Guest 683- Registered: 11 Feb 2009
- Posts: 1,052
Just had a walk along the pier this afternoon and wish I hadn't! The whole place has a sense of decay and despair to it. The metalwork is tatty, and in some places, badly corroded; the shelters are gloomy and there's no way would I spend any time on the seats, everything else gives the sense that it has been abandoned. The surface has been dug up and repaired so many times it looks like Tripoli High Street.
The cafe was open and the staff were very friendly though a more positive welcome wouldn't have gone amiss as customers walk through the door.
This really should be an asset to the town - how many seaside towns have lost their pier - but it really isn't
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
must have missed each other mark, i was down there about 1.30 - 2.30.
didn't think it that bad actually, i don't look too closely, more interested in what is going on at sea.
the eyesore to me is the loading area for the old seaspeed ferries, surely that can all be dismantled now there will not be a further attempt at fast ferries.
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
This referred to the 'other' Dover Pier:
The Pier at Dover is under repair; this has long wanted it, not only on the principle of real utility but to give foreigners on their first landing in this island a proper idea of our wealth and greatness. A first impression operates materially. Nothing should be omitted which can by any means make it.
(Kentish Gazette 12 - 15 August 1788, page 2, under "Canterbury" column)
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
rather ironic considering the state it is in today.
what would you suggest for it....
and whose responsible for it anyway
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
judging by all the signs the harbour board have controlled it and been responsible for it for well over a century.
Guest 683- Registered: 11 Feb 2009
- Posts: 1,052
Charlie
I would suggest something along the lines of Kath's posting. There were several walkers who I imagine were from the cruise ship and goodness only knows what their impressions were! I think I would scuttle back to the ship if it was me for a bit of comfort and style.
Next year is the 110th (?) anniversary and a tart up would be a good idea to mark this occasion. Painting, cleaning, planting, renovating and generally shifting it from purely utilitarian to aesthetic might just attract visitors!
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
DHB are responsible for it and in line with the minimum maintenance policy of recent times the Pier has fallen into disrepair, it now needs a lot of work to bring it up to scratch. I think you are referring to the Hoverport berth Howard and it is indeed a eyesore and I would have thought it has enough scrap value to pay for it being removed.
Seaside Piers are something special, ask the Towns that have lost them, we have one that is not being looked after or developed.
Audere est facere.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
The end of the Prince of Wales Pier is to be chopped off when (if ?) T2 goes ahead; maybe that's why there's not much maintenance scheduled for it: maybe there is some (maintenance) scheduled and we don't know about it - we don't know everything the Harbour Board are going to do.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
it is generally thought that terminal 2 will not go ahead in the next 20 years so not much of an excuse for allowing the pier to be run down.
"minimum maintenance policy?"
Where is that defined and sealed
This must relate to the whole of Dover............
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
I think that #9 should be reworded Roger, instead of 'everything' maybe it should read 'anything'. We get fed snippets of possible happenings prior to their no discussion decisions.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
From the DHB Annual Report for 2010:
"Following a strategic review of our infrastructure, and demands on the business going forward, the approved five year capital plan, to 2015, focuses largely on the upgrade of facilities in the Eastern Docks ferry terminal. This will improve vehicle facilitation, enabling increased traffic volumes to be handled, in advance of the requirement for the major development of a second ferry terminal in the Western Docks. Such improvements will include the complete replacement of berth 6 and the provision of increased landside capacity within the terminal, T1.
Planning has already started for a major refurbishment of Cruise Terminal 1 (the old Dover Marine Station), including renewal of the roof. Further work with regard to the Fishermans' Walkway and other heritage structures on the Admiralty Pier will also be included in the plans, with an estimated £10 million to be spent on preserving listed buildings over the next three to four years."
No mention there of the Prince of Wales pier, had not noticed that it is apparently a bit run down. Pleased to see that something is finally to be done about the dreadful state the Fishermans Walkway on the Admiralty Pier has been in for many years. Amazed that DHB has allowed it to fall into such decay as it gives a dreadful impression to all the passengers on the cruise ships.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
There is more on this too in the comments section of our frontpage, check out Page 8 Preserving our Ports Heritage ( gosh there are more than 240 pages of comments on there) its a DHB press release and has lots of info about their plans.
Remember..its in the comments pages, not amongst the archived features.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
The only work that I have seen done so far as far as the terminal roof is concerned, has been repairs to the 'temporary' interior rope roof liner and DHB assessing repairs to the Railway end of the Admiralty Pier, I wonder how much that has cost already?
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
Going back to Kath's post #3:
"The Pier at Dover is under repair; this has long wanted it, not only on the principle of real utility but to give foreigners on their first landing in this island a proper idea of our wealth and greatness. A first impression operates materially. Nothing should be omitted which can by any means make it."
(Kentish Gazette 12 - 15 August 1788, page 2, under "Canterbury" column)
This was of course a very long time before construction of the Admiralty Pier was commenced, let alone the Prince of Wales. The docks were contained within the old North and South pierheads and the landing pier for the sailing sloops crossing from France was inside the tidal harbour.
This painting by William Westall circa 1830 is probaby little changed from 1788. I imagine that the landing pier is that in the immediate foreground with passengers walking up it together with porters bringing their luggage. If the curious structure in the background is the departure lounge then it does indeed need a lick of paint! (joking)
If the sailing craft missed the tide and there was not enough water to enter the tidal harbour, then they would have to anchor off the beach and the passengers would be ferried to the beach by the local Dover watermen. There are a legion of stories about the outrageous charges they would make for their services. The cutter they have landed from is seen in the background.
I think the curious structure mentioned above is just a derrick for offloading baggage and cargo, with bracing to the building behind, although I stand to be corrected. Here is a picture from a later date, after the advent of steam, showing a distinguished French visitor embarking at Dover in 1846. The derrick on the quay is of similar construction.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
thanks for the piece of history ed.
fascinating stuff especially the pictures.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
I for one agree with HOWARD while we wait for D.H.B. to make a move on future developements the pier gets more and decayed.
its a lovely walk along the pier together with a nice cafe at the end.
for me i hope the pier stays its a great advert for dover, and hopefully can be made to look better and soon
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
just had a second look at post 16 and the bottom picture which seems to show rather large emissions from the vessel pictured.
the subject may have been raised on here before.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
thats smoke from its coal fed boilers howard.
