Fury as Southend pier closed until further notice (From Echo)

I wonder what they have in mind now??
Is this a money saving measure over the holiday period, or something more sinister going on behind closed doors??
Why engineering works need carring out all of a sudden, surely it is inspected more than once a year!!
I Wonder what news about the pier the new year will bring?

I've seen oil refinery jetties with more character than this piece of old junk. If SBC won't turn it into something like Brighton pier, then knock it down and save some money.

What a bitter comment 'OUR PIER' is something that has a linked history to Southend on Sea.

It might not have much on it but mention Southend on Sea to many people from all over the Country they know of the pier.

And I can understand why it is closed at present the ice and snow has obviously caused problems for train travel and pedestrians rather safe than sorry.

I hope that one day it will be more interesting.

Pull it down and save money !

Not bitter at all. I once lived in Wales and in Swansea and there was a grain silo located on the main road into the city. Because it was one of the first buildings to use re-inforced concrete it was listed. It was an absolute eyesore.
.
Just because its been around a while doesn't make it a good thing.

p.s.
.
If you think I am bitter then have some compassion for all those who are in a "Fury" over the loss of access to this piece of old tat. I can understand "fury" and "anger" over the war in Afghanistan, poverty or death on the roads. But lack of access to an elongated jetty?

Mary Lou wrote:
p.s.
.
If you think I am bitter then have some compassion for all those who are in a "Fury" over the loss of access to this piece of old tat. I can understand "fury" and "anger" over the war in Afghanistan, poverty or death on the roads. But lack of access to an elongated jetty?

Our Pier might be a 'piece of old tat' to a dried up miserable old bat like you, but to many of us it is part of our history and heritage. The way SBC has neglected the pier over the years is not much short of criminal.
They should sell it to Phillip Miller, at least he would properly maintain it and make it a going concern.

I suspect that this is more of a weather related thing, ice etc...
As well as staff wanting some time off.

I have done an Engineering degree (many many years ago) part included piers.

Southend Piers piles are cast iron, these fill with water and as any primary school kids knows water freezes as it doe's it expands if there is too little room for it to expand the there is a chance it could fracture a pile, it might just be a case of draining the water out.

It is impossible to stop the ingress of this water unless you fill the piles with concrete, however this is not always the best option as if you ever need to repace a pile it is neigh on impossible to remove intact.

SO to handing over to Philip Miller I would and would not agree yes he would spend much needed money on it but it must always remain the peoples pier and not belong to a person or company.

Forgot to add that the same thing could happen to the wooden decking. Water soaks in ice's expands and splits the wood it's something that you can NOT stop happening unless you put a great big heather cover over the pier heat the water round it and make it out of carbonfibre!

Rick Jones wrote:
I have done an Engineering degree (many many years ago) part included piers.

Southend Piers piles are cast iron, these fill with water and as any primary school kids knows water freezes as it doe's it expands if there is too little room for it to expand the there is a chance it could fracture a pile, it might just be a case of draining the water out.

It is impossible to stop the ingress of this water unless you fill the piles with concrete, however this is not always the best option as if you ever need to repace a pile it is neigh on impossible to remove intact.

SO to handing over to Philip Miller I would and would not agree yes he would spend much needed money on it but it must always remain the peoples pier and not belong to a person or company.

So, the pier is closed because it has trouble with its piles. Maybe a bit of ointment?

why go to the end of the pier in this weather anyway? unless you are a hard core fisherman or a member of the RLNI of course. i do like to go to pier on a nice sunny summer day. and as for handing over to Philip miller, well i quite like the quiet escape and tranquillity of listening to the lapping tide and calling birds a mile and a bit from madness and chaos. if miller gets his hands on it it will cost £10 to get to the end and £50 for everything on it.

Last year it was the end of York Road Market. This year the Pier (I sincerely hope not). The first thing that comes into people's minds on mentioning Southend is the Pier - despite it being a long ride to next-to-nothing. I really hope that something positive will happen to it in the New Year and that it will still be standing for many years to come. They can achieve this in other parts of the country, so surely it can happen here.

Mary Lou wrote:
I've seen oil refinery jetties with more character than this piece of old junk. If SBC won't turn it into something like Brighton pier, then knock it down and save some money.

knock it down? what would happen to the offshore RNLI station then?

Alice in Her Own Land :P wrote:
Last year it was the end of York Road Market. This year the Pier (I sincerely hope not). The first thing that comes into people's minds on mentioning Southend is the Pier - despite it being a long ride to next-to-nothing. I really hope that something positive will happen to it in the New Year and that it will still be standing for many years to come. They can achieve this in other parts of the country, so surely it can happen here.

What other pier comes close to the length of Southend's, when it comes to the logistics and cost the further away from the land the more expensive things get to move out to the end.

Don't forget the new buildings are to to go up in the new year.

If, when the Pier was originally built, there were attractions etc. 1 1/4 miles out to sea with limited technology unlike what is available now, I can't see why this Pier can't have the investment in it. Over time it would pay for itself in revenue from the local and tourist business it would attract. Being that far out to sea on a platform (of course it is possible by boat as well) is a pleasure during the Summer months and other favourable times as well. Just this simple pleasure will be missed by many, never mind what could be happening there with new attractions.

Sticks and stones dearie. Still when SBC don't have the money to pay for whatever service you may need later on, at least you will be able to stare out at a rotting old pile of rust and planks.
.
And I'm sure there are some Victorian cess pits and sewage pipes around the Borough that are linked with the towns history that need you to campaign to save them. The list just goes on and on.

I have spent many a day fishing off that old Pier..a couple of years ago I paid a visit with some friends..its got nothing to attract anyone to it anymore.

Swanage Pier in Dorset is not even a third of the length of Southend Pier..yet it attracts people every year and the Pier has names of People willing to pay to have their name put on a plank.

SBC you could easily make enough money from this to help restore the Pier and put some attractions on it.

At the moment I would never set foot on it again,theres nothing there to see.

Its a shame but I think Southend will lose its last attraction.

I would like to see the figures,costs against receipts, for this old white elephant.all those that want to save it,buy it and run it.

firedog wrote:
I would like to see the figures,costs against receipts, for this old white elephant.all those that want to save it,buy it and run it.

That is what Phillip Miller has been trying to do for years, but Southend Borough Council would rather let the pier fall into disrepair, like the rest of Southend's historic heritage.

The original purpose of the pier was to provide a landing for passenger craft, when these ceased to visit, the pier began a long decline. If the paddle steamers were to be restored, many people would prrefer their unhurried pace to present-day fasterfasterfaster .

So what does this say about the pie-in-the-sky scheme of the council to build an open amphitheatre at the end of the pier. I am sure loads of people will come to Southend for a cultural afternoon/evening of entertainment 1 mile out into the Thames Estuary, no doubt properly serviced by a wonderful transport service and first class refreshments and entertainment...NOT! The words booze up and brewery come to mind with that nonsense scheme. Just more headline grabbing ideas with no depth of analysis in the real world.
Such a shame!
We need realistic schemes for Southend, not Dubai!

radioman wrote:
The original purpose of the pier was to provide a landing for passenger craft, when these ceased to visit, the pier began a long decline. If the paddle steamers were to be restored, many people would prrefer their unhurried pace to present-day fasterfasterfaster .

The Waverley and Balmoral still do trips during the summer months. We did one this year, up to London.
.
As far as Ice affecting the metal piles, I doubt it somehow.
If that were the case, it would have collapsed many years ago. When the Tmames froze for instance.

Why all this fuss over jetty out to sea?
The pier lost its attraction years ago due to neglect.
There has been nothing on the pier worthing seeing for many years, it serves no more purpose than a footpath out to sea.

I once longed for it to be restored and something put at the end of it to make people want to go down there, now I just hope and pray it falls into the sea!

It is an eyesore, very sadly neglected for far too many years.

I hope if there is another fire it does the job for us!

never trust a tory look at york road market

Southend council has given up on the pier. Once it was proudly shown on all council papers etc. this has been removed and a sperm added sp they don't care.

This has the same devious set of actions that happened to York Road market. Do nothing for years, get a corrupt surveyor in and declare it unsafe and must be shut down immediately for Health & Safety reasons. Surely even this vile council cant tarmac it over for a car park or sell it to build flats on! Looks like 2011 is turning out to be the most destructive year ever in this countries history brought about by the hated Conservative Party.

Do you mean to tell me I can't get on the SS Royal Daffodil and go across to Calais, or the Medway Queen to Herne Bay, until further notice?

Drat!

No surprise really. The pier has for years been lacking any in any real investment and this ailing structure is an embarrassment when you look at the now gloriously restored Weston Super Mare Pier. It's been living on grand ideas since 1977. There are two Southends. One a virtual reality one of a far fetched Cliff Museum, Fossettes Farm Football Stadium and the likes and the other is the continuing loss of the town's architectural heritage. In Southend 2 + 2 = 5.

What timing surely more notice could have been given. At Christmas it is a very popular walk for hunders. Surely this could have been delayed for a couple of days and closed so wiork could be done in the 'closed season' and get it open again for spring? Once again Southend Council shoot themselves in teh foort and dont give all the reasons or the truth.

sounds like another fire in the planning, then a big ins claim, just let the heap of crap go, dont keep hanging on to the past, it may save the sbd a load of money, and spend it on something more vital than that death trap

sounds like another fire in the planning, then a big ins claim, just let the heap of crap go, dont keep hanging on to the past, it may save the sbd a load of money, and spend it on something more vital than that death trap

When I was a kid, the pier was a great place to go. and a major feature of the town. Reading the comments from some of the sad b's that infest this forum, I can see how the current state of affairs has been allowed to happen... What a bunch of whingeing losers.

I consider the pier to be nothing more than a glorified landing stage whose only saving grace is its record-breaking length. Someone needs to decide very soon what the future holds for it.

I am never surprised to read comments from idiots who blame whatever political party.

The truth is the pier has been neglected for year's by all Political party for very good reasons 'Money' there has always been a better project to spend money on.

But those that wish to close the pier and exploit their own political propaganda in the process should really go and play their silly little political games elsewhere not with a Historical asset owned by the true 'Southenders' who have been so for many years as have their parents and their parents that built this monument comparing it with cess pits and sewerage pipes from the Victorian era is the opinion of a total idiot of the first degree, the building of and the achievement of our ancestors engineers tradesman and labourers during that era was brilliant to build something at sea in all weathers is quite remarkable building sewers and cess pits or even York Road Market is easy but building the longest pier in the world was truly exceptional.

The best comment on here is that of the engineer that if true must be listened to.

Should we pull our Historical Pier down is a question similar to should we have allowed the 'SS Great Britain' to rot in the Falklands 'no' we took the decision to bring it back to England base it at Bristol and preserve it and guess what the ship attracts people by the millions to the city and that investment has brought a dying dock area back to life in Bristol and it celebrates the achievements of our Victorian ancestors including 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel ' engineer.

Stop playing Politics with our world renown (for years) Victorian achievement, we should seriously re think our attitudes to our exceptional and unique buildings and structures, built by the Victorians

Even Socialist's believe in History and I certainly am not a Socialist.

If private investor is interested then let it go,whats all the dithering about?Politicians whether national or local are lying cheating thieves who look after themselves first.The people of southend re-elect these people again and again cos their tories,maybe one day a party will be elected who cares about this town.

We're just off for our usual Boxing Day walk down the pier-or maybe not?!

Yes private investment bit NOT private ownership, a long lease with clauses that if spacific details are broken or not met than the lease automaticly returns to the council without any compo to the private invester for the loss of any money.

If it was to go into full private ownership who's to say they would not close it to the public and keep it as a private play thing for thier friends or sell it as scrap (which would please some of the loosers on here)

Like I said it could be as simple as ice damage in the piles.

What would cost the council more the revenue from a few weeks closure or being in the dock facing the full wrath of the health and safety inspectorate because somebody fell on or off the pier in what could have been a fully preventable accident.

Cut your losses scrap metal is still making money save on the rates !

ukman wrote:
Cut your losses scrap metal is still making money save on the rates !

Don't give the metal thieves any ideas although bit harder to shift than lead roofing but certainly less dangerous than overhead power cables.

If nobody else can be trusted with the task, this seems like a job for "The Big Society".

fortunately the scrap value of cast iron is very low. anyway the council have better ideas with more financial return. i think they will get companies to bid for a lease/licence to operate the pier. there is a covenant on the structure holding it to the ownership of the council (no sell out clause) unless it is deemed damaged beyond repair or destroyed. and i hear this on good authority.

Rick Jones ".. private plaything..." what planet are you on. A luxury yacht, ferrari and a villa in Cannes come under the heading of a private plaything. But a rotting jetty ???
.
The cost of the pier is rolled up with the foreshore and the Southend Marine Activities Centre, a total of £1.9 million nett per year.
.
So all you true southenders, kindly say which job or service is going to be cut and impact on the rest of us to pay for your beloved pier. Don't tell me its private finance, because if that was a reality it would have been done decades ago. We are in a major recession, who wants to invest in a rotting piece of junk.
.
It ain't going to come from Central Government the NHS is reported to be short £10 Billion in its budget.

Mary Lou wrote:
Rick Jones ".. private plaything..." what planet are you on. A luxury yacht, ferrari and a villa in Cannes come under the heading of a private plaything. But a rotting jetty ???
.
The cost of the pier is rolled up with the foreshore and the Southend Marine Activities Centre, a total of £1.9 million nett per year.
.
So all you true southenders, kindly say which job or service is going to be cut and impact on the rest of us to pay for your beloved pier. Don't tell me its private finance, because if that was a reality it would have been done decades ago. We are in a major recession, who wants to invest in a rotting piece of junk.
.
It ain't going to come from Central Government the NHS is reported to be short £10 Billion in its budget.

You are typical of a person who has been brain washed by the Welfare State and believe THE STATE should pay for everything !!

With your logic we should destroy our History just because it costs too much, well lets start with Hadleigh Castle, then Priory Park Priory,then up river to Tilbury Fort.

From a 'True Southender' point of view I like the Pier and have spent a great deal of time using it from a very early age I am sensible enough to know that like 'SS Great Britain' sometimes you need to speculate to accumulate wherever the money comes from is not something I am worried about IF it comes from private investment, (like Southend airport)or perhaps we should have destroyed that because it was rotting?

I am sensible enough and realise unlike yourself to know that we do have companies or even people with sufficient wonger to invest in 'The Victorian Longest Pier in the World'

As for reminding us about being in a major recession and the cost of the Health Service I can assure you I do not need a reminder from you the famous words of the last Prime Minister
'No more Boom and Bust'
is all I need to be reminded of to realise what the 'Welfare State' has REALLY cost us.

Private capital funds might look at 'Our Pier' BUT there needs to be the will and reason to invest and that must include the words 'Make a Profit' a term long forgotten over the last 13 years.

jayman wrote:
fortunately the scrap value of cast iron is very low. anyway the council have better ideas with more financial return. i think they will get companies to bid for a lease/licence to operate the pier. there is a covenant on the structure holding it to the ownership of the council (no sell out clause) unless it is deemed damaged beyond repair or destroyed. and i hear this on good authority.

"unless it is deemed damaged beyond repair or destroyed"

Those are the key words. Southend's tories have a track record of deliberately allowing areas to fall into disrepair so they could bulldoze them, York Road Market for example.

'V' wrote:

jayman wrote: fortunately the scrap value of cast iron is very low. anyway the council have better ideas with more financial return. i think they will get companies to bid for a lease/licence to operate the pier. there is a covenant on the structure holding it to the ownership of the council (no sell out clause) unless it is deemed damaged beyond repair or destroyed. and i hear this on good authority.

"unless it is deemed damaged beyond repair or destroyed" Those are the key words. Southend's tories have a track record of deliberately allowing areas to fall into disrepair so they could bulldoze them, York Road Market for example.

Yes - they got rid of York Road Market, a much-loved (eye-sore in as much as it wasn't invested in, but loved all the same), now it seems the much-loved Pier (eye-sore in as much as it wasn't invested in but loved all the same) but what about the office blocks along Victoria Avenue? THEY are the eye-sores that should have long been demolished instead of being the monstrous carbuncle they are today. But having said all that, I heard that the Govt. are planning the reduction in off shore rescue services and is that the green light given to SBC to disregard the Pier altogether and move the Lifeboat station or are we not going to have one as I for one cannot think where else it would be suitably placed?

Mary Lou wrote:
Rick Jones ".. private plaything..." what planet are you on. A luxury yacht, ferrari and a villa in Cannes come under the heading of a private plaything. But a rotting jetty ??? . The cost of the pier is rolled up with the foreshore and the Southend Marine Activities Centre, a total of £1.9 million nett per year. . So all you true southenders, kindly say which job or service is going to be cut and impact on the rest of us to pay for your beloved pier. Don't tell me its private finance, because if that was a reality it would have been done decades ago. We are in a major recession, who wants to invest in a rotting piece of junk. . It ain't going to come from Central Government the NHS is reported to be short £10 Billion in its budget.

Jobs and services will be lost regardless of the cost of the pier. It is inevitable and long time overdue.
The recession is over. People are spending like crazy - look at the high street. No lessons have been learned by those who can least afford it, but want to have it.

The NHS is facing a black hole of 10 billion. The NHS is highly inefficent. They should have privatised it yonks ago. Now free nicotine patches for those who want to quit smoking. Good idea in theory. But anyone who smokes and signs up will probably be denied any immediate care because of their bad habits. The lardies, smokers, alcoholics will be shoved to the back of the bus for treatment. And rightly so. That should save a lot of money and plug that black hole.

The impact on the rest of us? Those who pay for the service, don't abuse themselves, have a healthy diet, get plenty of fresh air and exercise, well I'm not too worried. When they stop funding transgender reassignment surgery, IVF and gastric bands for the porkers and start funding for necessary life saving drugs the NHS might earn a bit more respect. Until then it is in a sad state of affairs.

Not much hits the National Media from Southend but guaranteed anything pier related always does. The town and it's infamous Council always wants to raise it's status but seems unable to back the right horse. Shame it doesn't get pier headlines but for the right positive reasons.

Exactly - and didn't they go after the City of Culture award?

el caballero de la noche wrote:

Mary Lou wrote:
Rick Jones ".. private plaything..." what planet are you on. A luxury yacht, ferrari and a villa in Cannes come under the heading of a private plaything. But a rotting jetty ???
.
The cost of the pier is rolled up with the foreshore and the Southend Marine Activities Centre, a total of £1.9 million nett per year.
.
So all you true southenders, kindly say which job or service is going to be cut and impact on the rest of us to pay for your beloved pier. Don't tell me its private finance, because if that was a reality it would have been done decades ago. We are in a major recession, who wants to invest in a rotting piece of junk.
.
It ain't going to come from Central Government the NHS is reported to be short £10 Billion in its budget.

You are typical of a person who has been brain washed by the Welfare State and believe THE STATE should pay for everything !!

With your logic we should destroy our History just because it costs too much, well lets start with Hadleigh Castle, then Priory Park Priory,then up river to Tilbury Fort.

From a 'True Southender' point of view I like the Pier and have spent a great deal of time using it from a very early age I am sensible enough to know that like 'SS Great Britain' sometimes you need to speculate to accumulate wherever the money comes from is not something I am worried about IF it comes from private investment, (like Southend airport)or perhaps we should have destroyed that because it was rotting?

I am sensible enough and realise unlike yourself to know that we do have companies or even people with sufficient wonger to invest in 'The Victorian Longest Pier in the World'

As for reminding us about being in a major recession and the cost of the Health Service I can assure you I do not need a reminder from you the famous words of the last Prime Minister
'No more Boom and Bust'
is all I need to be reminded of to realise what the 'Welfare State' has REALLY cost us.

Private capital funds might look at 'Our Pier' BUT there needs to be the will and reason to invest and that must include the words 'Make a Profit' a term long forgotten over the last 13 years.

As to your erroneous first paragraph, you need a lesson in economics. The state has no money of its own. All money is has and expends comes from Taxes. It is our money.
.
Your reference to my logic is also wrong. I am merely stating that after some four decades and millions of pounds spent on this piece of scrap, it is still a piece of scrap. In my first post I stated that if SBC won't turn it into a Brighton Pier then knock it down.
.
But then you are too sensible to make that decision aren't you. As to references to Gordon Brown why did you bring him into it? But hey as you did mention it remember the final words of his Chancellor "There is no more money".
.
As to profit, believe me if money could be squeezed out of this heap then the "captains of industry" would be queing up for miles.

Mary Lou wrote:

el caballero de la noche wrote:

Mary Lou wrote:
Rick Jones ".. private plaything..." what planet are you on. A luxury yacht, ferrari and a villa in Cannes come under the heading of a private plaything. But a rotting jetty ???
.
The cost of the pier is rolled up with the foreshore and the Southend Marine Activities Centre, a total of £1.9 million nett per year.
.
So all you true southenders, kindly say which job or service is going to be cut and impact on the rest of us to pay for your beloved pier. Don't tell me its private finance, because if that was a reality it would have been done decades ago. We are in a major recession, who wants to invest in a rotting piece of junk.
.
It ain't going to come from Central Government the NHS is reported to be short £10 Billion in its budget.

You are typical of a person who has been brain washed by the Welfare State and believe THE STATE should pay for everything !!

With your logic we should destroy our History just because it costs too much, well lets start with Hadleigh Castle, then Priory Park Priory,then up river to Tilbury Fort.

From a 'True Southender' point of view I like the Pier and have spent a great deal of time using it from a very early age I am sensible enough to know that like 'SS Great Britain' sometimes you need to speculate to accumulate wherever the money comes from is not something I am worried about IF it comes from private investment, (like Southend airport)or perhaps we should have destroyed that because it was rotting?

I am sensible enough and realise unlike yourself to know that we do have companies or even people with sufficient wonger to invest in 'The Victorian Longest Pier in the World'

As for reminding us about being in a major recession and the cost of the Health Service I can assure you I do not need a reminder from you the famous words of the last Prime Minister
'No more Boom and Bust'
is all I need to be reminded of to realise what the 'Welfare State' has REALLY cost us.

Private capital funds might look at 'Our Pier' BUT there needs to be the will and reason to invest and that must include the words 'Make a Profit' a term long forgotten over the last 13 years.

As to your erroneous first paragraph, you need a lesson in economics. The state has no money of its own. All money is has and expends comes from Taxes. It is our money.
.
Your reference to my logic is also wrong. I am merely stating that after some four decades and millions of pounds spent on this piece of scrap, it is still a piece of scrap. In my first post I stated that if SBC won't turn it into a Brighton Pier then knock it down.
.
But then you are too sensible to make that decision aren't you. As to references to Gordon Brown why did you bring him into it? But hey as you did mention it remember the final words of his Chancellor "There is no more money".
.
As to profit, believe me if money could be squeezed out of this heap then the "captains of industry" would be queing up for miles.

Business people HAVE been trying to take over the pier, but Southend Borough Council's tories won't let them. Southend Borough Council's tories would rather let the pier rot than do something constructive with it:

From 2007:

http://www.echo-news
.co.uk/news/eadersle
tters/1831736.Cabine
t_is_to_blame_for_to
wn_s_growing_shamble
s/

From 2009:

http://www.echo-news
.co.uk/news/eadersle
tters/4794690.Let_a_
real_businessman_tak
e_control_of_our_pie
r/


From July this year:

http://www.echo-news
.co.uk/news/eadersle
tters/8284578.Busine
ssmen_could_save_our
_pier/

Do we need the pier anymore??

After all, we do have City Beach now...........

firedog wrote:
I would like to see the figures,costs against receipts, for this old white elephant.all those that want to save it,buy it and run it.

If i had the money I would.I would rebuild the pier head much as it was before the fire of 1976, but would run it along the lines of a living museum , and make the whole visit a victorian adventure , if anyone on here has ever been to Blist Hill at Iron Bridge they would understand what i mean,it would not be that hard to make the peir head a similar experience.