Aberystwyth promenade’s wooden jetty could again be used for pleasure boat sightseeing trips if a £70,000 funding bid is successful.

The jetty has not been used by boats in recent years after it suffered damage to seaward stanchions.

Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet has now been asked to back a funding bid to the Big Lottery Fund to win £72,000 in funding which would also see the council provide £4,000.

The work could see boat operators able to use the jetty again with sightseeing trips then being made possible from the promenade.

If the funding bid is successful, the council will look to have work carried out quickly to ensure that the jetty could then be used next summer.

A report that went before the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday said the jetty had been affected by a marine worm.

It said: “The wooden jetty on Aberystwyth promenade has become unsafe for use by boats due to an attack by the marine boring worm Teredo navalis on a number of the stanchions at the seaward end.

“The tourism unit has received casual enquiries over the last two to three years from potential boat operators and members of the public as to the possibility of boat trips being operated from the jetty for short sightseeing trips.

“Some discussions have also been had with potential boat operators which demonstrate an appetite for boat trips to be reinstated to take advantage of the very high pedestrian footfall on the promenade and to add to the tourism offer.”

The work that would enable the jetty to be used by boats again is estimated to cost around £76,000 with a decision on the council’s full funding application expected to be announced at the end of the month.

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