8 weeks and counting down

[Richard]

The last planking should be in place by end of February, leaving most of the remaining work inside the two buildings and therefore not impacted by weather.
We intend that the pier will be open to the public no later than the middle of April
A gala celebration of the new pier is planned for the late afternoon / evening of Saturday 21st May.
A Summer Circus will be on the pier from 5th. August through to the August Bank Holiday.
No doubt 1066 950th anniversary celebrations in October.

Quite a lot to look forward to.

[Westfieldmike2016]

Is the event for us shareholders, or will we get a preview before the public are allowed on the pier?

[Richard]

There was a fight over who would build the original Victorian Pier in Hastings, with Hastings Council attempting to build a Pier of their own design using a local builder, a Councillor, called John Howell (a freemason) who wished to win the contract into the controlling hands of his fellow freemasons.
However the contract was eventually won by a Glasgow firm (previously employed by the famous Pier-builder named 'Birch') with the Iron being brought into Hastings by ship, all the way from Glasgow.
The Pier was late in opening by 16 months, but then again it was a build from 'scratch' into solid rock at the shore end and a submerged forest, covered by clay deposits, further out to sea.
In fact the difficulties encountered in dealing with piles broken by submerged 'fossil' tree stumps resulted in £2000 worth of extra expenditure and a lawsuit had to be brought to recoup the extra money from the Pier Company who at first refused to pay.

£10 Shares were issued to fund the Victorian Pier and two 'Toll-gates' were set to generate revenue for the shareholders of the Pier Company.
Entry to the pier cost 2d, bringing £4,000 income - a sixth of the capital cost - in just 12 months.
Yet there was soon to be a general feeling that the pier was being badly managed, and that shareholders were treated by the directors like strangers and beggars instead of fellow townsmen.

Good luck to the current shareholders, then

[Richard]

The road frontage of the Pier is now being cleared of portable workmen's huts and the final touches are underway.
After the general opening towards the middle of April, as mentioned, will come the 'Gala Celebration' on 21st May.
'Madness' are billed to play a Concert then, taking centre stage at 7pm and I believe 'shareholders' will receive a link to buy tickets in advance of the general public (at £25 a pop).

http://www.hpcharity.co.uk/

[Richard]

See the huts cleared here:

[moonjiver]

Quite frankly I wish some bored teenagers would burn it down again, or atleast the prefabricated toy fortress built so far, so that someone with sanity could start again.

With all the enthusiasm and excitement from the community about a new pier in Hastings, is this joke all that modern architects could come up with?

[Richard]

Clearly the bulk of the restoration costs of circa £12M have gone on the rebuilding of the superstructure, i.e. the steel framework and decking.
The original Victorian piles, down into the sea floor, are almost untouched save for an additional set of bracing struts to support the 'Visitor Centre' from below the decking.

I rather like the minimalist look and feel of the final product but can equally understand a frustration at the lack of anything more permanent on top.
The idea is that the stage is now set for a variety of 'rotating events' which would not be possible on a built up Pier, such as we see at Eastbourne or Brighton.

[moonjiver]

I'm sorry Richard, I rather think you are defending the indefensible! Everyone I talk to is pretty scathing about the pier and fed up about it. I myself am apalled at the expense, not justified if the pier is being left as largely an open space - there are already several good open spaces suitable for outdoor events. Moreover, it is hard to see how the pier can be commercially viable on that basis (and cover the inescapable ongoing costs of maintenance to the substructure) if events can only take place largely in spring/summer when the weather permits.

I would like to be proved wrong on all of this but nothing so far looks very promising or suggests that the whole project has been properly thought through.

[Richard]

MJ I think most of the money went on the basic groundwork.
I would like to have seen an exact copy of the curvy building at the front Pier to balance it up again, plus a repaired landing-stage for pleasure boats.
The Pier is a charity now and any further money can be used according to local wishes.
Don't forget this is just Stage 1 of the process, Stage two will no doubt see further developments.
Are all the eggs hatched then? No! I don't think so and therefore we shouldn't count our chickens yet unless it turns out to be a Turkey as you have suggested.

I am not privy to what money is left or what can be raised in future but I can see a lot of potential for future developments.

[Mick.]

MJ I think most of the money went on the basic groundwork.
I would like to have seen an exact copy of the curvy building at the front Pier to balance it up again, plus a repaired landing-stage for pleasure boats.
The Pier is a charity now and any further money can be used according to local wishes.
Don't forget this is just Stage 1 of the process, Stage two will no doubt see further developments.
Are all the eggs hatched then? No! I don't think so and therefore we shouldn't count our chickens yet unless it turns out to be a Turkey as you have suggested.

I am not privy to what money is left or what can be raised in future but I can see a lot of potential for future developments.

Agree with you there Richard about the 'curvey' building...it needs another one to 'even' it up...maybe that will come in the next year or two.