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Hastings pier : A tale of RE-Birth |
When visiting the pier at Hastings, my first reaction was " it will be nice when it's finished"
This is because it looks rather like a "work in progress" due to the very high ratio of walking space to actual buildings. Further, the plain wooden deck tends to emphasise this.
So, not surprising that, when this seaside pier re-opened in 2016, there was a very mixed reaction. One local even described it as "Soul-less, Character-less and Nothing-ness".
Others liked the refreshing feel of the place and pointed out that it is not so different to the original layout. (having looked at old drawings, it is true that the original pier did have a long walkway, although more narrow than the latest design)
With another courageous decision, it also lacks the traditional English food stalls, amusement arcades and funfair rides which we Brits regard as essential parts of the seaside pier. (although, to be fair, they do have rather good fish and chips at the indoor cafe !!!)
This is because it looks rather like a "work in progress" due to the very high ratio of walking space to actual buildings. Further, the plain wooden deck tends to emphasise this.
So, not surprising that, when this seaside pier re-opened in 2016, there was a very mixed reaction. One local even described it as "Soul-less, Character-less and Nothing-ness".
Others liked the refreshing feel of the place and pointed out that it is not so different to the original layout. (having looked at old drawings, it is true that the original pier did have a long walkway, although more narrow than the latest design)
With another courageous decision, it also lacks the traditional English food stalls, amusement arcades and funfair rides which we Brits regard as essential parts of the seaside pier. (although, to be fair, they do have rather good fish and chips at the indoor cafe !!!)
Irrespective of this debate, it was something of a surprise to learn that this new structure was designated "Pier of the Year 2017" by the National Piers Society (NPS).
However the reason became clearer when I read the short remarks by Gavin Henderson, NPS President who described the pier as "truly a Phoenix"
As most of you will know the Phoenix is a mythical creature capable of being re-born through fire.
Given the history of the pier, this becomes a very understandable award and a very accurate comment
The first Hasting Pier was opened in 1872 by the Earl of Granville who will mainly be remembered for a failed attempt at humour during the celebration banquet when he mentioned that the pier was peerless except for the Peer who opened it....
("Peer" being a term for members of the British nobility)
My family and friends would say it is similar to my quality of jokes...
Regarded as a rather "oriental" design, this image was enhanced by the fact that several Egyptian princes attended the opening....without their mummies...( I warned you of my joke quality...)
From a technical point of view, the most interesting feature was the "Screw Pile" technique applied by the pier designer Eugenious Birch. At the base of each pile were blades similar to what can be seen on a boat propeller. Using a number of men ( at least 20...) and a capstan device, the piles were literally screwed into the ground.
As many of these piles can still be seen firmly planted after 145 years, it is not surprising that this innovation was adopted by other later pier constructions.
Eugenius Birch was a fascinating character. As well as being a designer, he was skilled painter, draughtsman and engineer.
One of his simplest design ideas can be seen every day on our railways.
He was the first person to propose the placement of the wheels underneath the railway carriage rather than on the side of the vehicle.
This change allowed more efficient use of the passenger compartment. This innovation was adopted on almost all railways world-wide.
To say that the pier has enjoyed a varied and incident-filled lifetime would be a major understatement.
During the first 40 years or so, the pier was a great success due to its large event pavilion and the ferry landing stage allowing people to reach the pier conveniently by boat from other nearby coastal towns.( and even Boulogne, France)
It also seems to have been very well managed with regular updates like an "American Bowling Alley" ( opened 1910) and Funfair rides.
(I would like to learn more about the bowling alley because most internet sources seem to believe the first such alley arrived in the UK only in 1960 !)
During the first 40 years or so, the pier was a great success due to its large event pavilion and the ferry landing stage allowing people to reach the pier conveniently by boat from other nearby coastal towns.( and even Boulogne, France)
It also seems to have been very well managed with regular updates like an "American Bowling Alley" ( opened 1910) and Funfair rides.
(I would like to learn more about the bowling alley because most internet sources seem to believe the first such alley arrived in the UK only in 1960 !)
The first tragedy to hit the pier was in 1917 when the magnificent pavilion building was destroyed by fire.
This was blamed on careless smoking by Canadian soldiers attending a concert. ( ...and I thought all Canadians were always so well behaved and polite !!!)
The Pavilion was rebuilt 5 years later
The pier recovered well from this first disaster and, as seaside holidays and their attractions became very popular, the number of visitors per week rose to 50,000 almost the same as the total of the local population.
During the 2nd World War, the pier was closed to normal guests and the structure was taken over by the military but only after a large section had been removed, in case, for the second time in 1000 years, some foreign armies wanted to invade this part of the country.
In fact, there was a small "invasion" of French and Belgium refugees clutching very large bags of cash, in a tug boat but that was as far as it went in terms of arrivals. (At least, even the far right could not accuse these immigrants of coming for social benefits payments!)
After the war, the seaside holiday was still popular and things remained positive for Hastings and it's pier
By the time of the 60's and 70's, the pier became most famous for top name concerts attracting the "A" list of the current music charts. It still surprises modern tourists that people such as Jimi Hendrix and The Who gave shows here.
Unfortunately, by the 1980's, the pier was in financial trouble. Seaside holidays were less popular and the cost of taking vacations in more exotic overseas locations continued to fall.
Some efforts were made to revive the pier as an attraction but the basic structure was neglected.
In 2006, the pier was effectively closed for safety reasons and, despite being a listed (i.e. protected) building, its future was uncertain.
The pier was privately owned with the owners unwilling or unable to fund the repairs.
Local political support was variable and demolition seemed inevitable.
However, as the Brits love nothing more than a "lost cause", a local pressure group, which had existed in some form for several years, now became highly active in its campaign to save the pier..
The Friends of Hastings Pier (FHP) went through a re-structuring project of its own and emerged as a charitable trust with the key aim of raising funds and taking ownership of the pier. They were successful to get the local council to promise to match equally any funds raised.
Still the estimated cost of the work kept rising and it was by no means clear that the pier could indeed be saved.
Just when it seemed the situation could not get more challenging, disaster struck again in October 2010, when fire destroyed much of the remaining structure.
Although he fire started off small, the dangerous structural state of the pier meant that the firemen were prevented from getting close enough to put out the blaze.
Instead of the fire being the death of the renovation hopes, it had the effect of making the remarkable people of Hastings even more determined to see their pier rise from the ashes.
Through a gradual process of gaining funds, preparing plans and the compulsory purchase of the pier (I believe for the princely sum of 1 Pound), a large grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund eventually allowed the pier to be re-constructed and to re-open in 2016 in its new modern, innovative and slightly controversial form.
The large and well-debated open space on this pier does mean that it is ideal for special events or displays. My visit co-incided with something called "The Yarn Bombing Project"
I was quite excited by this as I assumed it would involve throwing large balls of wool at unsuspecting tourists. Sadly, it was not quite that exciting but it did provide some interesting pictures !
I was quite excited by this as I assumed it would involve throwing large balls of wool at unsuspecting tourists. Sadly, it was not quite that exciting but it did provide some interesting pictures !
OK ..Pop Quiz... as my friends across the Atlantic say.. what do Hastings Pier, Edinburgh Castle and Greenwich Royal Observatory have in common ??
The answer.. they all have a "Camera Obscura", basically a darkened room where the scene outside can be projected on to a table inside. If that explanation is not scientific enough for you then see.. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura
I haven't had absolute confirmation but I am sure that this is a new version of a similar device which was on the pier in the 1940's
At this point, I would like to mention an excellent book of short stories, all of which are based around Hastings Pier.
It is available at an extremely modest price from Amazon (I am not on commission here...!).
Details on this screen shot...
Finally, in almost every tourist shop in UK, you will find an elderly ( i.e. my age) person or couple that know more about the area than any of the books/leaflets they are selling.
Hastings Pier is no exception and I am grateful for the background they gave me and sorry that I was so discourteous that I did not ask their names.
UPDATE
This great survivor of a pier has defeated natural and financial challenges to become an award-winning and visually unique icon of this historical area. Now it is threatened by enpreneurial greed, having been sold to a businessman who, not surprisingly is focused on making money rather than any real commitment to the pier's heritage. He has already closed it down for "essential repairs". Given that 11.2 million pounds have already been spent, one wonders what are these essential repairs and what is the real motivation of the new owner.....
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