Weston-super-Mare, the Grand Pier burns
The Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare was built in 1903/4 and has for many years been a tourist attraction that brings thousands of visitors to the town. It first burned down in 1930 and was rebuilt. In the last couple of years the pier was purchased by a local entrepreneur who spent money refurbishing and revitalising it, and who apparently had big plans for the future.
This morning, I woke to this view out of my window and figured something was up… I live several miles away from the sea front, so the scale of the fire was fairly clear from the outset.
Despite having lived in the town for more than 20 years, I find I have almost no photos of the pier as it was.
You can see it here on November 5th;
And here in the background of this photo:
I’m not a sentimental sort really, but it was sad to see what is an iconic part of the town’s history going up in flames.
Directly behind where I was standing taking these photos, Fire crew were working to pump water out of Marine lake, along the full length of the promenade and to the fire. From where I was standing, it was clearly an exercise in damage limitation, there is simply no way they could have controlled the fire.
You can see in this photo the tiny white stream of water on the left hand side, and how little hope the fire brigade could have of putting the fire out.
All in all a sad day for Weston. I really hope the Michael family rebuild it.
Tags: d200
July 28th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
A sad sad day indeed, it can’t really be replaced to what it was.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:00 am
[...] Weston-super-Mare, the Grand Pier burns [...]
July 29th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Your photos are amazing- i’m glad that you were able to take them, mine are pretty bog standard, but then I am an emotional type and I was having a bit of a cry. (I’m crunchcandy on flickr which is how I found you here)
July 29th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
A very sad day indeed but documented in a very dramatic fashion. Great work.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I was returning to weston for the first time in 5 years and was there on the day and managed to capture a before and after shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hASngDqVZnM
August 27th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Great video chris!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:20 am
[...] it contains stuff from months ago. This is annoying, trust me. For instance, 5 months after the Weston-super-Mare Pier fire I’ve only just got my fisheye photos of the event [...]
January 21st, 2009 at 1:46 pm
maww theres going to be an new one ay ways just get over it init . lol you lot are moaning god man move on . !!!!
January 21st, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Hello Pulsford!
Since this entry is 6 months old now and no-one except you has commented for 5 months, I’m pretty sure the only person that needs to get over it is you. Good luck with that.
Ciao!
March 10th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
yuor shit mate goi hame and cry
March 10th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Hello “Steve” or should I say “Pulsford” since you’re clearly the same person.
You’ve done a spectacular job of mis-spelling 3 out of 7 words in your comment, that is pretty good going even for you.
Perhaps you should “goi” back to school and learn to spell “yuor” words properly.
You are quite literally the most stupid person on the internet.
Congratulations.
Ciao!
April 29th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
[...] parts. Weston-super-Mare has it’s very own “eye” to temporarily replace the pier which burned up last year, this is the – slightly less impressive than the local paper would have you believe – Weston [...]