Southend Pier's first wedding descends into brawl (From Echo)
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Southend Pier's first wedding descends into brawl
10:30pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News By David Trayner
A MAN was left in hospital after the historic first wedding on Southend Pier descended into a brawl.
Police and paramedics were called after a violence broke out in the toilet of the Cultural Centre, where the reception was being held on Saturday night.
It left one guest, 23, with a facial injury.
The Echo told on Monday how paratrooper Ian Barnes, 22, married care assistant Emma Hunter, 24, at the end of the pier, where they spent their first date.
The couple, from Southend, spoke of their “brilliant” day to our reporter in the afternoon, but emergency services were called that evening after the punch-up just before 11pm.
A 39-year-old passerby from Southend, who asked not to be named, said: “I heard two squaddies got in a fight and one of them had to be ferried to hospital.”
Scott Dolling, acting head of enterprise, tourism and regeneration for Southend Council, said: “Late on Saturday night, an ambulance was called to attend to an injured wedding guest.
“Although they insisted that an ambulance would not be necessary, we still called it as a precautionary measure.”
Guests who wanted to smoke had to hop on a pier train for the 1.3mile trip to shore every time they needed to light up.
The pier was closed for three weeks in 1995 following a fire in the bowling alley on the pier. This was followed by a blaze in 2005 which destroyed much of the pier head, including the railways station, cafes and shops.
A Southend council spokesperson said: “Anyone who books the Pier Cultural Centre is advised of the Pier's no smoking policy.”
Comments are closed on this article.
Comments (46)
10:57pm Wed 27 Feb 13
stopmoaning1 says...
10:57pm Wed 27 Feb 13
DogsMessInLeigh says...
11:19pm Wed 27 Feb 13
InTheKnowOk says...
12:03am Thu 28 Feb 13
marshman says...
12:45am Thu 28 Feb 13
Leigh125 says...
2:09am Thu 28 Feb 13
Carnabackable says...
2:09am Thu 28 Feb 13
heartbeat says...
The Echo headline in my opinion should focus much more on how ridiculous it is of the Council to spend a small fortune on a "Cultural Centre" that they keep banging on about advertising more heavily - and then there's a little one-liner in the middle of the article to say in a "matter of fact" way that anyone who hires it for a function (presumably it's the same for concerts/exhibitions etc?) has to get the train for a mile and a third each way to have a fag! Now that really is the stuff of sitcoms - I can just imagine people making it back to the shore end and finding they've left their lighter behind etc. Why on earth wasn't the building put at the shore end of the pier? I cant imagine anyone wanting to hire the place with the smoking ban and having to tell all their guests they have to wait for trains, possiby in pouring rain and gusting winds, to go to the shore! You really couldn't make it up!!
7:25am Thu 28 Feb 13
Shoebury_Cyclist says...
7:29am Thu 28 Feb 13
Shoebury_Cyclist says...
7:34am Thu 28 Feb 13
Bosniavet says...
As regards this incident, is it really necessary to publicise this, especially as it appears to have been a very minor incident in all respects.
Based on this, I await the Echo publicising details of every altercation, alcohol-related or not that takes place at any venue within it's coverage area.
Please, just be happy for the young couple who got married last weekend & wish them every happiness.
8:07am Thu 28 Feb 13
jayman says...
8:11am Thu 28 Feb 13
pembury53 says...
8:17am Thu 28 Feb 13
Joe Wildman-Clark says...
8:23am Thu 28 Feb 13
GrumpyofLeigh says...
And smoking "a privilege"? Do leave off.
8:36am Thu 28 Feb 13
j-w says...
8:36am Thu 28 Feb 13
wagger says...
I am not a smoker, but respect the rights of those who are, the council policy seems barmy.
9:04am Thu 28 Feb 13
Shoebury_Cyclist says...
9:56am Thu 28 Feb 13
hothead says...
9:57am Thu 28 Feb 13
Soouthchurch59 says...
Far better to provide safe, secure facilities fit for the purpose, in my opinion.
10:13am Thu 28 Feb 13
Soouthchurch59 says...
It also means that *none* of the polls (past or present) mean jot!
11:41am Thu 28 Feb 13
echoforum says...
11:46am Thu 28 Feb 13
Rochford Rob says...
Can't believe I'm writing this but I agree with everything old SC has written.
Off for a lie down.
12:02pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Audioman says...
There must be much better places to get married,likeCavey Island
12:41pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Carnabackable says...
1:20pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Carnabackable says...
I expect the Regiment, those youngsters belong to, are really proud, there's nothing worse, than drunkards who can't hold their beer, brawling in public, not fit for purpose, Jobseekers I fear, for those involved.
1:39pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Nebs says...
2:14pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Carnabackable says...
3:15pm Thu 28 Feb 13
jayman says...
why Jobseekers?
in short. What the hell are you talking about man?
3:21pm Thu 28 Feb 13
jayman says...
3:48pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Carnabackable says...
7:39pm Thu 28 Feb 13
jayman says...
also. who said it was military. it could have been two civvies having an altercation over a dead goldfish for all we know..
7:45pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Carnabackable says...
8:27pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Seasider90 says...
8:32pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Carnabackable says...
9:18pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Born & bread says...
10:28pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Carnabackable says...
12:34am Fri 1 Mar 13
heartbeat says...
ever to hire the place.
Given that smoking is still legal and a lot of people still do it, then surely it would have made more sense to have the CC walking distance from the seafront end, to keep all parties satisfied and most importantly earning more dosh towards our Council tax?
10:36am Fri 1 Mar 13
Letmetryagain says...
I thought that only happened in Rochford :)
12:46pm Fri 1 Mar 13
Speedysnail says...
12:46pm Fri 1 Mar 13
Speedysnail says...
3:44pm Fri 1 Mar 13
Shoebury_Cyclist says...
11:12pm Fri 1 Mar 13
boytrev says...
They should be ashamed of themselves.
8:02am Sat 2 Mar 13
Carnabackable says...
11:10pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Letmetryagain says...
It is going to take a company with a lot of money to spend, or friendly bankers to fund any major projects on the pier.
As soon as anyone shows an interest, the council start laying the law down regarding what they will allow, and the cut they want from it.
Then the investors walk away.
2:47pm Mon 4 Mar 13
BinDipper says...
Must be, hanging around, with, those dirty, smokers!
3:53pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Chazmondo says...
..Where is the surprise...........I
t's full of absolute scumbags regardless of where these wedding guests are from......Southend attracts it !!!