West Pier.

[34064 Fighter Command]

Totally agree. The structure at the far end is cast-iron, looks smart as all-f*** and is SOLID & not likely to fall into the sea unless it gets attacked with blowtorches and high-tech welding gear by criminals with ignoble motives over an extended period.

But the problem isn't what's above the water line. It's the condition of the iron work and piling below sea level and under the sea bed. Corrosion caused the eventual collapse of the ballroom and will be the downfall of the end of the pier eventually.

I'm afraid cast iron, salt water and neglect is, like deathwatch beetle in wooden structures, terminal.

 

[Man of Harveys]

I think The West Pier Trust are WAY out of their depth. After every storm/ignoble arson attack they'd have that chairman bloke on local TV news standing on the beach with the wreckage behind, chuckling away to himself and saying no need to panic, we can rebuild it, we have the original drawings and some of the origanl features stashed away etc. etc. Looked like he hadn't a care in the world. When he'd been wheeled out after about four successive batterings for the Pier, each of which wiped out another big chunk of the structure, I just came to the conclusion that the guy's an ineffectual arsehole, and the 'Trust' is non-existent.

I certainly don't know the bloke and didn't even see the footage. But, under the circumstances, I also don't know quite what you'd expect - someone sobbing loudly and screaming "Look at it!! It's all over! Waahh!!!" might not necessarily be the best way of presenting the FACT that restoration could actually continue despite these setbacks. Given that there have been enough people giving up on the West Pier as a result of the collapses and the igNoble arson attacks, what else might you expect him to say?

It's a bit like fanzines - if you don't like how things are being done, get involved, do something about it yourself. They are about the only people who can do something about it after all, for better for worse.

Far from "non-existent", the West Pier Trust is also not some massive organisation - much of it relies on volunteers who certainly do have a passion for the cause. I wish I had more time to give it than my annual subscription. But that is about all I can spare.

Deciding not to get involved because if some "ooh, I'm not too sure about the cut of his jib" stuff has got to be bollocks, frankly. The Pier's more important than that.

 

[Man of Harveys]

MoH is probably the best placed to answer this - what's the deal on costs and financing MoH?

Well, shamefully, I don't know half as much as I should (trying to move house, that's my excuse). The lottery fund withdrew its support. Any plan they had would have had to have been met with a sustainable business plan put forward by the West Pier Trust. This is where the landside development part came in, hotels, bars etc - which the cretinous nimbys so vigorously opposed.

Thankfully, English Heritage appreciate very strongly how important the West Pier is. Their plan is to rebuild it to its original 1866 design - very cool, just the smaller round pavilions. No theatre building at the end, no 1916 concert hall but a very cool building nonetheless and much cheaper than the 1920s-style restoration that was planned.

This says it much better than I can: http://www.westpier.co.uk/news.php

In any case, I very much doubt that any significant funds would be diverted from B+H social services/Falmer/children's hospitals etc as is often sort-of implied.

 

[Mr Popkins]

Instead of rebuilding the west pier B & H council should-

1. make the no balls organization change the name of Brighton pier back to Palace

2. legally force them to make a replica of the grade 2 listed building at the end of their pier which the council turned a blind eye to when they said they lost it!!!!

this would go some way to restoring a pier to a victorian appearance.

the council have shit themselves for years ,they are scared that if they dont give into nobles requests they will leave town.

i was all for saving the pier but i think it has gone beyond repair.
we should build a pier fit for the 21st century to replace it but only with private funds.

 

[m20gull]

MoH - I haven't been able to get the westpier.co.uk site to work today. Hope they haven't given up as well!

 

[Man of Harveys]

MoH - I haven't been able to get the westpier.co.uk site to work today. Hope they haven't given up as well!

This seems to work for me:

http://www.westpier.co.uk/news.php

Or there's always Google.

 

[Josky]

i was all for saving the pier but i think it has gone beyond repair.
we should build a pier fit for the 21st century to replace it but only with private funds.

Agree the council shouldn't cave into Noble and should force themt to change its name back to its rightful Palace Pier.

However, if we abandoned the West Pier in favour of a new pier all from private money I fear we would end up with a Noble pier No2.

Surely everyone can see the 'national interest' in helping the West Pier survive.

 

[m20gull]

Still doesn't work for me, but this page is very informative.

http://www.thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk/brighton__hove/news/local_issues/west_pier/news/pier77.html

So £2m to knock it down
£29m to restore it

only commercial developers are possible (no public bodies now interested) and they can't get a return without putting a big commercial development right on the seafront.