The iron-framework of the Pier in Hastings is an old structure originally dating from 1872, or thereabouts.
The buildings (burned away by kids in an arson attack) can't be reconstructed on top of the old iron frame-work exactly along the lines of the original collection of old Victorian buildings, for example as Eastbourne Pier still is today, because Hastings' Pier lost it's original rooms a long, long time ago.
We have to move with the times and present a platform with a capacity for staging events as the season or occasion demands and this seems a sensible use of the new Pier, rather than trying to recreate something that might have gone before.
I am prepared to try to come to terms with the 'futuristic' central structure or Viewing Platform, for cinema/music etcetera, but find the 'concession huts' - about six either side of the landward side of the 'viewing platform' to be totally lacking in any vision whatsoever.
They remind be of the boring Christmas Cabin Huts in Priory Meadow, intended to replicate the success of soulless 'German Markets' but naturally about as imaginative as 'portakabins' and indicative of a cheap and tawdry 'stop-gap' solution, reflecting a depressingly cheap commerciality.
In short 'the huts' don't do much to cheer the spirit in Priory meadow and are about as interesting as mud.
If the Pier huts were just a temporary 'invasion' until something more constructive comes along they may be ok but they will not go away after Christmas and their repetitive appearance will do little to enhance the visitor experience.
At least the Fairground near the shore end of the Pier can be removed seasonally and other entertainments can be changed and staged at will.
I can almost forgive the chain 'Harry Ramsden' being allowed on the pier, as it is the only restaurant that can afford the high rental charges, but those boring 'concession huts', as the only venue for local Hastings' traders, appearing like a skin-rash, really depress me.
Hastings Forum
The Pier revisited
Re: The Pier revisited
I haven't commented much lately on the pier because it's hard to know what good there is to say. What a sorry and pathetic "portacabin" structure has emerged, after all the initial hype and excitement when funding was finally secured for rebuilding! Is that the best design that architects can come up with in modern times, compared to all the vision, inventiveness and appreciation of beauty of the Victorians?
So much expansive talk of "regeneration" of Hastings over the last few years and so much public money poured in. But the town still has many social, housing and employment problems, countless premises all over the town stand empty (some ever since I came here 15 years ago). A very few cosmetic changes - the Sussex Coast building I actually like! Bold, sweeping architecture which is quite imposing and creates a "plaza" atmosphere to that whole area (though still unexpected in a small old-fashioned coastal resort).
But from talking to visitors and townspeople there seems to still be a lot of resentment about the intrusion of the Jerwood building onto the Stade and certainly the gallery has no effect whatsoever on the lives of most ordinary Hastings people. The office blocks in Havelock Road are extremely ugly and belong in the City of London. Are they anywhere near fully occupied yet? Maybe the idea was to draw on the pool of labour in Hastings but surely one needs to address the town's employment/skills problem first! It's hard to see great numbers of skilled workers being attracted to move from the cities to Hastings at the present time.
And the Observer building I can't bear to think about. There seems to be a complete absence of any really good, viable ideas for making the place into a thriving community space and little response to what local people would actually like. At the moment it's all bare concrete walls and pillars with a few temporary plywood cafes and bar counters scattered about.
I do actually like Hastings very much and admire many things about it. But we have to move with the times of course and update. The trouble is that many developments of the last few years have been driven primarily by what will make money, without any sensitivity to the needs of an attractive traditional seaside town and without listening to what local people want for the town they live in.
So much expansive talk of "regeneration" of Hastings over the last few years and so much public money poured in. But the town still has many social, housing and employment problems, countless premises all over the town stand empty (some ever since I came here 15 years ago). A very few cosmetic changes - the Sussex Coast building I actually like! Bold, sweeping architecture which is quite imposing and creates a "plaza" atmosphere to that whole area (though still unexpected in a small old-fashioned coastal resort).
But from talking to visitors and townspeople there seems to still be a lot of resentment about the intrusion of the Jerwood building onto the Stade and certainly the gallery has no effect whatsoever on the lives of most ordinary Hastings people. The office blocks in Havelock Road are extremely ugly and belong in the City of London. Are they anywhere near fully occupied yet? Maybe the idea was to draw on the pool of labour in Hastings but surely one needs to address the town's employment/skills problem first! It's hard to see great numbers of skilled workers being attracted to move from the cities to Hastings at the present time.
And the Observer building I can't bear to think about. There seems to be a complete absence of any really good, viable ideas for making the place into a thriving community space and little response to what local people would actually like. At the moment it's all bare concrete walls and pillars with a few temporary plywood cafes and bar counters scattered about.
I do actually like Hastings very much and admire many things about it. But we have to move with the times of course and update. The trouble is that many developments of the last few years have been driven primarily by what will make money, without any sensitivity to the needs of an attractive traditional seaside town and without listening to what local people want for the town they live in.
Re: The Pier revisited
hello MJ,
I wondered if you had been traumatised by the unpleasant character who was abusing you somewhere in Hastings.
Apparently not - so good!
The Office Blocks in Havelock Road are under-occupied and according to a recent taxi-driver's conversation, "a lot of people in Hastings can't even string two sentences together, let alone provide any Office Skills needed."
Probably the result of a poor education rather than a lack of intelligence.
So I think you are right about the shortage of skills locally and the 'Blocks' are totally out of keeping, much like the older Blocks now housing the Council Offices and those nearby, facing the Pelham Fountain.
Those were a 'mistake' of earlier times, when Planning Rules were more liberal, resulting in several ugly 'Carbuncles' but clearly we have still not learned the lessons.
And why on earth is the scaffolding nightmare still fronting the Council and adjacent Blocks at Pelham?
It seem to have become a permanent fixture.
It appears that most ordinary people in the street neither know nor care less about what the council or planners get up to.
The Jerwood does not appeal to me with its sterile buildings - I still think the Toilets were the best thing to come out of it all.
I am still waiting to hear what emerges from 'The Observer Building' planning permissions and hope something better will soon be forthcoming.
I remain positive regarding the Pier, despite reservations about the 'Huts' and central 'Baked Bean Factory'.
I just think you are right that an opportunity has been missed and the new structures are totally at odds with the remnant isolated Victorian building bearing two cupola's and now without it's twin.
I guess you are 'spot-on' if you believe that the council and planners have been getting whatever grants they can muster to develop commercial enterprises without regard for anything else.
That kind of mentality did not work for the Havelock developments and also I hear that the 'Extension of Brighton, University of Hastings' is now suffering a shortage of students and is a cause for concern.
I had thought the idea was that hordes of 'foreign' students would be drawn in and contribute to the regeneration of the town and thereby benefit the community at large.
Time will tell whether the demand ever meets the (over) supply!
I wondered if you had been traumatised by the unpleasant character who was abusing you somewhere in Hastings.
Apparently not - so good!
The Office Blocks in Havelock Road are under-occupied and according to a recent taxi-driver's conversation, "a lot of people in Hastings can't even string two sentences together, let alone provide any Office Skills needed."
Probably the result of a poor education rather than a lack of intelligence.
So I think you are right about the shortage of skills locally and the 'Blocks' are totally out of keeping, much like the older Blocks now housing the Council Offices and those nearby, facing the Pelham Fountain.
Those were a 'mistake' of earlier times, when Planning Rules were more liberal, resulting in several ugly 'Carbuncles' but clearly we have still not learned the lessons.
And why on earth is the scaffolding nightmare still fronting the Council and adjacent Blocks at Pelham?
It seem to have become a permanent fixture.
It appears that most ordinary people in the street neither know nor care less about what the council or planners get up to.
The Jerwood does not appeal to me with its sterile buildings - I still think the Toilets were the best thing to come out of it all.
I am still waiting to hear what emerges from 'The Observer Building' planning permissions and hope something better will soon be forthcoming.
I remain positive regarding the Pier, despite reservations about the 'Huts' and central 'Baked Bean Factory'.
I just think you are right that an opportunity has been missed and the new structures are totally at odds with the remnant isolated Victorian building bearing two cupola's and now without it's twin.
I guess you are 'spot-on' if you believe that the council and planners have been getting whatever grants they can muster to develop commercial enterprises without regard for anything else.
That kind of mentality did not work for the Havelock developments and also I hear that the 'Extension of Brighton, University of Hastings' is now suffering a shortage of students and is a cause for concern.
I had thought the idea was that hordes of 'foreign' students would be drawn in and contribute to the regeneration of the town and thereby benefit the community at large.
Time will tell whether the demand ever meets the (over) supply!
Re: The Pier revisited
Both very good write ups from Richard and MJ....well done chaps.
Re: The Pier revisited
I appreciate the supportive comments on my post. I wasn't sure if I was being a little harsh .. but no, this is the way I see things from where I am standing and I think it is a fair assessment. Not the same as being negative - I love Hastings, terrific atmosphere in the Old Town amongst the old pubs or roaming around the tangle of fishing nets and weathered boats on the foreshore. St Leonards seems to have developed a whole new character of its own, lovely cafes and art galleries and on a sunny day there's nothing nicer than browsing the Aladdin's Cave of junk and antique shops. And the town surrounded by a beautiful landscape.
But I don't see the point in pretending and "talking up" Hastings. There are real and long-standing problems and the Council's policy seems to be to avoid confronting them. Instead, as Richard expressed it much more succinctly than myself, there is a pursuit of whatever funding or handouts are available in order to pursue prestigious or showy projects .. which are not at all appropriate for the town and do not change the reality of most people's lives.
It is not at all surprising that many residents are not really bothered what the council plans or does. The plague of "consultations" does not in my opinion amount to much more than PR exercises /window dressing. Both young and old feel that they have very little real say in what happens. They manage to get on with their own lives not because of anything wonderful the council does but IN SPITE of what the council does!
But I don't see the point in pretending and "talking up" Hastings. There are real and long-standing problems and the Council's policy seems to be to avoid confronting them. Instead, as Richard expressed it much more succinctly than myself, there is a pursuit of whatever funding or handouts are available in order to pursue prestigious or showy projects .. which are not at all appropriate for the town and do not change the reality of most people's lives.
It is not at all surprising that many residents are not really bothered what the council plans or does. The plague of "consultations" does not in my opinion amount to much more than PR exercises /window dressing. Both young and old feel that they have very little real say in what happens. They manage to get on with their own lives not because of anything wonderful the council does but IN SPITE of what the council does!
Re: The Pier revisited
Diverting over to 'The Observer Building' for a while, opinions are quite mixed here, there is to be more public consultation, it will be a focal point beyond compare if it gets the go-ahead for a prominent development on top and will be more easily accessed, futuristic and 'weather-resistant' than the Pier.
As such it has great potential and while Planning Permission is still being decided there is a fair amount of local access to events and markets arranged inside the lower ground floor areas.
Surely this is better than keeping it as it was before and trying to close it off entirely as any developer might normally do?
Flint Group acquired the building in 2014 and quickly opened part of the structure to the public.
http://observerbuildinghastings.co.uk/h ... the-plans/
As such it has great potential and while Planning Permission is still being decided there is a fair amount of local access to events and markets arranged inside the lower ground floor areas.
Surely this is better than keeping it as it was before and trying to close it off entirely as any developer might normally do?
Flint Group acquired the building in 2014 and quickly opened part of the structure to the public.
http://observerbuildinghastings.co.uk/h ... the-plans/
Re: The Pier revisited
Back to the Pier...
It now looks as if the opening may be delayed owing to poor weather recently.
Despite some opposition, the 'Huts' will be painted black for the foreseeable, as a 'nod' in the direction of the Blackness of the Net Huts.
I think the Pier Huts painted in pastel colours, like beach huts, would have been brighter as the 'Visitor's Centre' is not going to have glass panelling to reflect the light (costs too high) and there will be no removable sliding all-weather protection as the architects forgot about the high winds which would have sucked it up into the sky.
There is a herring-bone panelling along the sides from old floor planking and that will add some interest, but still it looks like it was a German defensive structure or a concrete air traffic control tower.
Despite the above I am still encouraged by the multi-functionality of the open spaces on Hastings Pier and the potential for different events, unlike the Eastbourne Pier which is a Victorian time-capsule and can't ever change much.
It now looks as if the opening may be delayed owing to poor weather recently.
Despite some opposition, the 'Huts' will be painted black for the foreseeable, as a 'nod' in the direction of the Blackness of the Net Huts.
I think the Pier Huts painted in pastel colours, like beach huts, would have been brighter as the 'Visitor's Centre' is not going to have glass panelling to reflect the light (costs too high) and there will be no removable sliding all-weather protection as the architects forgot about the high winds which would have sucked it up into the sky.
There is a herring-bone panelling along the sides from old floor planking and that will add some interest, but still it looks like it was a German defensive structure or a concrete air traffic control tower.
Despite the above I am still encouraged by the multi-functionality of the open spaces on Hastings Pier and the potential for different events, unlike the Eastbourne Pier which is a Victorian time-capsule and can't ever change much.
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