Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 70,124
'Trust' my arse. There's been whisperings around town about these people for years. And no I'm not going to provide them with a possible further unearned payday by repeating them on here.
Instead here's their latest pitiful selling down the river of the town's heritage, as reported in the Argus yesterday:
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1454...rapped_and_original_fragments_go_up_for_sale/
'Restoration of West Pier tollbooth scrapped and original fragments go up for sale
THE RESTORATION of a West Pier tollbooth has been scrapped and the original fragments will be sold.
Known as The Rock Shop, the building which once stood as one of a pair either side of the pier was due to be brought back to life as part of the i360 viewing tower project.
The design was used to build a copy of the booth on the west side - the original of which was lost in 1978 - with plans to reinstate the building on the east after it was put into storage in 2012.
But the original 1866 remnants were deemed unsafe to form part of a structure due to be used by the public.
The castings were instead used to make a second exact replica and the originals will now be on offer at a one-off sale in July. The brackets and columns - some of which are 3 metres long - are expected to fetch up to £300.
Rachel Clark, chief executive of the West Pier Trust, said: "It was a difficult decision but there was no choice. The i360 team handed the fragments back into the care of the trust and, given the success of some of our previous sales, we thought we would do the same here.
"The fragments were shot blasted to establish if they were safe to use so they look better than the fragments we sold before. They look rather magnificent."
When complete the brand new buildings sitting either side of the tourist attraction will become a ticket office and a tea room.
Ms Clark said the replicas were "pristine", adding: "They are going to be amazing. They look exactly like when the pier opened in 1866."
i360 architect David Marks, Marks Barfield Architects, said: "Following extensive cleaning and examination of the salvaged material in 2015, it was discovered that none of the salvaged original structure was capable of being feasibly or viably restored. However the salvaged cast iron ornate mouldings have been used to recreate new castings for the reconstructed tollbooths. The two tollbooths will match the originals in materials, style, dimensions, design and appearance, ensuring that the architectural and historic importance of these buildings is preserved for posterity."
The proceeds of the sale will go towards restoring one of six original octagonal kiosks which circled the pier, and a heritage centre. A million-pound fundraising campaign will be launched later this year.
For information email rachel@westpier.co.uk.'
For once, I agree with the most scurrilous of the Argus comments. That's all I'm saying.
Instead here's their latest pitiful selling down the river of the town's heritage, as reported in the Argus yesterday:
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1454...rapped_and_original_fragments_go_up_for_sale/
'Restoration of West Pier tollbooth scrapped and original fragments go up for sale
THE RESTORATION of a West Pier tollbooth has been scrapped and the original fragments will be sold.
Known as The Rock Shop, the building which once stood as one of a pair either side of the pier was due to be brought back to life as part of the i360 viewing tower project.
The design was used to build a copy of the booth on the west side - the original of which was lost in 1978 - with plans to reinstate the building on the east after it was put into storage in 2012.
But the original 1866 remnants were deemed unsafe to form part of a structure due to be used by the public.
The castings were instead used to make a second exact replica and the originals will now be on offer at a one-off sale in July. The brackets and columns - some of which are 3 metres long - are expected to fetch up to £300.
Rachel Clark, chief executive of the West Pier Trust, said: "It was a difficult decision but there was no choice. The i360 team handed the fragments back into the care of the trust and, given the success of some of our previous sales, we thought we would do the same here.
"The fragments were shot blasted to establish if they were safe to use so they look better than the fragments we sold before. They look rather magnificent."
When complete the brand new buildings sitting either side of the tourist attraction will become a ticket office and a tea room.
Ms Clark said the replicas were "pristine", adding: "They are going to be amazing. They look exactly like when the pier opened in 1866."
i360 architect David Marks, Marks Barfield Architects, said: "Following extensive cleaning and examination of the salvaged material in 2015, it was discovered that none of the salvaged original structure was capable of being feasibly or viably restored. However the salvaged cast iron ornate mouldings have been used to recreate new castings for the reconstructed tollbooths. The two tollbooths will match the originals in materials, style, dimensions, design and appearance, ensuring that the architectural and historic importance of these buildings is preserved for posterity."
The proceeds of the sale will go towards restoring one of six original octagonal kiosks which circled the pier, and a heritage centre. A million-pound fundraising campaign will be launched later this year.
For information email rachel@westpier.co.uk.'
For once, I agree with the most scurrilous of the Argus comments. That's all I'm saying.