After decommissioning, the lighthouse was purchased by the Orfordness Lighthouse Trust, a registered charity established 'to preserve the Lighthouse for as long as possible and its legacy after that'.
Under the Trust's stewardship the lighthouse was opened to the public on certain specified days each summer between 2013 and 2019.
In the winter of 2013–14 10 metres of the surrounding beach was lost to erosion; Trust volunteers then installed a sea defence, in the form of gravel-filled bags, to help protect the low cliff in front of the lighthouse (since when erosion on either side of the defences has overtaken the lighthouse).
Notwithstanding these measures, it remained "at imminent risk of falling into the sea".
In 2019 the Trust said it was committed to keeping the Lighthouse standing for as long as possible.
In the longer term, it aspires 'to dismantle the Lighthouse and rebuild a replica elsewhere on the Ness'.
With this in mind the optic was removed in 2014.
Storms in September 2019 undermined the bungalow beside the lighthouse, causing it to collapse, and erosion of the beach in front of the structures and to either side of them prevented any further work to repair its foundations and the deployment of any more sea defences.
After winter storms in early 2020, only the tower remained undamaged.
The lighthouse's oil store was swept away.
The Times reported on 18 July 2020 that work on demolition had begun.
It quoted Nicholas Gold of the Trust as saying "In recent months the building has become a hazard."
 By mid-August, the lighthouse had been completely demolished, but the OLT aim to build a 'tribute,' involving the top third of the former lighthouse and some other objects salvaged.
After decommissioning, the lighthouse was purchased by the Orfordness Lighthouse Trust, a registered charity established 'to preserve the Lighthouse for as long as possible and its legacy after that'. Under the Trust's stewardship the lighthouse was opened to the public on certain specified days each summer between 2013 and 2019. In the winter of 2013–14 10 metres of the surrounding beach was lost to erosion; Trust volunteers then installed a sea defence, in the form of gravel-filled bags, to help protect the low cliff in front of the lighthouse (since when erosion on either side of the defences has overtaken the lighthouse). Notwithstanding these measures, it remained "at imminent risk of falling into the sea". In 2019 the Trust said it was committed to keeping the Lighthouse standing for as long as possible. In the longer term, it aspires 'to dismantle the Lighthouse and rebuild a replica elsewhere on the Ness'. With this in mind the optic was removed in 2014. Storms in September 2019 undermined the bungalow beside the lighthouse, causing it to collapse, and erosion of the beach in front of the structures and to either side of them prevented any further work to repair its foundations and the deployment of any more sea defences. After winter storms in early 2020, only the tower remained undamaged. The lighthouse's oil store was swept away. The Times reported on 18 July 2020 that work on demolition had begun. It quoted Nicholas Gold of the Trust as saying "In recent months the building has become a hazard."  By mid-August, the lighthouse had been completely demolished, but the OLT aim to build a 'tribute,' involving the top third of the former lighthouse and some other objects salvaged.
Orfordness Lighthouse