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Leave iconic landmark to nature

In answer to your question of whether the West Pier should be put to rest (The Argus, February 4), I have long believed that the “pier island” should be left as a ruin. Once the current clear-up is finished it will look even more iconic.

From what I have been told, the basic substructure is sound and will last for years. It is too dangerous to allow anyone on to it.

My view is that it should be left to nature by inducing plant growth in some form. This could be “sprinkled” on from above and birds left to inhabit it.

Naturally, how to do this would have to be researched but I am sure there will be a practical answer. My other idea is to build a new, modest pier at Hove, which would enable boats from the Marina to dock and allow passengers to disembark. This would stimulate more regular use of the boats for transport.

Richard Coleman,
Citydesigner, Lower Grosonover Place, London


Comments (6)

09/02/10

bug eye says...

this wreck would also look great lit, varying colours for different occassions, green for haloween week and red for valentines week etc. its a shame the west pier trust have no imagination.

09/02/10

yorkie44 says...

The West Pier might have been an iconic building if it had been cared for. A load of scrap metal in the sea is far from being iconic!

09/02/10

Surely not says...

I thought that you had to have respect for something for it to be iconic. After being closed and in effect neglected for over three decades it does not qualify as iconic. It is very sad, but that is where we are and we need to move on

09/02/10

Mr Numptyhead says...

You guys don't k now what Iconic means. An Icon could be an enduring symbol, and the West Pier has certainly endured a lot!

The idea of promoting the pier as a sort of nature reserve is good, but perhaps Mr Coleman should focus on speeling Grosvenor if he wants to be taken seriously, as the pedants here will not see beyond that!

Also a cool idea from BugEye, the recent laser show gave us a flavour of the possibilities.

10/02/10

yorkie44 says...

Mr Numptyhead wrote:
You guys don't k now what Iconic means. An Icon could be an enduring symbol, and the West Pier has certainly endured a lot! The idea of promoting the pier as a sort of nature reserve is good, but perhaps Mr Coleman should focus on speeling Grosvenor if he wants to be taken seriously, as the pedants here will not see beyond that! Also a cool idea from BugEye, the recent laser show gave us a flavour of the possibilities.
You have missed the point about icons. The West Pier was the icon. All we have now is a lot of rusting iron that has never served any purpose to justify being an icon. It is like saying the bones of Diana are iconic even if we didn't say she was at the time. Nobody wanted the West Pier - it wasn't an icon and therefore it was alllowed to deteriorate.

10/02/10

yorkie44 says...

Mr Numptyhead wrote:
You guys don't k now what Iconic means. An Icon could be an enduring symbol, and the West Pier has certainly endured a lot! The idea of promoting the pier as a sort of nature reserve is good, but perhaps Mr Coleman should focus on speeling Grosvenor if he wants to be taken seriously, as the pedants here will not see beyond that! Also a cool idea from BugEye, the recent laser show gave us a flavour of the possibilities.
You have missed the point about icons. The West Pier was the icon. All we have now is a lot of rusting iron that has never served any purpose to justify being an icon. It is like saying the bones of Diana are iconic even if we didn't say she was at the time. Nobody wanted the West Pier - it wasn't an icon and therefore it was alllowed to deteriorate.