COUNCILLORS have heard of a volunteer group’s determination to bring the Waverley back to Helensburgh – with hopes for a fundraising evening to be held on board.
The Helensburgh Pier Group addressed a meeting of local councillors, saying that bringing the iconic paddle steamer back to the town was worth over £350,000 a year locally.
The pier has been closed to marine traffic since 2018, with the Waverley calling at Kilcreggan Pier over recent years with a bus service running from Helensburgh.
A presentation by the pier group was made at a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee on Tuesday, June 9.
A spokesperson for the Waverley then confirmed the possibility of paying a landing fee per passenger, as well as the aim of a fundraising cruise.
John Beveridge, from the pier company, said: “Our aim is very simple, we want the pier reopened and we are determined that will happen.
“It was closed in 2018 and is a wasted asset. It is sitting on our doorstep and now the timber section is closed off.
“Our charity can source funding that the council cannot, so we hope we can carry out the aims to get repairs done and get it reopened.
“Our proposals are based on a phased approach to carry out repairs to allow the Waverley to call again, and we have communication from the Waverley that it will come back and carry out its summer timetable as it did from Helensburgh.
“The Waverley has promised to give us an amount per passenger that comes aboard. By our calculations, that will help with the maintenance and to insure the pier.
“It will also hold a charity evening cruise from the town, which could raise £10,000 towards the upkeep of the pier.”
Anne Foy added: “The important aspect is that an economic study has revealed that the Waverley coming to Helensburgh is worth about £355,000 a year to the town.
“It brings people from Glasgow and Greenock who travel back via the train, and the cost of repairs [to the pier] would be returned to the town in a short space of time.
“The plan is to site a pontoon allowing smaller vessels to berth and provide a facility for launching kayaks and educational activities.
“In addition to Waverley income, we have heard from other commercial operators with an interest in using the pier.
“We started negotiations with the council in 2024 and by May 2025 had agreement on a 25-year lease which was ready to sign.
“But we have been told there is a further survey and inspection required. This has taken many weeks to arrange, but we are relieved it is going out to tender in June.
“We cannot launch plans for the pier and fundraising until we have a legal right to the pier. Funders will not accept applications until we can prove we have legal access.
“They also need to know what money is going to be involved. They want to know it will be spent properly and will achieve what was applied for.
“Anything that can be done to move this on in a timely manner would be appreciated.”
A spokesperson for Waverley Excursions said: “We are fully supportive of the Helensburgh Pier Company’s ambition to reopen the pier to allow Waverley to berth.
“The reopening of Helensburgh Pier will allow Waverley to make regular summer calls on her Clyde cruises.
“We support the view that any vessels berthing at Helensburgh pier are charged to help generate funds to maintain the pier.
“Waverley would make a contribution by paying a landing fee for each passenger in a similar way to other charity owned piers used such as Clevedon and Swanage.
“We would also seek to offer Helensburgh Pier Company the opportunity to raise funds through a Waverley fundraising cruise.”
