It has long been an issue with concerned local residents that the pier, once the jewel in the crown of Southend, has over the years suffered from commercial inactivity and more recently a lack of capital expenditure. Southend Pier is the world's longest pier with a seaside location near the biggest population base in Europe. This project offers the opportunity to greatly enhance the attraction of Southend as a leisure and tourist destination.
The experience begins at the shore entrance and will incorporate the train ride as part of this exciting journey back in time and into the future of entertainment.
Once again the
pier will be a source of wonder, amazement, entertainment and thrills for the
21st Century Visitor.
Writers
such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne took readers on fantastic
journeys of imagination from the centre of the earth to the stars. From these
stories the future of Southend Pier was born. Atlantis draws
inspiration from both the vision of the pier as the ultimate Victorian pleasure
destination, and the futurist fantasies of that age. Strong design cues drawn
from this period married with traditional pier architecture will create a place
of wonder and fascination in which visitors to the pier will be able to enjoy a
wide variety of pleasures, whether it involves one of the “extreme sports”
inspired rides or taking in some live music at the bandstand on the promenade
deck.
Pavilion
The biggest change proposed involves the re-positioning of the rail station to its new home within the new Pavilion. This will enable all visitors to the pier to enjoy the Promenade Deck. The pavilion will contain restaurants, bars, new ticketing area and retail outlets and banqueting facilities.
The Promenade Deck
Capturing the elegance of the past and drawing inspiration from its earlier life, the promenade deck will once again become just that, with elegant central screens and canopies to provide protection from the weather. Stylised bench seating, interesting lighting, and a bandstand will all be installed.
The Station/
Admission booths
Visitors who
would like to continue up the pier either by foot or train would pay an
admission fee at this point. The station area creates the main introduction to
the Atlantis theme. The sense of occasion and adventure that the original
Victorian termini such as St. Pancras and Paddington Stations evoked, mixed with
highly stylised design, build excitement for what lies beyond at the end of the
pier. Open to two levels, guests would queue down to the train platforms.
The Trains
Atlantis will update the track to cope with the increase in use, extending the passing loop to allow four trains to run and increasing their speed, always ensuring that there would be a train ready at the platforms at either end of the pier. The rolling stock will be replaced and themed to fit the Jules Verne vision of the future.
An “Extraordinary Journeys” video feature will be played to guests travelling by train to introduce them to the storyline and give a taste of the attractions awaiting them at Atlantis and the pier head.
The Pier Walk
For those preferring to walk the length of the pier, the existing promenade will remain largely unchanged, except for safety enhancements. Feature lighting and upgraded windbreaks will provide Atlantis styling cues. The sight of the shuttle on it's journey will add a sense of theatre.
