Clarence Pier
A historic seaside amusement pier and entertainment complex in Southsea, Portsmouth, England.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Clarence Pier is a seaside amusement and leisure complex in Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, positioned beside the Southsea Hoverport and close to the historic waterfront of Old Portsmouth. Unlike many British pleasure piers, it projects only a limited distance into the sea and is arranged largely along the shoreline. Its present-day offer combines amusement arcades, pay-per-ride fairground attractions, food and drink, miniature golf, small retail units and family entertainment. The pier opened in 1861 and was associated from the beginning with coastal recreation and transport. Its early attractions included a regular ferry service to the Isle of Wight, making it both a leisure destination and a practical embarkation point. The site also became the focus of a significant Victorian public-access dispute. In 1874, an attempt by the pier's management to restrict access to the beach between the pier and the Hot Walls led to several days of disorder remembered as the Battle of Southsea. Clarence Pier and nearby buildings suffered damage during Second World War air raids, including the associated Southsea Baths and Assembly Rooms. The pier's deck and landing stages were subsequently rebuilt in concrete during 1953 and 1954. The reconstructed pier reopened in June 1954, initially using temporary kiosks while a more substantial building programme was prepared. A new principal pavilion was constructed between 1959 and 1961. Designed by local and London architectural practices and opened on 1 June 1961, it contained a restaurant, bars, kiosks, a ballroom and a 60-foot observation tower. The main pavilion, commonly known as the Golden Horseshoe, later evolved from a broader ballroom, catering and retail venue into an amusement-focused building. Its facilities include a substantial arcade, a small bowling alley, food outlets and indoor family attractions. A former indoor children's attraction, Pirate Pete's and later the Pirates and Princesses Play Area, operated from 1985 until January 2023. It was replaced by The Putt Hutt indoor miniature-golf course, which opened in August 2023. The wider amusement park has changed considerably over time. In the early 1980s it was marketed as Fun Acres and occupied a larger area to the north-west of the main pier. That section was later cleared and redeveloped with other leisure and commercial uses, including Southsea Island Leisure, a public house, miniature golf and a hotel. Former attractions included a large dodgem arena, giant slides, a centrifuge ride, a ghost train, a traditional gallopers carousel, the Corbiere Spherical Ferris Wheel and the Super Loop. The Skyways roller coaster remained a prominent attraction until its removal in 2018. A separate building beside the main pavilion has also passed through several identities. Built in 1958 as the Seahorse Bars for Brickwoods Ltd, it replaced a wartime-damaged public house. After later use as Barnum's and destruction by fire in 1993, the building was converted into the Jurassic 3001 dark ride, which operated from 1994 to 2001. The ground-floor arcade was known for many years as Wheel of Fortune before adopting the Clarence Pier name in 2012; upper-floor space was subsequently converted into apartments. Clarence Pier remains a recognizable Southsea visitor attraction, combining traditional British seaside amusements with newer indoor leisure concepts. Its cultural profile was reinforced by appearances in the 1994 Mr Bean episode "Mind the Baby, Mr. Bean" and in the music video for S Club Juniors' "Fool No More".
History
Clarence Pier opened in 1861 at Southsea, Portsmouth, as a combined seaside promenade, amusement destination and transport facility. Its early operation included ferry services to the Isle of Wight. The pier became involved in a public-access controversy in 1874 when management sought to prevent access to a stretch of beach between the pier and the Hot Walls. The resulting four-day disturbance became known as the Battle of Southsea and remains one of the notable incidents in the site's history. The complex was damaged during Second World War bombing, along with the nearby Southsea Baths and Assembly Rooms. Reconstruction focused on durability and modernization: the deck and landing stages were rebuilt in concrete in 1953–54, and the pier reopened in June 1954. Temporary kiosks were used while a new permanent pavilion was planned. The principal building was constructed between 1959 and 1961 and opened on 1 June 1961. It included catering spaces, bars, kiosks, a ballroom and an observation tower approximately 60 feet high. During the postwar decades, Clarence Pier increasingly developed as an amusement venue. The main pavilion became known as the Golden Horseshoe and eventually housed an arcade, bowling facilities, food outlets and family attractions. In the early 1980s, the larger fairground area operated under the Fun Acres name and contained rides such as dodgems, giant slides, a centrifuge, a ghost train, a carousel, arcades and the Corbiere Spherical Ferris Wheel. The Super Loop was another prominent attraction before its removal in the 1990s. The park's northern extension was later cleared and redeveloped with other leisure and commercial uses, reducing the size of the amusement area. The site's buildings have repeatedly been adapted. A separate 1958 structure built as the Seahorse Bars for Brickwoods Ltd later operated as Barnum's before being destroyed by fire in 1993. It reopened as the Jurassic 3001 dinosaur-themed dark ride in 1994, which closed in 2001. The building's ground-floor arcade was called Wheel of Fortune until its renaming as Clarence Pier in 2012, while upper floors were converted into apartments. In the Golden Horseshoe, a children's attraction opened in 1985 as Pirate Pete's and later operated as the Pirates and Princesses Play Area. It closed in January 2023 and was replaced by The Putt Hutt indoor miniature-golf course in August 2023. Temporary Ferris-wheel proposals formed another phase of the pier's modern development. The Solent Eye proposal went through several planning revisions in 2007, including competing concepts for different heights, but the larger scheme was abandoned. A smaller 110-foot wheel was approved in 2015 and opened in 2016. Although it returned for several later seasons, its final closure at Clarence Pier was announced in 2020. The pier has also appeared in popular culture, including the 1994 Mr Bean episode "Mind the Baby, Mr. Bean" and the S Club Juniors video for "Fool No More".
- 2023
The Putt Hutt opens
[1]The indoor miniature-golf venue opens after the closure of the former children's play area.
- 2018
Skyways is removed
[1]The longstanding roller coaster is removed from the amusement park.
- 2016
Solent Wheel opens
[1]A temporary 110-foot Ferris wheel opens for the Easter season.
- 2012
Wheel of Fortune is renamed
[1]The long-running arcade adopts the Clarence Pier name.
- 1994
Jurassic 3001 opens
[1]A dinosaur-themed dark ride opens in the former Seahorse Bars and Barnum's building.
- 1985
Pirate Pete's opens
[1]The indoor children's attraction later known as the Pirates and Princesses Play Area begins operation.
- 1961
New main pavilion opens
[1]The principal pavilion opens with restaurants, bars, kiosks, a ballroom and observation tower.
- 1954
Rebuilt pier reopens
[1]The reconstructed pier reopens to the public in June.
- 1953
Concrete reconstruction begins
[1]Rebuilding of the decking and landing stages begins after wartime damage.
- 1874
Battle of Southsea
[1]An attempt to restrict beach access near the pier triggers four days of rioting.
Products and positioning
Traditional British seaside leisure and family entertainment venue
Entertainment pavilion · 1961
Golden Horseshoe
The main Clarence Pier pavilion is a prominent yellow-and-blue leisure building containing an amusement arcade, small bowling facilities, food and beverage outlets, and changing family attractions. Historically it also accommodated a restaurant, ballroom, kiosks and an observation tower.
Amusement rides
Pay-per-ride funfair
The outdoor amusement area operates on a free-admission, token-based model in which visitors pay separately for individual rides. Its attractions have changed over time and have included roller coasters, dodgems, family rides and seasonal installations.
Indoor miniature golf · 2023
The Putt Hutt
The Putt Hutt is an indoor miniature-golf attraction introduced in August 2023. It replaced the Pirates and Princesses Play Area and extends Clarence Pier's offer beyond rides and arcade gaming into indoor family leisure.
Amusement arcade · 2012
Clarence Pier arcade
The arcade in the separate building beside the Golden Horseshoe was known for many years as Wheel of Fortune before being renamed Clarence Pier in 2012. The building also contains small retail and leisure spaces.
Dark ride · 1994
Jurassic 3001
Jurassic 3001 was a dinosaur-themed dark ride with futuristic theming and an animatronic triceratops displayed on the exterior. It operated from 1994 until 2001 in a refurbished former public-house building.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2023
Replacement of indoor play attraction with miniature golfStrategyBackground
The Pirates and Princesses Play Area, which had operated since its earlier incarnation as Pirate Pete's in 1985, closed at the beginning of January 2023.
Action taken
The space was converted into The Putt Hutt indoor miniature-golf venue, opened in August 2023.
Aftermath
The change diversified the indoor leisure offer while ending a 37-year run for the children's play attraction.
2015
Approval of a smaller Solent WheelProduct launchBackground
After the earlier large-wheel plans were abandoned, a revised proposal for a 110-foot Ferris wheel was submitted.
Action taken
The revised proposal was approved and the wheel opened at Clarence Pier during Easter 2016.
Aftermath
The wheel operated seasonally, returning in later years before its final planned closure after the 2020 season.
2007
Solent Eye Ferris-wheel proposal revised and abandonedStrategyBackground
Billy Manning Ltd proposed a large Ferris wheel for Clarence Pier. Planning permission was granted for an initial 130-foot concept, while larger 180-foot plans were subsequently revived and conditionally approved.
Action taken
The proposed large wheel was ultimately scrapped because of its scale.
Aftermath
A smaller temporary-wheel concept was later pursued and opened in 2016.
Recent events
Clarence Pier offers 10 rides for £10[3]
Reported:
Clarence Pier offered visitors 10 rides for £10 after 5pm, with the scheme running until August 31, 2020.
Sources3 sources
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