Weston-super-Mare's fire-ravaged Grand Pier will probably only be rebuilt in a "very truncated" form, an expert predicted.
Barring a "miracle", the quarter-mile-long structure is likely to be much shorter after reconstruction, a member of the National Piers Society said.
Anthony Wills described the destruction of the popular Grade 2-listed pier as an "absolute disaster".
He said: "The loss of any pier is tragic, but it is particularly poignant for Weston Grand.
"It changed hands in February after being in the same family for over 60 years, and the new owners were spending a fortune on it. It has been going from strength to strength.
"It has also been one of the best-run piers in the country. It's what we call a 'candyfloss' pier - it's dedicated to amusements, but of a high standard."
Mr Wills said the pier appeared to be beyond repair and predicted that for financial reasons it would never be restored to its full glory.
"It would cost a fortune. I suspect we will end up with a very truncated structure," he said.
"Unless a miracle happens, I really can't see it being reinstated even if there's a big insurance pay-out."
The main problem is that privately-owned piers like the Grand in Weston-super-Mare are not eligible for funding from the Lottery and other sources, he said.
Mr Wills called for the rules to be changed, adding: "Piers do not take enough money to undertake these major capital works of their own accord.
"They are diminishing - we don't want to lose any more."
He said the fact that the blaze appeared to have started in one of the towers indicated it was unlikely to be arson, and suggested it might have been caused by an electrical fault.
"The new owners must be absolutely devastated, and my heart goes out to them," he said.
"We cannot afford to lose another pier. It is terribly sad that at the beginning of the school holidays this pier will not be around for the kids and their families to enjoy."
National Piers Society executive committee member Mike Davies said the blaze had taken the "super" out of Weston-super-Mare.
Mr Davies, who lives in the seaside town, said: "It's about the only tourist draw we've got left here.
"If you look at a picture of Weston-super-Mare, you always have the pier slap bang in the middle.
"I just hope it's re-built at soon as possible. But I can see it taking anything between two and four years."
He said the new owners spent over £1 million on the pier since buying it in the spring.
"This is a disaster for piers, it's a disaster for the National Piers Society, and it's a disaster for Weston-super-Mare," he said.
"Let's hope we can see it rebuilt even better than it was - out of the ashes the phoenix will rise."