Herne Bay Pier Trust appeal to community for support

The original first Herne Bay pier was built 1831. Then followed two more, the last one collapsed in the middle in 1978.

Campaigners are appealing to local people to help rescue Herne Bay pier, once the second longest in the world.

The centre of the pier collapsed in 1978 following severe storm damage.

Two buildings remain on the section of pier closest to the shore and a third building is left isolated on a section at sea.

Herne Bay Pier Trust want to recruit 1,000 local people to help fund a feasibility study into how it might be rebuilt.

Trust spokesman Andrea Leach said: "Our mission is to reclaim, regenerate and rebuild Herne Bay pier.

"We need community support to take this forward."

'Sustained regeneration'

They also want support from local businesses. "There's 8,000 businesses in the CT6 postcode," said Mr Leach.

"Supporting the Herne Bay pier trust will certainly develop opportunities for their businesses, opportunities for re-employment, employment and to relaunch as part of a bigger, sustained regeneration for Herne Bay."

In October Canterbury City Council will begin to demolish the pavilion which sits on the pier at the beach end.

The plan is that by spring 2012, a flat platform space will have been laid down on the site. Both the trust and the council will work together to develop activities and events to take place on the platform.

By that time the trust hopes to have significant membership to take the project forward to the next phase, which will include restoring the middle part of the pier and re-connecting it to the isolated section out at sea.