Brighton property developer reveals plans to save West Pier (From The Argus)
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Brighton property developer reveals plans to save West Pier
9:28am Sunday 29th January 2012 in Business News By John Keenan, business editor
A millionaire property developer has vowed to save the historic West Pier. Mike Holland plans to transform the crumbling structure into a modern attraction for families with young children. He has called on the West Pier Trust to step aside and allow him to restore the iconic pier.
Mr Holland is a well-known business figure in the city and also owns the Astoria in Gloucester Place, Brighton - which will soon be demolished and transformed into a media hub - and the British Engineerium in Hove.
He told The Argus he will work with Angus Meek Architects, the firm behind the £39 million rebuild of the pier at Weston super Mare. It is the only pier to have been constructed in theUK for more than 100 years.
He estimates the West Pier scheme would cost between £20 million to £25 million. Mr Holland said: “My interest in the West Pier is simple. I have lived in Brighton for 46 years and I love the city.
“I have watched people wearing Save The West Pier badges since the 1970s which, apart from raising awareness, has achieved nothing of any use as can be seen from the structure we have today. “I have not bothered to intervene before because I have always been hopeful somebody else will step up to the plate.
“Unfortunately, this has not happened and while I am busy with the British Engineerium and other projects I would like to see a replacement pier in place of the existing pile of rusting iron in my lifetime.”
He added: “As I am now in my 60s I feel that if I am going to play a part in sorting this mess out, I had better get on with it.
“The year 2016 is a very important milestone for the West Pier as it will be 150 years since it was built and if I amt o take it on and head up the project I would want to see it well and truly up and running in its new form before then.
“It is my intention that the British Engineerium Trust will take the lead role and oversee the entire project from start to finish ensuring our city, once again, has a second pier to be proud of. “ We are respectfully asking the well-meaning members of the West Pier Trust to step aside and let us get on with it so no further time is wasted.
“We are thinking (it would cost) in the ball park of £20 million to £25 million and we will not use bank lending. We are people of means.”
The pavilion at the West Pier was destroyed in a fire in March 2003, and the concert hall was burnt out two months later. The West Pier Trust, set up in 1978, is tasked with preserving the structure. Last year, Mr Holland appeared on Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire and he is also a patron of Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice at Poling, near Arundel.
He has leased Stanmer House out to an upmarket restaurant operator. The 140-year-old Engineerium is undergoing a major refurbishment to transform it into a landmark venue.
Asked if he was interested in making an offer to buy the Palace Pier from the Noble Organisation, Mr Holland said: “Not at all."
Comments(52)
HanoverAde
says...
1:56pm Sun 29 Jan 12
moronslayer
says...
1:56pm Sun 29 Jan 12
Though it sounds like there might be quite a battle with the awful i360 tower monstrosity that seemed to have it's planning rushed through and any (far more worthy) renovation plans to the pier.
I wonder how it will all work together?
I thought the plan was to allow west pier to rust away as a kind of post-industrial backdrop salute to days of yore, whilst the new enormous shiny plastic i360 tower would be celebrating everything that is souless, tacky and temporary.
If the i360 goes up, both piers become operational and the Brighton wheel keeps on a turning then we'll just need a few traveller's pitches on Hove Lawns and a tethered balloon ride to complete the image of a Tinkers plastic paradise park by the sea.
West Pier will be great, but I do hope the awful tower idea is binned.
tinker000
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1:59pm Sun 29 Jan 12
Gelatine magic
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2:13pm Sun 29 Jan 12
Hotbeans
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2:40pm Sun 29 Jan 12
HanoverAde
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2:49pm Sun 29 Jan 12
Hotbeans wrote:Love it!!
Isn't describing the West Pier as 'crumbling' a little like digging up a dinosaur fossil and suggesting the poor creature appears a little off colour?
The Heretic
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2:52pm Sun 29 Jan 12
The West Pier Trust seem only to have acheived any sort of profile for their (many) annual dinners, and an unenviable record of unsuccesful bids to the HLF for cash. They've had their chance, and have little to show for it. Time to stand aside before whats left of the old girl drops into the sea.
I'd love to see the Volks 'Daddy Longlegs' reconstructed to connect the two piers at their seaward end. Now THAT would be a unique attraction for our lovely old resort, and add to the attractiveness of BOTH piers.
More power to you, Mike Holland, we could do with more like you.
atlantis88
says...
3:17pm Sun 29 Jan 12
The Heretic wrote:Seconded!
Mr Holland has an excellent track record for 'putting his money where his mouth is'. Any scheme he has therefore deserves very serious consideration.
The West Pier Trust seem only to have acheived any sort of profile for their (many) annual dinners, and an unenviable record of unsuccesful bids to the HLF for cash. They've had their chance, and have little to show for it. Time to stand aside before whats left of the old girl drops into the sea.
I'd love to see the Volks 'Daddy Longlegs' reconstructed to connect the two piers at their seaward end. Now THAT would be a unique attraction for our lovely old resort, and add to the attractiveness of BOTH piers.
More power to you, Mike Holland, we could do with more like you.
Thumper Hove
says...
3:32pm Sun 29 Jan 12
The Heretic
says...
3:51pm Sun 29 Jan 12
Thumper Hove wrote:I remember the state of the old Astoria, bad enough when it was still going. If you're correct, and it was Mr Holland responsible for its demise, maybe he may consider doing the same to the derelict eyesore on Portland Road?
Is this the same guy who is demolishing the listed Astoria building for profit purposes? I wouldn't trust to replace street railings, never mind a listed pier.
FalmerFever
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3:54pm Sun 29 Jan 12
deanaprior
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4:02pm Sun 29 Jan 12
The Poet Laura-eate
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4:06pm Sun 29 Jan 12
I for one would LOVE to see West Pier RECREATED in all its Victorian splendour and turned into a destination pier for those who prefer traditional entertainments, not least since the grey pound in Brighton is largely uncatered for, most things being aimed at the young. In addition to have a pier offering traditional music hall entertainment, dances, darby and joan socials and penny slot machines would not be in conflict with Central (now Brighton) pier which formed the basis of the conflict between the two in the past. There is more than enough business in Brighton to sustain two piers, but each needs to be completely different in character and aimed at a different audience to succeed and complement rather than compete against each other.
I also wonder if Mike Holland, the man planning to destroy the art deco Astoria is the right man to come up with a work of both beauty and art to grace the seafront and which will live on long after him. This is a project which requires the utmost sensitivity and vision, not yet another carbuncle to blight Brighton and Hove. No one goes to seaside resorts to admire modern carbuncles.
clubrob6
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4:08pm Sun 29 Jan 12
Pebbles
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4:24pm Sun 29 Jan 12
Good luck to Mr. Holland... as someone who played on the pier in my childhood it would be good to see something done about this tragic episode in the history of Brighton.
The i360 was a whimsical notion without any merit and the publicity for this should be removed from the pier frontage
A replica would be good.. but I will settle for a modern structure for the next generation for the city.
HanoverAde
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4:27pm Sun 29 Jan 12
The Heretic
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5:05pm Sun 29 Jan 12
clubrob6 wrote:Re:Volks Railway, I'd agree with you that it could be a really useful amenity if extended as you suggest, but I was thinking of that wierd and wonderful contraption that ran between the tide lines from Banjo groyne to Rottingdean for a few years at the end of the 19th century. If you're unfamiliar with it, search for 'Volks Daddy Longlegs', and get ready for a surprise!
He will just send the heavies in if he does not get his way.The pier has gone through poor councils,id prefer the tower,but the idea of extending the volks railway sounds great and would be a massive sucess,it should run from hove lawns to the marina.
jgmd
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6:23pm Sun 29 Jan 12
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=WLi4bz2GS
20
george smith
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8:08pm Sun 29 Jan 12
bogs
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8:49pm Sun 29 Jan 12
HanoverAde
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9:09pm Sun 29 Jan 12
HillyLaine
says...
12:41am Mon 30 Jan 12
This is a businessman wanting to leave his mark on the city. Yes, he has done good with rescuing a few buildings and his charity work, but I'm not going to be duped. Only the few will benefit from these new ventures.
The West Pier should've been rescued a long time ago and it's a shame it was left to rot. Why the Council or someone with the monetary means couldn't have stepped in, I don't know. Why did Mr Holland sit idly by? Now he has a sudden interest. Surely he's just out to make a buck or two?
Anyway, the shell of the West Pier has become as iconic as the Pavilion. It should be left as it is: it's endearing and a sad reminder that we should act more quickly when our city's heritage becomes threatened through poor maintenance and poor business/decision making.
Why not start by rescuing the kiosk at the head of the pier or other buildings in Brighton & Hove which are under threat? I bet there are many which could be much more easily and reused at minimal cost in comparison to rebuilding a pier.
Fight Back
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4:43am Mon 30 Jan 12
Kate234
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8:16am Mon 30 Jan 12
Phani Tikkala
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8:48am Mon 30 Jan 12
Kate234 wrote:Er.... do you work for him or something?
I hope the council and anyone relevant will do everything they can to support Mr Holland in this quest and take away barriers in his way. If there is even the smallest chance that he can make this work for the sake of future generations we have to give it a go. If he succeeds he should be given a knighthood.
boblat
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9:31am Mon 30 Jan 12
Thumper Hove
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10:02am Mon 30 Jan 12
Phani Tikkala wrote:There seems to be alot of contributors who think the light shines out of somewhere......I think they all work for him and have been ordered to post what a wonderful angel and saviour he is.
Kate234 wrote:Er.... do you work for him or something?
I hope the council and anyone relevant will do everything they can to support Mr Holland in this quest and take away barriers in his way. If there is even the smallest chance that he can make this work for the sake of future generations we have to give it a go. If he succeeds he should be given a knighthood.
pun master
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10:43am Mon 30 Jan 12
Will600000
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11:34am Mon 30 Jan 12
Let's just move on, maybe build something else that will benefit the city.
I don't think we need two piers really, I like the Volks railway idea.
It would be just as nice to see the pile of scrap bloomin removed.
HanoverAde
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12:31pm Mon 30 Jan 12
thucydides
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1:38pm Mon 30 Jan 12
It will also be interesting to see (if and) when he gets the Engineerium re-opened - was supposed to be this year.
Skidrow
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1:45pm Mon 30 Jan 12
MH reckons it will cost £20 -£25m to restore but Weston Super Mare's cost £39m. Is it worth doing on the cheap?
Whats in it for him? Lets see the plans and the colour of his money!
Lady Smith
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1:55pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Fight Back wrote:My thoughts exactly. He also killed off a perfectly good free paper 'The Insight' (formerly New Insight).
I think this offer should be treated with caution - Mr Holland has taken years to re-develop both the Astoria and the British Engineerium - both much smaller projects. He's also not covered himself in glory with Stanmer House. I say give it to the team that are the only people who've managed to build anything worthwhile in the City in the last few decades - Tony Bloom and Martin Perry !
ne123
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2:13pm Mon 30 Jan 12
HanoverAde
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2:38pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Skidrow wrote:No, it is not worth doing on the cheap. And yes, we do need to see what the plans are before getting too excited ....
The West Pier Trust let the West Pier Rust.
MH reckons it will cost £20 -£25m to restore but Weston Super Mare's cost £39m. Is it worth doing on the cheap?
Whats in it for him? Lets see the plans and the colour of his money!
HanoverAde
says...
2:51pm Mon 30 Jan 12
thucydides wrote:I'm not sure it should make a great deal of difference, other than uncertainty for a buyer who does not understand Brighton - and we probably don't want one of those, do we?
It will be interesting to see what effect this has on the proposed sale of the Palace Pier, in particular on the price, given that the target market for the new West Pier is young families. Perhaps some people may now be regretting the fires that effectively ended plans for a rebuild as a cultural centre.
It will also be interesting to see (if and) when he gets the Engineerium re-opened - was supposed to be this year.
There is little point in a new West Pier competing in any way with the Palace Pier: that would kill them both off, sharpish. No, it has to be different. I like the idea of a disco with a glass floor: let's have a Northern night above the waves!!
clubrob6
says...
5:34pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Lady Smith wrote:He is a man that takes the law into his own hands DONT TRUST HIM.
Fight Back wrote:My thoughts exactly. He also killed off a perfectly good free paper 'The Insight' (formerly New Insight).
I think this offer should be treated with caution - Mr Holland has taken years to re-develop both the Astoria and the British Engineerium - both much smaller projects. He's also not covered himself in glory with Stanmer House. I say give it to the team that are the only people who've managed to build anything worthwhile in the City in the last few decades - Tony Bloom and Martin Perry !
HanoverAde
says...
5:56pm Mon 30 Jan 12
steveindigenous
says...
6:27pm Mon 30 Jan 12
i) he was offered a quite possibly viable business plan to save the Astoria, and chose not to even consider it (something the Argus refused to cover). He had the option of applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund, with an experienced community venue management company as a partner, and turned it down because there was more money to be made from demolition.
ii) the current economic climate is such that the availability of investment finance for risky ventures is limited. When he says 'we are people of means', who is 'we' ??? Are these people going to invest their money out of the kindness of their hearts ? If so, why could they not invest £5m to save the Astoria when the price tag on the West Pier is at least £25m ???
iii) we are still waiting to hear if Holland has the money to actually follow through on the Astoria, a building he has neglected despite it's listed building status. If he is so concerned about Brighton's heritage, why has he been so careless with the Astoria ???
jay316
says...
8:57pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Thumper Hove wrote:And one in the same who claims he has no money to do repairs on this building!
Is this the same guy who is demolishing the listed Astoria building for profit purposes? I wouldn't trust to replace street railings, never mind a listed pier.
Interesting why all the sudden he wants to save the west pier, could this not have been done years ago.
I wouldn't be surprised if he got involved and then applied for it to be pulled down.
jay316
says...
9:01pm Mon 30 Jan 12
HanoverAde wrote:Planning permission will need to obtained.. and you can bet your bottom dollar that Palace Pier owners will object all the time they are trying to sell their premises.. After all they are the only pier in Brighton ;)
Skidrow wrote:No, it is not worth doing on the cheap. And yes, we do need to see what the plans are before getting too excited ....
The West Pier Trust let the West Pier Rust.
MH reckons it will cost £20 -£25m to restore but Weston Super Mare's cost £39m. Is it worth doing on the cheap?
Whats in it for him? Lets see the plans and the colour of his money!
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
11:53pm Mon 30 Jan 12
Private renting is for the young, mobile and single.
Why anyone would choose to have kids without social housing or the ability to have a mortgage is reckless, naive or just stupid.
The State will no longer support those who cannot support themselves. Welcome to Conservative Britain.
Spanners
says...
10:18am Tue 31 Jan 12
Maxwell's Ghost wrote:while you late night ramblings on the private housing rental market may be most fascinating to some, Mr Ghost....they are not relavent to the potential re/development of the West Pier
I lived in private rented housing for 20 years and moved 22 times due to landlords selling up, only wanting short term lets, banks foreclosing on mortgages due to illegal renting etc Private renting is for the young, mobile and single. Why anyone would choose to have kids without social housing or the ability to have a mortgage is reckless, naive or just stupid. The State will no longer support those who cannot support themselves. Welcome to Conservative Britain.
IMHO we need a great deal more detailed information before we can know how good or bad Mr Hollands ideas are. In priciple I'd love to see it restored/redeveloped rather than wtch the remaining twisted bits of rust fall into the sea over the next few years
HanoverAde
says...
10:51am Tue 31 Jan 12
1. In principle, it's fantastic that someone seems to want to restore / (re)build the West Pier.
2. It's extremely important a) culturally and b) economically that it happens.
3. We need to know, in detail, exactly what Holland intends - what the actual plans are.
4. We need transparency on this - from beginning to end - and the full participation of the Council in ensuring we are not left in the dark.
5. Er ... there isn't a 5.
6. If he got it right, Holland would a) be an out-and-out hero, with all that that entails and b) realize the potential to repeat the idea elsewhere around the country, thereby making large amounts of dosh (which is presumably his motivation).
7. £25m does not seem enough money to do this properly, hence the concern of some on here about Mr Holland's intentions.
We are not (yet) agreed on this last one but I reckon
8. If everyone who was up for the return of a / the West Pier (ie most of the town) did the Euromillions lottery for a year or so, one of us might win £80m. £30m to do what you like with and the other £50m to build the West Pier (and gain enormous local cachet to boot).
Sorted.
Lady Smith
says...
1:33pm Tue 31 Jan 12
http://www.dailymail
.co.uk/news/article-
1028483/Addict-8217-
s-mother-runs-marrie
d-millionaire-promis
ed-help-her.html
PorkBoat
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2:18pm Tue 31 Jan 12
Blue01
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3:22pm Tue 31 Jan 12
thevoiceoftruth
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3:57pm Tue 31 Jan 12
How dare the West Pier Trust sell off all those pieces of the pier that were recovered. The pier has no hope with them in charge so good luck Mr Holland!
hovelawns
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5:56pm Tue 31 Jan 12
The volks extension to hove lawns is an excellent idea. Either that or a tram service from hove lagoon to the volks terminus.
exbtnbabe
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6:02pm Tue 31 Jan 12
Good Luck Mr Holland
amexarena
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12:59am Wed 1 Feb 12
lordenglandofsussex says...
1:08pm Sun 29 Jan 12