£11.4m grant as pier to be rebuilt (From The Argus)

£11.4m grant as Hastings Pier to be rebuilt

6:40pm Monday 19th November 2012 in News By Peter Truman

Hastings Pier is set to be rebuilt.

After years of campaigning to save the structure the news comes as a major victory for the Hastings Pier and White Rock Trust (HPWRT).

It has been awarded a grant of £11.4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help go towards the rebuilding of the iconic structure.

The pier, which was in dire need of investment, was closed in 2006 and then suffered a fire which destroyed 95% of its superstructure.

The grant will provide the lion’s share of the £13.9 million needed to bring the pier back to its glory days.

Simon Opie, the chief executive of HPWRT, said: “This is a brilliant decision for the future of the pier and the future of Hastings.

“The commitment and support of everyone involved has been crucial to this success and we are indebted to a great many people and organisations.

“We will continue to rely on this support and enthusiasm as the project moves to its next, exciting phase.

“We now need to put everything in place to enable us to start work on the pier in spring. We very much look forward to having the Pier reopened by the end of 2014.”

Investment

Jeremy Birch, the leader of Hastings Borough Council, said the grant could be used as a springboard for other investment.

He added: “It is fantastic news for Hastings not just to get a new pier, which is a bonus, but what it means to the town as a whole.

“It makes the seafront even more attractive to investors and hopefully they will see the new seafront as an opportunity to put money in and help rejuvenate the whole of the seafront.

“It shows Hastings is on the up.”

Comedian Jo Brand, who supported the campaign, said: ”Hastings Pier was where I spent a great deal of time as a teenager and it was the gathering point for a whole generation looking to see bands and dance the night away.

“I suppose it’s no surprise that I view it with enormous affection. I was gutted when the Pier was gutted and it’s really great news that the Heritage Lottery Fund is awarding such a substantial sum of money to help with restoration work. I can’t wait to see the new pier rise out of the ashes in the next couple of years.”

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