Eastbourne Pier on fire

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,910
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    Oh and on post 30 i did say it didn't look to me like the entire pier would go, this was while the fire was still burning
  • Pandora.Pandora. Posts: 21,417
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    Gutted. :( I have great memories of it. It's such a shame, as was the Hastings fire. It doesn't matter that they're a bit run down - piers are a fixture, and it's horrible to see this happen. :(
  • ecco66ecco66 Posts: 16,117
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    pjw1985 wrote: »
    No. First of all i have been on the thread from the start, go back and look at my posts. My earliest post was post 4. I thought it looked pretty bad for the pier too.

    What i am saying is that now it's out it has emerged that only really the arcade has been destroyed, the rest has been saved but people are acting like the entire thing has gone That's all
    You are right, only the arcade (formerly the ballroom) and the small shop unit behind it were destroyed. The tea rooms, other shops, bar and club and Ocean Suite at the end of the pier are all fine. South East Today were proclaiming that it has been totally destroyed - just a look at Sky News would have shown them it wasn't.

    This is how it looks now and there's a lot still standing:

    https://twitter.com/EllieJPrice/status/494542208310456320/photo/1
  • CLL DodgeCLL Dodge Posts: 115,630
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    I love that pier. Hope they can restore the burnt bits and get it re-opened ASAP.
  • LightningIguanaLightningIguana Posts: 21,847
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    I wonder what they'll do with it? Could they scaffold the damaged part and still allow access to the end for the rest of summer or will they just close the whole thing to make repairs?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,910
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    I wonder what they'll do with it? Could they scaffold the damaged part and still allow access to the end for the rest of summer or will they just close the whole thing to make repairs?

    They might block the damaged bit off and put up temporary ramps to access the rest
  • Steveaki13Steveaki13 Posts: 655
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    Very sad to see. :(

    I hope that they have saved the back half and someone can afford to restore it.

    We must be positive, maybe this can be rebuilt and be a new lease of life for the pier. :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 829
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    I was wondering what all that smoke was when I left Eastbourne today! Damn really hope this wasn't done on purpose like Hastings pier was. :(
  • punkyfish50punkyfish50 Posts: 1,652
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    It looks like an electrical malfunction more than anything else but I'm sure the fire brigade will confirm before too long.

    Hopefully the iron structure underneath is still sound . The issue will be whether the funds are available to rebuild the pavillion or whether this part of the pier will be cleared and left open, as was the case when the bowling alley at the front of Southend pier burnt down in the nineties (and before that, the pavillion on Llandudno pier).

    Whatever happens, we won't see the pier reopening any time soon. A very sad day.
  • Paradise_LostParadise_Lost Posts: 6,454
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    I've only been there once ages ago when I was 13 but remember it well. Quite sad.
  • TouristaTourista Posts: 14,338
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    This is so sad :( I've been on the pier many times and and had great nights at Atlantis, the club at the end back in the nineties.

    It's a lovely old structure - but like so many other piers lost in recent years, one made of rotting and very flammable wood.

    Again, at least it's a minor consultation that it's the arcade and not the main structure. Hopefully it's insured and repairable (unlike Hastings).

    Parts of the pier structure were rotting away, and the outside of the arcade was frankly in a terrible state.

    When I was there on the 12th, I couldn't believe the painters were simply slapping paint over wood that was falling apart. And as for the claim that a large sum was being spent on it, well, all I can say is that they weren't getting value for money if true. The replacement decking wasn't of the same thickness, there were broken windows everywhere, and the general condition was dirty.

    And as to the cause being electrical, that isn't surprising as some of the electrical points were hanging off the wall in the arcade.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,910
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    People please don't be too distrought. Most of the pier is ok. They can fix it :)
  • kelvokelvo Posts: 3,433
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    Tourista wrote: »
    Parts of the pier structure were rotting away, and the outside of the arcade was frankly in a terrible state.

    When I was there on the 12th, I couldn't believe the painters were simply slapping paint over wood that was falling apart. And as for the claim that a large sum was being spent on it, well, all I can say is that they weren't getting value for money if true. The replacement decking wasn't of the same thickness, there were broken windows everywhere, and the general condition was dirty.

    And as to the cause being electrical, that isn't surprising as some of the electrical points were hanging off the wall in the arcade.

    I was there in May and it was certainly looking a bit tired in places, do wonder where the money was spent then if that was the case? The chip shop did nice fish and chips though :)

    Does seem to be an occupational hazard of piers catching fire through the years, surely there should be enhanced fire regulations given the wooden structures. :(

    Having seen the photos it does look like they managed to save most of the structure of the arcade and the deck and most of the damage is to the wooden structure, might be some damage to bits of the framework in the heat but it hasn't collapsed so would still seem reasonably sound (they did engineer things well the Victorians), so hopefully the damage looks worse than it is once everything is cleared away and it can be rebuilt and restored - wonder if any original plans survive in the council archives, although I'm sure the arcade is a later addition to the original pier?

    It does seem as though the fire was as a result of a fault, and I suppose more fortunate that it happened during the day so there was a quick response and prevented the whole pier going. Hastings was sadly lost as a result of arson, the pier was shut and it was at night so by the time the alarm was raised it was probably already too late - almost too convenient that the pier burnt down considering the wrangling over the safety of it, the ownership of it and it being closed.

    Good to see Hastings' being rebuilt, Weston-super- Mare's was rebuilt so hopefully Eastbourne's will soon be too.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,372
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    kelvo wrote: »
    I was there in May and it was certainly looking a bit tired in places, do wonder where the money was spent then if that was the case? The chip shop did nice fish and chips though :)

    Does seem to be an occupational hazard of piers catching fire through the years, surely there should be enhanced fire regulations given the wooden structures. :(

    Having seen the photos it does look like they managed to save most of the structure of the arcade and the deck and most of the damage is to the wooden structure, might be some damage to bits of the framework in the heat but it hasn't collapsed so would still seem reasonably sound (they did engineer things well the Victorians), so hopefully the damage looks worse than it is once everything is cleared away and it can be rebuilt and restored - wonder if any original plans survive in the council archives, although I'm sure the arcade is a later addition to the original pier?

    It does seem as though the fire was as a result of a fault, and I suppose more fortunate that it happened during the day so there was a quick response and prevented the whole pier going. Hastings was sadly lost as a result of arson, the pier was shut and it was at night so by the time the alarm was raised it was probably already too late - almost too convenient that the pier burnt down considering the wrangling over the safety of it, the ownership of it and it being closed.

    Good to see Hastings' being rebuilt, Weston-super- Mare's was rebuilt so hopefully Eastbourne's will soon be too.

    Its taking a while.

    Personally I think Hastings was an insurance job as the pier had been shut for a while as deemed unsafe when it happened.
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,507
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    Gordie1 wrote: »
    Yeah, but fire crews have to get water to half way down to stop spreading.
    If only the sea wasn't in the way. :p
  • ecco66ecco66 Posts: 16,117
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    kelvo wrote: »
    I was there in May and it was certainly looking a bit tired in places, do wonder where the money was spent then if that was the case? The chip shop did nice fish and chips though :)
    The redevelopment was at the other end of the pier, the Alantis Nightclub and the Ocean Suite (for weddings, Airbourne private functions etc.).
  • kelvokelvo Posts: 3,433
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    This is so sad :( I've been on the pier many times and and had great nights at Atlantis, the club at the end back in the nineties.

    It's a lovely old structure - but like so many other piers lost in recent years, one made of rotting and very flammable wood.

    Again, at least it's a minor consultation that it's the arcade and not the main structure. Hopefully it's insured and repairable (unlike Hastings).

    The arcade and the main structure look to still be reasonably intact, probably some heat damage to bits of it - certainly some of the trusses look at bit twisted but at least it hasn't collapsed so there's probably a good chance that most of the building can be rescued and rebuilt. Should be a good chance of a Lottery grant to help rebuilding and was a listed building to I'm sure I heard as well, so all positives to it being restored.

    Hastings pier was in quite a state of disrepair hence why it was closed and a lot of legal wrangling over that, suspect that it wasn't insured at the time of the fire as it was closed. I think the council either had, or were in the process of a compulsory purchase order on it.

    In a roundabout way at least Hastings have got their pier back, a nice new one where had the old one not "mysteriously" burned down would probably have fallen into disrepair and been lost all together. Still a lot of work to do though.
  • ecco66ecco66 Posts: 16,117
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    Its taking a while.

    Personally I think Hastings was an insurance job as the pier had been shut for a while as deemed unsafe when it happened.
    Hasting pier was uninsured so I doubt it :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,372
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    ecco66 wrote: »
    Hasting pier was uninsured so I doubt it :D

    Its never been revealed if it was insured or not. But I have also read about the owning company at the time having to pay an excess.
  • ecco66ecco66 Posts: 16,117
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    Its never been revealed if it was insured or not. But I have also read about the owning company at the time having to pay an excess.
    Trust me, it wasn't.
  • skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,872
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    ecco66 wrote: »
    Trust me, it wasn't.

    I would assume it wasn't as a compulsory purchase order took it into local authority hands when the owners failed to rebuild it and a charity was set up to raise funds to rebuild it

    http://www.hpcharity.co.uk/

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-23699453
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,372
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    ecco66 wrote: »
    Trust me, it wasn't.

    I would never trust anyone I don't know
  • ecco66ecco66 Posts: 16,117
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    skp20040 wrote: »
    I would assume it wasn't as a compulsory purchase order took it into local authority hands when the owners failed to rebuild it and a charity was set up to raise funds to rebuild it

    http://www.hpcharity.co.uk/

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-23699453

    Exactly, spot on - that's precisely what happened.
    I would never trust anyone I don't know
    OK then - try this: It wasn't insured.
  • Tess-gTess-g Posts: 29,039
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    kelvo wrote: »
    The arcade and the main structure look to still be reasonably intact, probably some heat damage to bits of it - certainly some of the trusses look at bit twisted but at least it hasn't collapsed so there's probably a good chance that most of the building can be rescued and rebuilt. Should be a good chance of a Lottery grant to help rebuilding and was a listed building to I'm sure I heard as well, so all positives to it being restored.

    Hastings pier was in quite a state of disrepair hence why it was closed and a lot of legal wrangling over that, suspect that it wasn't insured at the time of the fire as it was closed. I think the council either had, or were in the process of a compulsory purchase order on it.

    In a roundabout way at least Hastings have got their pier back, a nice new one where had the old one not "mysteriously" burned down would probably have fallen into disrepair and been lost all together. Still a lot of work to do though.

    It was upgraded to Grade II* in 2009. Unfortunately it will not get lottery funding for the repairs as it is privately owned by Six Piers Ltd.

    http://www.piers.org.uk/pierpages/NPSeastbourne.html
  • ecco66ecco66 Posts: 16,117
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    Tess-g wrote: »
    It was upgraded to Grade II* in 2009. Unfortunately it will not get lottery funding for the repairs as it is privately owned by Six Piers Ltd.

    http://www.piers.org.uk/pierpages/NPSeastbourne.html
    Indeed, but it is fully insured so that should not be an issue. FYI Six Piers Ltd is owned by the larger Cuerden Leisure who met with the local council today and are committed to rebuilding.
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