The
Queen's Pier was the subject of another special
visit on 24th July 2009 when Antony Wills and
Tim Wardley were on the Island and stopped by
the Pier. Tim is Vice Chairman and Anthony a
past Chairman and currently PR man for National
Piers Society in the United Kingdom. They were
interviewed by Sue Woolley of IOM Newspapers :-
Queen’s Pier,
Ramsey could be the catalyst for
change that Ramsey needs, according
to Anthony Wills and Tim Wardley of
the National Piers Society, who
visited the Island last week.
‘The evidence is there – that when a
town restores its pier, its pride
comes back’, said Mr Wills, a former
chairman of the Society, who has
been following the Pier saga through
liaison with the Friends of the
Queen’s Pier.
He was seeing the pier for the first
time and was prompted to exclaim:
‘It’s awesome! Nothing prepares you
for it. Photos don’t do it justice -
the sheer length and elegance of it.
If this was in the UK it would be a
Grade 2 or possibly even Grade 2
star’.
He has now visited all 55 piers in
the British Isles except one –
Beaumaris on Anglesey.
Tim Wardley, vice chairman of the
Society was equally impressed and
described it as ‘an opportunity
waiting to happen’.
‘It’s in remarkably good condition
considering the amount of time it’s
been closed, but it is time
something was done. It could aid the
regeneration of Ramsey. It’s a
unique structure in a unique setting
in the sunniest spot on the Island’.
They spoke about the £45m ‘Sea
Change’ project being promoted by
the British Government to regenerate
down at heel seaside resorts.
Success stories where piers have
been restored include:
Southwold
(where Gordon Brown and family
spend holidays), Cromer,
Saltburn, Clevedon, Boscombe,
Bangor, Llandudno, Penarth,
Swanage and Totland Bay.
According to them,
a restoration project would generate
employment and help suppliers, local
industry, concessionaires and the
holiday trade.
They believe Queen’s Pier is
structurally sound underneath and
that once power-cleaned, sandblasted
and painted with protective coating,
the decking could be restored 100ft
at a time with dedicated parking and
a café at the near end.
Fred Hodgson, chairman of the
Friends of Queen’s Pier was
delighted with their enthusiasm,
adding: ‘We are confident that the
Working Party under Minister Phil
Gawne will come to the only sensible
decision’.
On
3rd November 2008 The President of National
Piers Society, Professor Gavin Henderson CBE
took time out from his lecture tour on the
Island to come and look at The Isle of Man's
unique Pier. He was shown round the entrance to
the structure and later entertained to a Manx
Tay by our Hon. Secretary Mary Simkiss and Mr.
Tony Pass of Manx National Heritage.
Another
more romantic occasion was the visit of Hazel
Costin and Jay Preller of Western super Mare on
3rd May 2009. Hazel had met Jay on Weston super
Mare Pier and became attached. They came up with
an idea to have a commemorative kiss on each of
the 56 Piers they are planning to visit.
Queen's
Pier is the 35th in the series. Sadly they were
not allowed to enter the pier structure but due
to the kindness of Harbours Division they were
allowed into the normally locked entrance area
and posed for their picture against the "Final
frontier". They plan to get married on Western
super Mare's Grand Pier shortly after it is
re-opened in 2010 and hope to return to Ramsey
shortly thereafter to walk on Queen's Pier too.
To help the couple on their way Fred Hodgson was
pleased to present them with Honorary Life
membership of The Friends of Queen's Pier.
Some Photos
used with permission of Isle of Man Newspapers
The
Queen's Pier was the subject of another special
visit on 24th July 2009 when Antony Wills and
Tim Wardley were on the Island and stopped by
the Pier. Tim is Vice Chairman and Anthony a
past Chairman and currently PR man for National
Piers Society in the United Kingdom. They were
interviewed by Sue Woolley of IOM Newspapers :-
On
3rd November 2008 The President of National
Piers Society, Professor Gavin Henderson CBE
took time out from his lecture tour on the
Island to come and look at The Isle of Man's
unique Pier. He was shown round the entrance to
the structure and later entertained to a Manx
Tay by our Hon. Secretary Mary Simkiss and Mr.
Tony Pass of Manx National Heritage.
Another
more romantic occasion was the visit of Hazel
Costin and Jay Preller of Western super Mare on
3rd May 2009. Hazel had met Jay on Weston super
Mare Pier and became attached. They came up with
an idea to have a commemorative kiss on each of
the 56 Piers they are planning to visit.
Queen's
Pier is the 35th in the series. Sadly they were
not allowed to enter the pier structure but due
to the kindness of Harbours Division they were
allowed into the normally locked entrance area
and posed for their picture against the "Final
frontier". They plan to get married on Western
super Mare's Grand Pier shortly after it is
re-opened in 2010 and hope to return to Ramsey
shortly thereafter to walk on Queen's Pier too.
To help the couple on their way Fred Hodgson was
pleased to present them with Honorary Life
membership of The Friends of Queen's Pier.
