Friday, April 18th 2008.  Front page article reproduced with kind permission of the Evening Echo newspaper.

The following text is an exact duplication of that which appeared in the newspaper article.
Exclusive by Geoff Percival

A £50 MILLION plan to take  Southend Pier into the 21st Century is revealed today.

The ambitious scheme includes a viewing tower a mile-and-a-third out in the Thames Estuary, a theatre, cinema and new railway stations.
At the shore end, a pavilion would contain a restaurant, banqueting suite and the pier museum.
Thorpe Bay businessman Tony Garner has worked closely with Southend Council head of planning Steve Kearney on the plans.  Observers believe this makes them more likely to succeed than previous abortive attempts.
Seafront traders' leader Roger Fisher said: "Tony Garner has been trying for more than ten years to achieve something with the pier.  Let's hope that if he has been working with the council, then something will finally happen".

A SPECTACULAR viewing tower, theatre and cinema could form the centrepiece of a new £50million plan for Southend Pier.  Fresh proposals for the pier's redevelopment, which include the huge Swine rollercoaster originally proposed 11 years ago, have been revealed by Epic World Leisure, owned by Thorpe Bay businessman Tony Garner.

A new pavilion on the old AMF bowling alley site, a landmark pier rail station, museum and banqueting suite have also been put forward.  Architect Bernard Gooding said he latest plans were given huge credibility, and were no loner a "pipe dream" or "pie in the sky" because they have been developed after extensive talks with Southend Council's head of planning Steve Kearney and other members of the council's planning team. "We have taken on board the requirements the council has set out over design and materials".

Major features of the proposal include a new north pavilion on the former bowling alley site, which would include a new pier museum, banqueting suite and quality restaurant overlooking the estuary.  A dance floor and viewing deck are also proposed.  Epic World Leisure plan to provide two new stations for the pier railway, and would replace the ageing trains and the track work.  It would also carry out general repairs to the pier at a total cost of about £11million.

The plans for the pier head include the Swine rollercoaster, originally granted planning permission 11 years ago, which would be the largest in the world over water.  Another major feature would be a viewing tower looking across the estuary, as well as sun decks, bars, shops and creche facilities.  Also proposed is an educational interactive museum.

"This could breathe new life into area"
A SENIOR Southend councillor says he is confident Tony Garner will be able to finance his proposals for the town's pier.
Tory John Lamb, who is responsible for finding a company prepared to invest in the pier, also believes the latest plan would breathe new life into the landmark.  He said: "I have not heard of the plan yet, but I am excited about seeing it.  If it has been worked up with the council's officers, then they are aware of the sort of thing which we have in mind.  It is hard to comment more until I have had a close look at what has been put forward, but I do know the enthusiasm which Tony Garner has for the pier.  I would also be confident he would be able to find the money for his proposals".

Roger Fisher, chairman of Southend Seafront Illuminations and Business Association said: "If this proposal has been talked through and discussed with council officers it sounds promising. The pier is the most iconic building in the town, but at the moment it just seems to be going to wrack and ruin.  The council has said it will not have the money to carry out work on the pier for three years, so if anyone is prepared to come forward then it will be an important thing for the town.  Tony Garner has been trying for more than ten years to achieve something with the pier, so I look forward to seeing his latest plans."

Rollercoaser is at heart of plan
ENTREPRENEUR Tony Garner has spend thousands of pounds drawing up plans for Southend Pier over the past ten years.  Mr Garner, owner of Epic World Leisure, was the driving force behind the original  Swine rollercoaster plan for the pierhead 11 years ago.  The white-knuckle ride, which would be the largest over water in the world, was given planning permission in 1999 by the former Lib Dem and Labour administration at the Civic Centre.  After the Tories took control in 2000, they ditched the project when the then chief executive and town clerk George Krawiec, raised questions about the scheme's finances.

Since then Mr Garner has stood by his plans for the pier; insisting he can raise cash to see the project through.  Architect Bernard Gooding whose Leigh-based company has drawn up the latest plans, believes they deserve to win favour with the council.  He said: "It is important we have been working with head of planning, Steve Kearney, and members of his staff.  We have sought to tackle all the various design issues which they have raised and to be in step with what the authority wants to see on the pier.  It is a major undertaking, but something that needs to be done with the pier: Everyone says its the town's biggest icon, but the council has been dragging its feet over doing anything about it.  I believe if this development is allowed to go ahead, it will be welcomed with open arms by the people of the town.  This is something which is going to set Southend on fire".

Mr Gooding said the Swine rollercoaster was still an integral part of the development, even though latest artist's impressions do not show the ride.  He added: "Rollercoasters are incredibly popular all over the world and there are people who will travel just to see one which is special.  The Swine will be the largest and one of the few to be over water, and we would confidently expect it to draw the crowds to Southend".

The man behind it
Epic World Leisure Group was set up in 2003 as a holding company to finance and develop a leisure facility and rollercoaster on Southend Pier.  The company has two directors - Tony Garner as the chairman and American lawyer and London solicitor Patrick Giles as secretary.  Mr Garner was managing director of Sigma Corp, a manufacturer of products for the aerospace industry.  He has lived in Thorpe Bay for the past 22 years.  Mr Giles is a commercial lawyer with extensive experience in the leisure business.  He is a director of the Harbour Club Milan and a former director of the Harbour Club London and Aspria Holdings BV a Dutch company developing leisure clubs in Europe.  Mr Giles is senior partner of Rawlings, Giles Sher a law firm with offices in London, Paris and Brussels.

Museum chairman 'disappointed' at aspects of design
The chairman of Southend pier museum says major redevelopment of the world famous landmark cannot happen too soon.  However, Peggy Dowie who founded the heritage centre at the shore end of the pier, said she was "disappointed" with some aspects of the new designs, unveiled by developer Tony Garner.  She said: "I am disappointed by the design of the pavilion.  But if this is the council's choice, then that's what people will get anyway. Something needs to be done with the pier soon, otherwise it will be too late.  We need a major redevelopment at the end of the pier to bring people to see it and to keep it going.  One of the most significant proposals is £11million funding for the structure of the pier.  If there's not that kind of investment in the structure, then you won't get anywhere".  Mrs Dowie also said despite the council spending plenty of money on the pier since 2000, not much has been achieved, particularly at the pier head.  She added: "Our pier is internationally famous.  It belongs to the world, not just to Southend, and has got to attract the tourists."