Pier

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Richard
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Pier

Postby Richard » Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:33 am

'CLOSED UNTIL EARLY SPRING'

The Pier is now closed, as above, ostensibly for 'repairs' or new huts or anything else for that matter!
Was 'seasonal closure' the norm, many years ago, when visitor numbers dropped away?

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Derek Jempson
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Re: Pier

Postby Derek Jempson » Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:17 am

I have resided in the town for all of my life and have never know the pier to close off-season. Indeed, it couldn't be easily closed before the gates and fences were installed. It sounds like a penny-pinching exercise to me, after all zero-hours contract staff are easy to hire and fire at will aren't they?

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seahermit
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Re: Pier

Postby seahermit » Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:53 pm

It seems understandable that the pier at times needs repairs - but two months seems excessive and why the lack of proper information? Why not just be straight and release details of what work is in progress?

Nothing will alter the empty, basic look of the whole structure - a large wooden Boy Scout hut surrounded by acres of bare planking and a few fossilised painted lions and glum-looking cows. Hardly an entertainment complex to start rivalling Las Vegas!

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Richard
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Re: Pier

Postby Richard » Sat Mar 09, 2019 10:33 am

Five new wooden huts to go up on the pier:

https://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news ... -1-8838176

These will be much bigger than the tiny coloured retail huts currently on offer...

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seahermit
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Re: Pier

Postby seahermit » Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:02 pm

On my smartphone I clicked on the link to the Hastings Observer - they demanded that I remove my Adblocker and also register before I could enter the site.
Must be joking! Do they imagine the website is something exclusive, as opposed to a completely rubbish local rag which isn't really worth bothering with anyway?

I noticed that the whole front page of this week's printed Observer was taken up by one story - of a new shop opening in Priory Meadow. Is that ALL that happens, or is important, in a small town? Oh dear ...

What to say about a few more wooden huts on the pier? Do those people ever visit other resorts and look at how other towns do things properly, with elegant and well-designed structures making their piers an enjoyable experience?

I'm becoming a bit of a ranter, I know, but Hastings does seem to have lost its way, shabby, lacking in drive or imagination. There ARE lots of good things happening but largely small-scale, initiated by creative, artistic people - the council couldn't run a tea-party properly. And the pier owner (in a year?) has done virtually nothing to improve the structure.

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Richard
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Re: Pier

Postby Richard » Sun Mar 10, 2019 6:21 pm

The owner seems to be saying that he will agree with the council regulations but that really nobody else is coming up with any funding to generate income so why should they be listened to?
That is business and why should we want to preserve a pristine plank?
Nothing comes from nothing!

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seahermit
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Re: Pier

Postby seahermit » Mon Mar 11, 2019 8:50 am

I am sorry, Richard, I am unable to understand the point you are making!

If you are saying that there is a lack of funding, why does the pier owner need to rely upon more handouts? Was it not the idea that he was supposed to invest some money into making the pier a going concern, on a proper business footing? His promises were there when he bought the pier. Just promises ...

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seahermit
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Re: Pier

Postby seahermit » Mon Mar 11, 2019 9:11 am

I have just read the Hastings Online Times article about the result of proceedings initiated by HMRC to recover unpaid taxes, wages and other sums from the pier owner. And bankruptcies amongst Mr Gulzar's various business concerns. Can hardly believe what I am reading.

The business record is dire. What were the pier administrators thinking of when they sold the pier on?!

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Richard
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Re: Pier

Postby Richard » Mon Mar 11, 2019 12:51 pm

Hastings Pier Charity went into administration on 24 November 2017 because it was loss-making and unable to pay its creditors
The administrators sold The Pier to the bidder which offered the highest price for the assets, was able to complete quickly and was able to demonstrate the highest probability of supporting its ongoing trading into the future.
Five firm bids were considered in total.
"Many other bidders had difficulty either raising sufficient funding to buy an asset, such as a pier, or convincing financial backers that they have a plan for a financial operation on the Pier which was fund-able. All interested parties had over six months to work on their proposals. We were unable to delay the process any further as this would have increased the costs of the administration and the bids that we had could have fallen away."

Ed209
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Re: Pier

Postby Ed209 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 5:57 pm

Supposedly the pier is ready to reopen!
I can't see how the owner thinks he will make any money out of it as it's still empty, with no family attractions, rides or anything to do on it.
I wonder how long it is until it goes bust again?


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