The West Pier on Restoration

[CAFC Matt]

It should be restored but won't. 1) because it is too far gone and 2) because it will cost too much money.

Shame though as it would be good with the Pavillion etc

 

[perth seagull]

I know that Brighton residents will disagree with me, and if I still lived in Brighton I probably wouldn't say what I'm about to say. But I think the West Pier in its current state has become a legend in its own right. Having a ruin like that is unique and when I took some Aussies around Brighton they were very impressed and curious about it - more than the Brighton Pier, which is just another generic pier which you see thousands of times along the South Coast

 

[CAFC Matt]

Quite agree with you Perth Seagull

 

[Mr Popkins]

But it is no longer the structure that was listed is it? All that is left is the skeletal frame and in all honesty is no longer worthy of its listed status. Restoring will be a total re-build which again doesn't justify being listed. It'll be a bit like one of us building a kit car based on a classic car and then asking the DVLA to treat it as the original classic.

Why bother with it any more?

It is time to pull it down and start from scratch with a 21st century design, 21st century materials and 21st century attractions/ideas. Brighton has enough old buildings to satisfy everybody who likes that kind of thing but very little else. Seriously-what is there for a young family to do when they arrive in Brighton? The Palace Pier, a couple of tacky arcades and not much more.

The West Pier is symbolic of all that is bad about Brighton: it takes forever for the authorities to make a decision on important issues and by the time a decision is close to being made it's too late!

Let's tear down all the scrap steel that keeps being referred to as The West Pier, put something spectacular in its place and use it to help shake off the NIMBY shackles that continually hold Brighton back.

you are so wrong when you say its only scrap iorn in the sea and it does not consitute as listed.

the framework in its self is one of the finest designs of the victorian era, eugius burch was the first person to design piers with lattace frame work and the iron poles are screwed into the seabed, up until the building of thr west pier, iron poles used to be hammered in which was not as strong.

the pier MUST be saved at all costs, if its not the palace pier has won after thier arson attack on it!

an idea whilst the pier is being restored- an inflateable pier! hows about it?!

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

There is already £ 48 M in place to restore it, so why not use it. Money is useless if it isn't spent.

Since the money is coming from English Heritage and Mowlem, then it ain't as if it can be used to build a hospital or put more bobby's on the beat. It will end up being used to stop something like the Millenium Dome falling down, or for repainting the Forth Bridge.

Brighton & Hove isn't rich enough to turn it's nose up at that kind of money.

If it isn't restored, then nothing will be built in it's place.

' Save Our Seafront ' should be told that if English Heritage withdraw their grant, then they will be made accountable for the lost visitor and commercial revenue to the City. Perhaps it would help focus their minds to negotiate a compromise.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I say replace it with a brand new structure, perhaps containing a central grassy area approximately 100yds by 60yds in dimension, surrounded by say, 25,000 or so seats, parking for 10,000 cars and a Seagulls Megastore.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

Not sure I'd fancy watching a game in a force 8 gale though. We've had enough problems with waterlogged pitches at Withdean as it is ! And all that salt water would probably kill the grass anyway.

Plus there is the tendancy for ships to keep hitting it in fog, or the need to evacuate the stadium by sea when the shore end catches fire.

However, it would give a new meaning to ' Stand up, if you hate Palace '.

 

[Van der Gully]

34064 FC there is an easy answer to that little problem, put a roof on it...oh and maybe the club could provide life vests like you get on aeroplanes...

In all seriousness this is a chance for us to get a pier for the 21st century, something the city can be proud of.

 

[Curious Orange]

I believe that the West Pier should be restored to it's former glory. The pier was, and can be, one of the best examples in the country, and a fantastic piece of architecture to boot. It's reconstruction would be a fitting retort to the git who torched it.

The idea of building a new pier also has it's merits, a 21st century structure would be a magnificent addition to the city. However I reckon it would be better to demolish the hideous generic Palace Pier and replace that rather than the architecturally more important West Pier.

 

[London Calling]

What p*sses me off, is that everything must have a sustainable future, yep, I agree with that in most contexts, but it is being abused and upple middle class twats in English Heritage apply the 50% match-funding rule to absolutely everything. Which often undermines the Listed structure and its location. The Brighton seafront is a case in point.

The new development would split the fusion between Pier and the adjacent Regency Sq.

If English Heritage only asked for 33% match funding for the "whole" proposal it could
mean that the offending top tier of the seafront development may not be required.

Ah Yes, why do I blame Blair. Cos him and Brown have carried on the enforcement of unrealistic financial structures on local government. Which means non people related capital projects are put off until it becomes a national scandle.

A large number of the properties highlighted in the series were under LA or another publiic utility managemnet. A local authority such as Enfield with a £300 million budget should not need to go a TV and the public for a hand out.

The UK can afford to look after its heritage.

So Yes Blair is as much to blame as Thatcher.

LC1

 

[albiongirl]

I think the West Pier should be let to the sea they have should have restored the pier years ago it,s too late.

 

[Storer68]

Not sure I'd fancy watching a game in a force 8 gale though. We've had enough problems with waterlogged pitches at Withdean as it is ! And all that salt water would probably kill the grass anyway.

Plus there is the tendancy for ships to keep hitting it in fog, or the need to evacuate the stadium by sea when the shore end catches fire.

However, it would give a new meaning to ' Stand up, if you hate Palace '.

and we can park 'n' ride by pedalo fron Black Rock

 

[Storer68]