Pier not for sale despite liquidation - owner

The Friends of Hastings Pier say the structure should be in community ownership

The owner of Hastings Pier in East Sussex says the structure is not for sale despite the company which runs it entering liquidation.

The only named director of Lions Hastings Pier Limited is businessman Abid Gulzar, who owns the freehold.

“I’m in charge. I will do it,” he said.

Local community group The Friends of Hastings Pier say it should be in community ownership, and claim they can fundraise enough to buy it.

“If the company is liquidated, then it doesn’t have any money to maintain the pier or do all the things that we need,” said James Chang from the community group.

“Our concern is that, again, we’re in this cycle where we are potentially losing access to the pier.”

Hastings Pier was destroyed by a fire in October 2010

Originally opened in 1872, Hastings Pier reopened in 2016 after twice being ravaged by fire, most recently in 2010, and was rebuilt with £12.4m from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Mr Gulzar is believed to have bought it for less than £100,000 after the Hastings Pier Charity, which ran the structure, went into administration.

Mr Gulzar said, despite losing money, his passion for piers meant he would never sell it.

“I have a lot of stamina,” he added.

Hastings Borough Council councillor Andy Bashford said whether Mr Gulzar was up to the task was “up for debate”.

“If he finds that he cannot look after the pier or hasn’t got the passion for it any more, we would urge him to look for an owner who would take on that mantle and move it forward,” he said.