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[Brighton] i360 filing for administration



South Stand Bonfire

Who lit that match then?
NSC Patron
Jan 24, 2009
2,591
Shoreham-a-la-mer
If you look at the "Who we are page", they're either businessmen or ex-politicians (who more often than not are also quite into business..).

Not a single word about anyone having anything to do with history, cultural preservation or anything else related to what their supposed to do ("inform and eductate about this old pier").

When they sell the artifacts they're supposed to preserve, you might wonder what the purpose is. The real purpose.

(and before someone complains about my foreignhood: should have thought about that before you spent £46m for me to go up and down in this thing...)
The irony is that no “popular” commercial activity on the Pier was allowed before the fire occurred which effectively ended any hopes that it could have been preserved. The Pier may still have been doomed, but no commercial activity basically meant no investor was going to fund its restoration without hope of getting some return on its money. Then the cigarette is proposed as a commercial activity on a woefully optimistic business plan and look where we are now….
 




Han Solo

Well-known member
May 25, 2024
2,923
The irony is that no “popular” commercial activity on the Pier was allowed before the fire occurred which effectively ended any hopes that it could have been preserved. The Pier may still have been doomed, but no commercial activity basically meant no investor was going to fund its restoration without hope of getting some return on its money. Then the cigarette is proposed as a commercial activity on a woefully optimistic business plan and look where we are now….
Interesting. Why was no commercial activity allowed? Because the activities were part of the piers Grade I listing and wasn't to be "business as usual" if it disappeared, and thus the motivation to restore would decrease? Or why else?
 


South Stand Bonfire

Who lit that match then?
NSC Patron
Jan 24, 2009
2,591
Shoreham-a-la-mer
Interesting. Why was no commercial activity allowed? Because the activities were part of the piers Grade I listing and wasn't to be "business as usual" if it disappeared, and thus the motivation to restore would decrease? Or why else?
Perhaps, but there has to be a balance and a degree of realism. By sticking to the “you are not doing that” approach, it led to further decline, no hope of any commercial investment and its current state. If you think about it, even the Victorians had their own commercial attractions on the Pier in its heyday.
p.s Little known fact, my late father saw “Carry on Girls” being filmed at the end of the West Pier in the early 1970s with Sid James driving a dodgers style car along the prom.
 




Han Solo

Well-known member
May 25, 2024
2,923
Must say the whole pier thing (which I've read quite a lot about by now) reminds me of an old hostel in Lund, "La Strada".

It was abandoned for 30 years but had a "k-märkning", a "culture marking", which is the equivalent to a "Grade 1 listing".

This meant the city couldn't tear it down, and instead they largely ignored this old hostel just out of town.

Then suddenly the city (or rather the university but its the same shit here) wanted to build a "particle accelerator" just where the old hostel was. I saw several grand plans of restoring it and turning it into a "hotel for researchers" and what not, but reading through the lines the hostel was just really inconvenient and in the way of everything.

...then "luckily" someone put it on fire, making life a lot easier for politicians, city planners and investors alike...
 




Jul 20, 2003
20,822
Must say the whole pier thing (which I've read quite a lot about by now) reminds me of an old hostel in Lund, "La Strada".

It was abandoned for 30 years but had a "k-märkning", a "culture marking", which is the equivalent to a "Grade 1 listing".

This meant the city couldn't tear it down, and instead they largely ignored this old hostel just out of town.

Then suddenly the city (or rather the university but its the same shit here) wanted to build a "particle accelerator" just where the old hostel was. I saw several grand plans of restoring it and turning it into a "hotel for researchers" and what not, but reading through the lines the hostel was just really inconvenient and in the way of everything.

...then "luckily" someone put it on fire, making life a lot easier for politicians, city planners and investors alike...


Piers/ second hand car dealers/ whatever that ^ was catch fire a lot.
It's what they do.
Or did.
Then the insurance premiums went up and now they are are more expensive to insure than a 'cheap fireworks / amateur welding / discount tumble dryers, no questions asked' facility.
 


jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
5,057
Must say the whole pier thing (which I've read quite a lot about by now) reminds me of an old hostel in Lund, "La Strada".

It was abandoned for 30 years but had a "k-märkning", a "culture marking", which is the equivalent to a "Grade 1 listing".

This meant the city couldn't tear it down, and instead they largely ignored this old hostel just out of town.

Then suddenly the city (or rather the university but its the same shit here) wanted to build a "particle accelerator" just where the old hostel was. I saw several grand plans of restoring it and turning it into a "hotel for researchers" and what not, but reading through the lines the hostel was just really inconvenient and in the way of everything.

...then "luckily" someone put it on fire, making life a lot easier for politicians, city planners and investors alike...
Yeah this usually happens to the Albion Hotel on Brighton seafront once every 5-10 years.
 


Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patron
Oct 27, 2003
21,582
The arse end of Hangleton
Must say the whole pier thing (which I've read quite a lot about by now) reminds me of an old hostel in Lund, "La Strada".

It was abandoned for 30 years but had a "k-märkning", a "culture marking", which is the equivalent to a "Grade 1 listing".

This meant the city couldn't tear it down, and instead they largely ignored this old hostel just out of town.

Then suddenly the city (or rather the university but its the same shit here) wanted to build a "particle accelerator" just where the old hostel was. I saw several grand plans of restoring it and turning it into a "hotel for researchers" and what not, but reading through the lines the hostel was just really inconvenient and in the way of everything.

...then "luckily" someone put it on fire, making life a lot easier for politicians, city planners and investors alike...
Burning down the West Pier was a very Noble idea (you won't get the reference but many will).
 




stewart12

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2019
1,949
Time for Tim Martin and the gang to step in and save it

Imagine the luxury of sipping on a £1.65 pint of Carling whilst being able to vaguely see the outline of the Isle of Wight
 




South Stand Bonfire

Who lit that match then?
NSC Patron
Jan 24, 2009
2,591
Shoreham-a-la-mer
Thanks I was wondering about this. Do we have to wait until we get a cancellation email though, or can we make the claim and let the bank work it out?
Contact your cc provider or bank by phone. Tell them that you paid for a service that was not provided. They may/should then put the payment on hold whilst they investigate the matter and will probably also send you a form to fill out and return.it may take a few weeks though to fully sort itself out.
 




drew

Drew
NSC Patron
Oct 3, 2006
23,752
Burgess Hill
If it's gone into administration, surely they will look for a buyer who will offer 'x' pennies in the pound to the creditors. Alternatively, in lieu of the debt, can't the council take it over and run without the burden of the debt!!!
 


oneillco

Well-known member
Feb 13, 2013
1,336
Must say the whole pier thing (which I've read quite a lot about by now) reminds me of an old hostel in Lund, "La Strada".

It was abandoned for 30 years but had a "k-märkning", a "culture marking", which is the equivalent to a "Grade 1 listing".

This meant the city couldn't tear it down, and instead they largely ignored this old hostel just out of town.

Then suddenly the city (or rather the university but its the same shit here) wanted to build a "particle accelerator" just where the old hostel was. I saw several grand plans of restoring it and turning it into a "hotel for researchers" and what not, but reading through the lines the hostel was just really inconvenient and in the way of everything.

...then "luckily" someone put it on fire, making life a lot easier for politicians, city planners and investors alike...
Yes Brighton has had a number of mysterious development fires in the past, e,g, The Bedford Hotel, and some say Hove Town Hall. But the arson attack on the West Pier was to prevent it being restored and thereby providing competition for the Palace Pier. The i360 scheme did not materialise until several years later.
 


Hometownglory

Well-known member
Jan 12, 2014
720
Yes Brighton has had a number of mysterious development fires in the past, e,g, The Bedford Hotel, and some say Hove Town Hall. But the arson attack on the West Pier was to prevent it being restored and thereby providing competition for the Palace Pier. The i360 scheme did not materialise until several years later.
So depressing, the West Pier could have been a different and lovely attraction and nothing like the Palace Pier. The Palace Pier is full of sugar and tat. The West Pier could have been a lovely venue for events, dining and entertainment.
 




Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm
Helpful Moderator
Jul 21, 2003
20,659
Playing snooker
Apparently the i360 had 109 staff.

That feels like an awful lot of people?
 






Mustafa II

Well-known member
Oct 14, 2022
1,904
Hove
If they could expand the platform and add a toilet, it would give them a lot more options. The obvious one would be fine dining with a view, or bar.

It will never get the numbers it needs as a viewing tower alone.

Sadly, I predict that it will be left doing next to nothing for decades.

The one positive, it is an extremely visible reminder of one reason why we should NEVER vote in a Green council again. 5% increases in our council tax every year will largely be going towards this.
 




stewart12

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2019
1,949
Apparently the i360 had 109 staff.

That feels like an awful lot of people?
I imagine they had a lot of part time staff. Probably a good job for a uni/college student etc
 




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