Collapse and Fire

2003 was a catastrophic year for the West Pier.

A huge storm on 29th December 2002 resulted in the dramatic collapse of the south east corner of the Concert Hall.

On 28th March 2003 the Pavilion was destroyed in an arson attack, and on 11th May 2003 the Concert Hall also was burnt out deliberately.

English Heritage was commissioned to report on whether after such damage, the restoration was still viable. In December 2003, in a detailed report, English Heritage concluded that despite the significant damage, given the wealth of salvaged material from the pier and the considerable photographic and video archive, repair and reconstruction of the pier was still viable. It was therefore bitterly disappointing that in its meeting on 28th January, the Heritage Lottery Fund decided to withdraw its funding of the project.

With the loss of lottery funding the West Pier will now never be restored to look as it did in its prime. However, the Trust remains hopeful that one day a new West Pier will be built reflecting, in contemporary design, the grandeur of the old pier.

Collapse of the West Pier taken September 2003

Fire in the Pavilion taken on 28th March 2003