h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... to see the remains of the Brighton West Pier lying broken in the sea

Early on Sunday, 29th December the supports holding up the back end of the ballroom on the pier finally gave up the fight against 130 years of erosion and battering by the sea and collapsed. Much of the building followed the supports into the sea, leaving what is left perched at a precarious angle. This too will probably collapse in the days to come.

There is a profound sense of shock and grief in the town that such a well loved landmark has been wounded in this way. Every day since the collapse the beach around the pier has been crowded with onlookers watching in silence, this despite the terrible weather conditions.

There is also a feeling that all the parties involved in the pier's restoration should now bury the hatchet, and actually get on and rebuild as they had planned, and not sit around arguing with one another as has been the case for oh so many years. We really want this pier back. It is part of the town, it is part of the family, and at the moment it just feels like there has been a death

Have to say was a bit shocked when I turned on the news and saw it lying there. But then again for all the years I lived in Brighton (88 - 92) it was always just sat there cordoned off with no work going on at all. So it shouldn't really have been a shock at all. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise and because of this at least someone will pull their finger out and finally get the work done.

It does seem a shame that the pier was allowed to deteriorate so badly that this happened. As Polidari has said, hopefully something will finally be done about the restoration now - and the big consolation is that, as far as I've heard, no-one was actually hurt.

I'm quite happy for Brighton to go down, but this isn't what I have in mind.

I saw this on the news too - looked out for you on the TV

I think its really sad - even in its delapidates state it was realy beautiful

I was appauled to see the number of people picking up bits of it to take home and the beach being co-ordened off

As it was happening the various parties still seemed to be blaming each other - each saying that it was the others responsibility - what has to happed to get the to actually do something rather than just talk about it

They shut sections of the beach off because there was a crush of people on it, loads of ex-pier as driftwood floating in the surf, and the tide was coming in

Later on in the afternoon they allowed people back onto the beach close to the pier so that they could scavange for souvineers. The wood from the building and the flooring is of no use to anyone for rebuilding purposes. It is all smashed up, half rotten and soaked through anyway.

Oh, and I've got myself three nice little chunks as a keepsake

Anyway, as you're both here: happy 2003, Light and Grey!

Happy New Year to you too Ormy

A friend of mine has a little chunk of the Berlin Wall for a souvenir

Gosho, are you sure they haven't just got a 'little peice of concrete'?

Similar question in years to come - how do we know you have not just got a piece of wood?

It will have the right type of paint on it and the right sort of nails through it for one thing

Well, this little piece of concrete has the right type of graffiti on it

As opposed to what?

Well, as opposed to the wrong sort of graffiti I guess

* giggles *

*Makes a cup of *

Mmm Pepermint tea for me please!