Hastings Pier has survived two world wars, a devastating fire, decades of neglect, and near-demolition. Today it stands as Britain's most celebrated seaside structure; a testament to community resolve and architectural vision.
A Victorian Marvel
The Hastings Pier Act of 1867 authorised construction of what would become one of England's finest pleasure piers. Designed by Eugenius Birch, the architect behind Brighton's West Pier and Eastbourne Pier, the structure opened on 5 August 1872. The 910-foot deck, built by Glasgow contractors R Laidlaw & Son, featured a 2,000-seater pavilion that became the heart of Edwardian seaside entertainment. The pier earned Grade II listed status in 1976, recognising its architectural and historical significance.
The Golden Age of Entertainment
During the 1960s and 1970s, the pier's pavilion hosted performances by some of rock music's biggest names. The Rolling Stones, The Who, Genesis, Tom Jones, and Pink Floyd all played here. Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd's founder, performed his final show with the band at the pier on 20 January 1968. Wikipedia lists Jimi Hendrix among the performers from this era, though specific details of his appearance remain unverified in the sources consulted.
Decline and Closure
The pier's fortunes faded from the 1990s onward. Storm damage in 1990 required £1 million in repairs. The structure was sold in 1996, and financial losses led to liquidation by 1999. After reopening briefly under new ownership, Hastings Borough Council closed the pier to the public in July 2006 following the discovery of unsafe conditions. Further storm damage in March 2008 left two support columns in imminent danger of collapse. By 2008, the pier was closed completely.
The Fire
On 5 October 2010, at approximately 01:00 BST, fire broke out in the early hours. Residents reported hearing a series of explosions as flames spread through the Victorian superstructure. Sixty firefighters battled the blaze, assisted by the Sussex Police helicopter and RNLI lifeboats. The A259 was closed in both directions due to falling debris. By dawn, 95 per cent of the upper structure had been destroyed. Two teenagers, aged 18 and 19, were arrested on suspicion of arson, though the Crown Prosecution Service later announced there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.
The Community Fights Back
The fire galvanised local residents. The Hastings Pier and White Rock Trust was established to rescue the structure, and in August 2013, Hastings Borough Council compulsorily purchased the pier for £1. A Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £8.75 million formed the backbone of the £14.2 million renovation budget. Over 3,000 people contributed £590,000 through a community shares scheme. English Heritage provided £100,000 for emergency structural works.
Rebirth and the Stirling Prize
London architects dRMM (de Rijke Marsh Morgan) won the design competition and spent seven years driving the project to completion. Their design, nicknamed "The Plank," features a stark wooden deck thrust out over the sea. The architects reclaimed timber from the fire-damaged original deck, fitting planks in a zigzag pattern. A central pavilion houses a café and community space, with a generous staircase leading to a rooftop belvedere that doubles as concert seating.
The pier reopened to the public on 27 April 2016, following a gala ceremony on 21 May. In its first fortnight, 75,000 visitors walked the new deck.
On 31 October 2017, Hastings Pier won the RIBA Stirling Prize, the United Kingdom's most prestigious architecture award. Judges praised dRMM for going "above and beyond what most people think of as the role of the architect," noting their work campaigning, galvanising, and organising local support throughout the funding stage. The project also won the Stirling Prize public vote and the National Piers Society "Pier of the Year" award.
The Pier Today
The Hastings Pier Charity entered administration in November 2017. In June 2018, the pier was sold to Abid Gulzar, a local businessman who also owns Eastbourne Pier. The structure reopened under his ownership in July 2018, closed again in December 2018, and reopened on 1 April 2019. Today it offers a visitor centre, bar-restaurant, funfair rides, and open-air concerts. Entry remains free; visitors can walk the deck, inhale the sea air, and take in views across the English Channel.
Local Relevance
For Hastings residents, the pier's rebirth represents more than architectural achievement. It demonstrates what community action can accomplish: over 3,000 locals bought shares, campaigned, and fundraised to save a structure that defined their town's identity. The pier's estimated 325,000 annual visitors bring footfall to the seafront, supporting local businesses from St Leonards to the Old Town. The Stirling Prize win placed Hastings on the architectural map, drawing visitors who might otherwise have bypassed the town for Brighton or Eastbourne.
Whether the current private ownership model can sustain the "people's pier" ethos remains an open question. But the structure itself endures: a 150-year-old survivor that rose from the ashes to become the nation's finest example of what a seaside pier can be.
