Southend Pier

[Alan]

Hi All,
My family visited Southend on Bank Holiday Sunday and we began with a train ride along the Pier, at the Pier entrance they had recently installed ticket machines and barriers. When we attempted to purchase our train tickets there were long queues and naturally I needed to buy four tickets. To achieve this I had to buy one at a time. At last when we eventually got our tickets missing a Pier Train during the process, a half hour wait at that time,for the next train. I conversed with a staff member who was not entirely happy with the new equipement said that the council purchased equipement designed for a car park.

Then arose a new difficulty at the barrier.when the ticket was put in the machine it did not as expected appear the opposite end but remained where it was in the machine and people were not removing their ticket or some found it difficult, it caused chaos and queues with frustrasted little children and parents trying to acclimatise to this peculiar new method.

Our traditional visit to the end of the pier.




We have enjoyed noting the progress and interesting developments and outlets featuring within the pavilion area built up by the Mc Ginty Family. We were amazed and horrified to learn that the council wish to remove and demolish the area meaning that the MaGinty Family and the the other buisinesses have to vacate their premises and leave at the end of the current season Why?

When we returned to the Pier Entrance the ticket machines had a sign errected OUT OF ORDER. NOW interested travellers had to purchase their tickets from the staff.We would like the Council to confirm is this a money saving idea or exercise and more importantly there are rumours that the council are improving the pier in order to sell it, is this true?


Alan

[Zoidstar]

There are always storys of the pier beeing sold or leased out.

just last year there were two or three "New future for Southend Pier" story's all came to zip.

Don't be supprized to see the exact same facilitys down the end next year!

The problem is when ever a developer come up with something some body has a winge, for instance if ifs a pavillion with adminitys aimed at the Young/Mid age group the OAP's winge (as normal) that the Sea Front is for the young where the pier must be for oap's but they DONT spend any money when they ate down there,

The way I see it is build a pavillion and have the faciltiys for all age groups, a sun deck, dace hall for the old and some thing for mid age and some thing for the wipper sanppers.

[Alan]

Hi,
We all went to southend again sunday for the air show and the fun fair and while we were there pop onto the pier, ticket machines still not being used, also shops at the end of the pier now have closing down sale.
Not looking good.


Alan

[Zoidstar]

There was a story going round that a developer was intrested in the pier head, but only if they had full control of the facilitys at the end so who knows.

Its such a shame that thw worls most famous and the worlds longest pleasure pier is not much more than a grandiose jetty at present.

What must not happen is all the pier head facilitys are aimed just one age group, it must cator for all ages.

This'ill make you laugh I was told that the shore end where the bowling alley once stood was going to gain a new pavillion housing lots of diffrent things including an aircraft museum! very nice if it happened but can't see it!

[tash_xx]

hi first i hope you enjoyed your trips to Southend. The airshow weekend was one of the busiest airshows we have had.

Im sorry to hear about your disappointing trip to the pier. I live 10 minute walk from the pier and to be honest with you i never go down to the end of the pier because years of living here have taught me that there is never anything intereasting at the end,i usually walk down only to come straight back again.

I hope you complained about the service to our council, George Krawiec needs putting in his place occasionally. he pretends he knows what he is doing to help promote tourism along the seafront but his latest idea is turning us into a spin off of las vegas and what the hell is he doing to our cliffs they look awful. Also George there is a DISTINCT lack opf bins, our fun park king/seafront chief is having to fork out 10k himself to keep our assets beautiful

[Zoidstar]

We cant blame the council for the cliffs it going to cost £30million+ to get them sorted, the only way the council could do it is to put council tax up by some 300 per cent!

The council have twice asked govenment for help but the Govenment have said No twice and directed more money up North to the Labour heartlands up north where living is cheeper whilst the South where living is more expensive has more money taken away.