So glad that according to The Argus, Mike Holland has vowed to save the West Pier! I am not often keen on millionaires throwing their money about on their own whims, but this time go for it Mike! We have supported the West Pier trust for years, although we lived in London, I am very saddened that as far as we are concerned nothing that was promised ever came of our efforts.
We always loved the West Pier, not least because we performed in ‘Oh What a Lovely War’on it with our marionettes in the 60’s, but also for its architectural elegance, its sheer grace and dignity.
I remember attending elaborate dinners that the trust put on at The Grand, taking part in the fundraising auctions. Then there were trips, with hard hats, around its then usable remains. Of course the volunteers were dedicated but there seemed to be a hierarchy of people with promises and counter promises. In the end I think endless delays and internal politics gave the time for arson and intrigue to win the day. I often wondered what happened to all the funds we all managed to raise with nothing to show for it!
Dear Mr Milliononaire,
Yes please, get on with it and do something incredible with the poor old lady and don’t forget the Starlings!
Yours sincerely, Ann (a keen supporter of all things pier)
I also hope I will still be around to see this brave new venture and now that we live down here, I might even tempt our ‘old soldier’ marionettes, out of retirement and to be there at the opening.
My poem about the pier is already on the home page, so I’ll add film of visual images ‘The Dance of Destruction’ to this post, which I prefer!
Ann Perrin 