The Pier Bandstand was an Art Deco bandstand on the shore of Weymouth Bay in Dorset, England. Built between 1938 and 1939 to the designs of architect V.

Venue: Pier Bandstand
Town: Weymouth, GB

The Pier Bandstand was an Art Deco bandstand on the shore of Weymouth Bay in Dorset, England. Built between 1938 and 1939 to the designs of architect V. J. Wenning, the Pier Bandstand was one of Weymouth's most popular entertainment centres. The bulk of the structure was demolished in 1986, leaving the entrance building at the landward end as the only remaining part. It currently houses an Italian restaurant, amusement arcade, and gift shop. The Pier Bandstand was built for the Weymouth Corporation between 1938 and 1939 at a cost of £35,000. Located in the northern region of the Esplanade, the site chosen for the new structure was already the location of a bandstand erected in 1907 and known as the Burdon or Esplanade Bandstand. Weymouth Corporation resolved to "construct a new bandstand and concert enclosure on the sea front" in June 1936. An open competition was launched for its design and the plans of architect V. J. Wenning of London were selected by the assessor, H. S. Goodhart-Rendel, in May 1937 from twenty-six entries. The first pile was driven on 18 March 1938 and the opening ceremony for the completed structure was performed by the Mayor of Weymouth, John T. Goddard, on 25 May 1939. Upon its opening, The Builder reported that the structure is "believed to be the first modern amusement centre of its kind to be built out over the sea". The Pier Bandstand extended 200 feet seawards and was built of reinforced concrete on piles, driven approximately 16 feet into the seabed. The two-storey entrance building at the landward end contained a 30 foot wide staircase, providing access to the raised main deck, and a café on the first floor with capacity for 150 people. Flower beds, shrubs and flower troughs were planted outside the entrance to "help make the approach to the bandstand enchanting and gay in character". The main deck was approximately 20 feet above beach level and was able to seat 2,400 people, with approximately 800 seats under the cover of two glazed s