each year and the Bluebird Trail is a popular walk.

The statement said the club, which employs four people, had been told by Dover Harbour Board that the walkway would need to be repaired but that the second half of the pier would remain open for angling while work was done on the first half. While this would cause a financial loss to the club, the statement said this was agreed to as it would be a short-term arrangement.

However, the club said it has now been told that the repair works will not begin for at least four years and that the significant impact on the club could force it to close.

A Port of Dover spokesman said: "We remain in continuing dialogue with Dover Sea Angling Association over the ongoing provision of fishing from Admiralty Pier and the impact of structural repair works.

“We have been working closely with the Association in an open and transparent way, balancing as a responsible port authority the interests of our stakeholders alongside the demands of long term port infrastructure provision and the associated safety and security issues.

“We are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in our infrastructure across the port and are doing so during a time of great economic uncertainty for the nation, but we have maintained fishing throughout when we might have stopped such activities previously if it had then been our intention to do so.

"We remain very mindful of the interests of all current users of the port, including anglers and related local businesses, and will continue to engage with them on the best way of moving the issue forward."