8th December 2006
Article reproduced with kind permission of the Echo newspaper.

The text appearing here is an exact duplicate of that which appeared in the article,
and is reproduced for ease of reading.

If local people pooled ideas we could have a plan for the pier

The responses which come from Echo readers to any plans which are put forward for Southend pier can really be encapsulated in a few words "Get on and do something about it".

The sense of frustration is hardly surprising since debates about he future of the town's world-famous landmark have been going on for the best part of 40 years.  Even before the 1976 fire, there were concerns, later proved to be virtually unfounded, about the condition of the pier's structure.  Some prominent members of the council at the time were even suggesting its day was done and that it should be carted off to the scrap merchants as soon as possible.

There have been plenty of false dawns in the past involving Philip Miller of Adventure island,  Tony Garner who ghas put forward the latest plan, and the abortive Bournemouth-based Riviera consortium.  All of these have for one reason or another not come to pass and other development proposals have had shortshift from the council.

In 1999, seafront entrepreneur John Remblance whose Marine Plaza plans have now been embraced by the council, proposed his plans for the Crystal Pavilion on the former bowling alley site, but they were rebuffed immediately. Now the council is having another discussion among teh pier and foreshore working party before there is a presentation to the cabinet.  Months more will be involved in some discussion and one thing is certain - we shan't see anything new happen on the pier for several years to come.  It might be a controversial idea, but now about getting together the developers who live locally and have their own interest in the town at some sort of round table meeting to pool all their ideas and knowhow. Also involved could be those in the leisure industry.  These are the people who have sunk  their money in the town over the years and appreciate what the people want.  From among those who ar local and have an interest in the town, it could just be possible to produce a new  Southend Pier which could be as proud an icon for Southend as the old one was in the years between 1920 and 1970.

Article written by Geoff Percival, Political Reporter