RIP Weston Super Mare Pier

[ncf355]

Hi all,

 

I'm (for my sins) a born and bred yokel from Weston Super Mare and this mornings fire of the Grand Pier is an absolute tragedy

 

I neglected the pier having visited it for the first time in 3 years last Wednesday

 

Great loss to all in WSM and those that have enjoyed it via family hols over the years

 

[Night Owl]

On my home from work this morning the sky was full of black smoke and the radio was full of sad people who have lost a very large part of Westons History.

 

I still can't get my head round the fact that it is a listed structure with a refurbished building that was open to the public yet it was totally destroyed in 2 hours by fire.

 

The fire service couldn't tackle the fire from the air because of the smoke, even though there is a helicoptor base in Weston. They can stop forest fires from the air by collecting water from the sea and dropping it on the fire.

They couldn't tackle it from the sea because the tide was out! The tide is always out at Weston!!!

They could only tackle it from the front on the pier with what only looked like inadequate amount of hoses. It was the most frustrating thing just to watch the fire service as all they could do was wait for it to burn itself out.

Amazingly because of the time of the fire there was no loss of life.

 

Where was the buildings fire protection, sprinklers etc?

Why hadn't they got a some sort of plan in order incase of a fire?

 

Sorry for the rant but it is a historical buiding that was visited by thousands and was part of the regeneration of Weston Super Mare and it's gone.

 

So so sad.

Night Owl

[sillygirl1]

I've been to the pier at Weston and it's a sad loss, along with the small pier at Brighton. Nobody seems able to do much about these structures these days, they seem unwanted but welcomed by lots of people. Hopefully somebody will have the money to restore this building and pier back to glory.

[DollyDayDream]

I'm an exiled Bristolian, so the pier was a favourite place to visit as my elderly great aunts lived in Weston. I hope it can be rebuilt. I used to enjoy scaring myself looking at the sea through the spaces in the floor! I liked the donkey rides in Weston too!

 

DDD.

[diskmandave]

A very sad loss... :cry:

 

[diskmandave]

Hopefully somebody will have the money to restore this building and pier back to glory.

 

Southport pier cost +£7m to fully rebuild...

[ncf355]

Southport pier cost +£7m to fully rebuild...

 

Well

 

if anyone has the money to put it right , it'll be Kerry Michael, not short of a bob or two, to say the very least

 

Plus its no doubt well insured

 

Just glad its privately owned, because based on the councils approach to the tropicana (Westons disgrace) it would take them 10 years + to get it up and running

 

Whereas it would not suprise me to see Kerry and Michelle having the pier back up by next year at the latest

[diskmandave]

 

 

Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier fire: LIVE | Newsblog | guardian.co.uk

[Paintball]

A very sad loss... :cry:

 

 

As one who brought up at the seaside (Saltburn-by-Sea) and who watched the greater part of that town's lovely Victorian pier lost over a period of time, I hope that Weston's can be rebuilt.

[Bookworm]

Maybe I am the only cynical one who find it odd that so many of those piers, costing so much to keep and maintain, "accidentally" burn down so thoroughly?

[Paintball]

If I find out that you were there with your book of matches Bookie ... there'll be hell to pay ...

 

 

 

[Bookworm]

I LIKE old piers!!! (Not Morgan!)

[Paintball]

Lor' bless you Bookie, PLEASE burn Piers Morgan down ...

 

:D:D