£20m revamp plan for Southsea’s South Parade Pier
GRAND DESIGN An artists impression of the new South Parade Pier
RADICAL plans have been unveiled by the owners of South Parade Pier which show their vision for the future.
The proposed £20m redevelopment of Southsea’s most famous landmark has been met with ‘cautious optimism’ by city leaders.
The space-age concept drawings show a completely redesigned pier with two floors, a food hall and a large dome facing out to sea.
They were presented for the first time to residents at a meeting of East Southsea Neighbourhood Forum by businessman and property developer Fred Nash.
He told The News that the response to the plans – which were drawn up by the designers of the rebuilt Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier – had been overwhelmingly positive.
‘It’s still early days but so far we have had such a great response,’ he said.
‘It’s been 100 per cent positive.
‘We hope the pier could be really spectacular, but we want to do it right without any mistakes, so we need to hear what people think.
‘That’s why we wanted to show it to local people first and invite everyone to tell us their opinions.’
Mr Nash said a revamped pier with almost 5,500sq ft of floor space could have something for everyone.
His suggestions included a raised mezzanine restaurant looking out to sea for adults and new indoor rides for children.
He said: ‘We are looking for it to be covered over all the year round because – as we learned from the snow at Christmas – that is the only thing that would work here.
‘What I really want is a pier that appeals to young and old alike.
‘The designs are very modern and might not appeal to everyone’s tastes – but so far I have been bowled over by how much people like them.’
Mr Nash, whose company SPP South Coast Ltd owns the pier, added that although planning permission still needs to be obtained he thinks work could start within 18 months to two years.
Council seafront manager David Evans said he had met Mr Nash and the designers – Angus Meek Architects – and was pleased with the progress being made.
‘I would describe myself as cautiously optimistic as I always tend to be about large developments on the seafront,’ he said.
‘They have made some real improvements to infrastructure at the pier, such as air conditioning and central heating, in recent months.
‘There is also a new manager at the pier with a lot of experience in planning events.
‘The plans which have been drawn up look great but they are not going to become a reality overnight.
‘It will be a couple of years before we start to see progress.’
He added: ‘But just as the city council is investing in the seafront it will be wonderful to see Mr Nash investing in the pier.’
A holding company called Frenash Ltd was set up by Mr Nash when he and a consortium bought the pier last May.
Frenash was forced into liquidation by EDF Energy over a £21,270.43 bill, run up since the pier was bought from Cuerden Leisure, prompting fears the pier’s future was in jeopardy.
The running of the pier has since been transferred to SPP South Coast Ltd, registered to an address in Brighton.
Although funding for the massive project has not yet been secured, Mr Nash said he has already had interest from potential investors.
‘There is an American who is very into historical projects who has shown interest,’ he said.
‘I think we could do something really great here.
‘If you look at Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier it shows that if you have the right venue then people will come to it.
‘I wouldn’t be pressing ahead with this if I didn’t believe we could get the funding.
‘I believe we can do this and make it viable.
‘At Weston they spent £150,000 on a hall of mirrors and made it back in a weekend. That is the kind of potential we are talking about.’
Brenda Kidd, 70, of St Helens Parade, said she had been very impressed by the concept drawings and suggestions for the pier.
‘It is the most exciting thing I have seen in Portsmouth for a long time,’ she said. ‘I remember Portsmouth in its glory days and it’s really sad to see how tired and neglected parts of the seafront are looking.
‘This could be a welcome breath of fresh air.’
Angela Carpenter, 70, of Festing Grove, Southsea, said: ‘I would certainly be nice to have a restaurant on the pier.
‘The plans look amazing and I just hope they are put into practice.’
OWNER SAYS PIER BACK ON TRACK AFTER SETBACKS
PIER boss Fred Nash owns property in Blackpool and Brighton and is convinced South Parade Pier can turn a profit.
Earlier this year there were fears the planned revamp could be on the rocks after mounting debts and a personal tragedy put its future in doubt.
But Mr Nash said following the death of one of his company directors David Moore three weeks ago, his wife Pearl Moore had taken over as freeholder and his daughter Dawn Randall is helping to run the company.
He said: ‘It was horrible, we’ve been friends for 35 years and for weeks he lingered on in a bad way. It’s been a difficult time for all of us.
‘But his daughter has now joined to help run things, and she has brought new younger ideas. That’s what I want – a pier that really appeals to young and old alike.’
The company Mr Nash created to buy the pier, Frenash Ltd, was forced into liquidation by EDF Energy over an unpaid electricity bill.
But he claimed that following the destruction of Joanna’s nightclub in August it was discovered that the pier had been massively overcharged in the first place.
‘I thought the bill was far too high when it first came in, but EDF served us with a winding-up order without letting us investigate.
‘Then after the fire we realised the transformer across the road was causing our bill to nearly double. So we’re taking EDF to court.’
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
THE owners of South Parade Pier are hoping to follow in the footsteps of other successful piers across the country.
When he spoke to residents Fred Nash listed the Brighton Palace Pier and Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier as proof that the traditional seaside attractions can be financially viable.
Seafront manager David Evans said: ‘Weston was completely destroyed by fire and rebuilt from the deck level up.
‘Now it is performing well and that’s exactly the kind of thing which could work in Portsmouth.
‘An elevated restaurant of the kind that’s planned would be perfect here.’
Mr Nash also held up Brighton pier – which is currently on the market after having more than £35m invested in it – as an example.
‘Obviously we are not Brighton,’ he said. ‘But their success shows how a traditional pier can bring people in. Even the prime minister has said he supports restoring our piers and I think they can definitely make money.’
Weston pier was designed by the same firm, Angus Meek Architects, which is working on South Parade Pier.
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Comments
There are 39 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Graham Wheatley
Friday, October 21, 2011 at 01:43 AMSpyglass (13) is correct - piers are for walking along and looking back at the land. Or for fishing off. Or, as some have said, docking a boat at the end of. If you can't accommodate those activities, then why bother with keeping them at all, let alone restoring them? An almost totally enclosed structure such as this design (with very little chance of escape if it did all come tumbling down, or suffered a fire) is rather at odds with the idea of a stroll to take in the sea air. This design is 'pants'. Bin it and try again chaps.
gavinh
Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 01:07 PMWhat a brilliant opportunity and isn’t it great that someone is willing to take a development like this on in this climate but please lets not accept such dire design. The developer must use a better architect to work on such a prominent and prestigious project. Have you seen the clumsy carbuncle that these people built at Weston-super-Mare. Portsmouth must take itself seriously and our seafront must be treasured. The British tradition of building piers has given us some truly magnificent structures that grace our shorelines; whether you like traditional or contemporary design that tradition must be upheld and that requires design skill that transcends the glossy, naive concept image, it requires a skill at delivering the finished article; take a look at the architects website and see if you are convinced that they can achieve that level of finesse. We must produce a classic piece of architecture that we will all be proud of and that will mark Portsmouth out as a place to visit.
moonshine
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 12:33 PMAlso unveiled at last week's Forum, is the seafront bombsites lingering on for the foreseeable future, our rulers apparently having been outwitted on this issue. PCC should do the decent thing and end this state of denial, clear the Great Pyramid of Arry and transform the two seafront sites into car parking, like the Tricorn site, as the current mess would be wholly unacceptable anywhere else in the UK. In the light of this, Lake House and The Town House, one can understand the uncharacteristic zeal in PCC's efforts to disband the Southsea Town Council local pressure group (bearing in mind the small percentage of residents that actually voted for it to be disbanded, the majority being indifferent to its existence).
wilson!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 11:50 AMWhat a load of crap! You're actually considering paying somebody a huge amount of money to design that? It looks like your average supermarket with an extension. That's without doubt one of the best locations in the city and if you can't put it back to the beautiful structure that it was when it was first built then you should at least make a decent building of it. There's absolutely no thought been put into that, so who's going to want to come and see it? That whole area needs to have glamour in it's building design if you want to bring money back in.
Crookwatcher
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 10:23 AMFrom the Article - Quoting Fred Nash: " ‘Then after the fire we realised the transformer across the road was causing our bill to nearly double. So we’re taking EDF to court.’ But Mr Nash - FRENASH Ltd are the previous owners so how can you (SPP SOUTH COAST Ltd) take EDF to court over the liquidation of Frenash Ltd? So you are the same company when it comes to trying to claim money off of other people but when it comes to paying bills and invoices to law-abiding businesses you are a different company and the line from you is "The Pier Has Been Sold." Apologies for using this website on the back of this smokescreen of a story to communicate these points, but being as the registered addresses of FRENASH Ltd, SOUTH PARADE PIER Ltd and SPP SOUTH COAST Ltd all lead to the same derelict building in Brighton it's probably the best option! Police, Fraud Squad - if you are not too busy.........
stinkyhairytroll
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 10:22 AMAs always the comments are more entertaining than the actual story. All these people that say they wouldn`t be surprised if it burnt down mysteriously, well your all daft...........There is way to much asbestos in that place for it to burn !!!!!!!! The funniest quote must be from David Evans as usual "They have made some real improvements to infrastructure at the pier, such as air conditioning and central heating, in recent months" How have they done that? opened a window?? Good to see a man with his finger on the pulse!!
WTFudge
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 11:42 PMI'm amazed there are one or two people on here saying that the existing pier building is a beautiful listed Victorian structure. What is there now is a small and now tatty 1970's highly simplified mock up of what was burnt down during the filming of Tommy. Have some people forgotten that?
spectre
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 10:17 PMi gave up going to the pier but it has been part of my history .in the past. as a youth it provided entertainment with the big swing bands and the dancing and in later life as a musician i played there many times i have even exhibited art there . i gave up going because it smells like an upturned cesspit and has done for a very long time .whatever is wrong with the disposal is not working and there is a constant disgusting smell about the place . the sea front is not easy to make profitable as the piers and the pyramids show .it would be good to see a cleaned up south parade pier a rejuvenated savoy building and the pyramids made succeful but i wouldnt want to see any further public money poured into a pit that leaks like the south parade pier toilets .rejuvenation of the seafront in entire has been touted now for too long without anything being done .that is how it will probably stay .who wants to holiday in southsea . sad as i say it being born here .
caravel
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 10:00 PMA question for the seafront manager Mr David Evans. How about coming back to reality for a while and getting something done about the eyesore and danger spot opposite the pier. Planners won't do anything although they have the power to, perhaps the councillor for southsea (LH) could have a word but having asked him once without result I won't be holding my breath.The Savoy site really really is an atrocious blot on the landscape and if I was a visitor to Portsmouth I would be shocked that a holiday destination could allow this site to remain in this state. However I'm not a visitor, but a local who understand well enough that PCC hasn't the b****s to get anything done. Perhaps the news could do a tidy up the seafront campaign - won't hold my breath on that one either.
bm
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 08:24 PMComment removed by moderator
chris2
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 08:13 PMLooks like a glorified version of Gosport ferry pontoon. On which aspects of Southsea architecture does this draw? None at all. No-one is saying this should be a Victorian pastiche, but the design shown in The News is completely without charm, more like a bus station than a pier. And they don't have a 'red cent' to do it with, anyway, so ihopefully it is unlikely to come to fruition.
JennMontz
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 07:00 PMHaving practically been brought up on South Parade Pier (my family have run businesses on the pier for over 20 years) I have to say that I view these plans with more than cautious optimism. South Parade Pier is a beautiful building steeped in history with the opportunity to be great again - however having some knowledge of the current owners and how they do business I very much doubt any investor worth their salt would want to take a risk this big. 20miliion is a high price tag for such a big risk. Don't get me wrong I would love the pier to be restored to it's former glory - I just do not see it happening under the current ownership and management. Sorry citizens of Portsmouth I think you'll be in very deep water if you hold your breath too long for this to come to fruition. Good Luck to the new owners - I think they'll need it.
Portsea Islander
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 06:37 PMWhat an ugly design for what is currently a beautifully-designed pier. This design looks like something that belongs in an airport or a ferry terminal, not a historic pier! Why must ridiculous schemes like this be given the go-ahead when all they do is ruin the appearance of Portsmouth even more? Contemporary designs like this look cheap, tacky & bland. We should be preserving our city's beautiful Victorian architecture instead of destroying it. I pray that this scheme never goes ahead for it shall permanently destroy another part of our city's heritage. I'm sure myself and many others will continue to oppose this idea. It's CLARENCE PIER that needs rebuilding, there used to be a beautiful structure there and look at it now!
Helio
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 06:25 PMSilly quote of the week: "Even the prime minister has said he supports restoring our piers". Oh well, that's all right then. (Is that the same prime minister as supported the English bid for the World Cup?)
ThingFish
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 06:17 PMMy sides are aching with laughter. This brings to mind such other grands visions like super-trams, monorails, football stadiums on the hard, the list goes on. I suppose it fills the column inches.
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