bishbashbosh Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 And we only have one to save! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8230410.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moghrey Mie Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 And we only have one to save! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8230410.stm They're saving that one for the next election in Ramsey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Be better if it was 9 out of the 54 remaining IMO - and the Ramsey one had got washed away. You might as well put the money down a grid and expect a return on it IMO. It's just a long walk, with little views and is pretty pointless - and if the Ramsey pier was to be repaired it wouldn't be anything like it was in its heydey, it would all be modern - so it's hardly heritage is it? Once people had payed the £5 or whatever it would no doubt have to cost to use it, for one novelty walk along it, most wouldn't use it again I'd bet. ...and as for the hundreds of thousands of tourists we get here??? The old pier earned its keep from tourism, which doesn't exist anymore. Ramsey is a crap heap - and needs the £7M it would supposedly cost to fix up the pier spent on Ramsey itself. If there was something in the north, like an F1/F2/F3/F4 circuit to boost the economy up there, I could maybe understand it being done up to add to the supporting infrastructure and be useful for bringing in traffic. Otherwise please no no no no - let Ramsey pier fall into the sea - and if they're not going to build an F1 circuit, spend it on the hyperbaric chamber and a proper review of all the 11,000 civil servants we have here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Be better if it was 9 out of the 54 remaining IMO - and the Ramsey one had got washed away. You might as well put the money down a grid and expect a return on it IMO. It's just a long walk, with little views and is pretty pointless - and if the Ramsey pier was to be repaired it wouldn't be anything like it was in its heydey, it would all be modern - so it's hardly heritage is it? Once people had payed the £5 or whatever it would no doubt have to cost to use it, for one novelty walk along it, most wouldn't use it again I'd bet. ...and as for the hundreds of thousands of tourists we get here??? The old pier earned its keep from tourism, which doesn't exist anymore. Ramsey is a crap heap - and needs the £7M it would supposedly cost to fix up the pier spent on Ramsey itself. If there was something in the north, like an F1/F2/F3/F4 circuit to boost the economy up there, I could maybe understand it being done up to add to the supporting infrastructure and be useful for bringing in traffic. Otherwise please no no no no - let Ramsey pier fall into the sea - and if they're not going to build an F1 circuit, spend it on the hyperbaric chamber and a proper review of all the 11,000 civil servants we have here. agree. if there going to spend any cash in ramsey at least let it be on the town and not on that bloody thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsyBitsy Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Be better if it was 9 out of the 54 remaining IMO - and the Ramsey one had got washed away. You might as well put the money down a grid and expect a return on it IMO. It's just a long walk, with little views and is pretty pointless - and if the Ramsey pier was to be repaired it wouldn't be anything like it was in its heydey, it would all be modern - so it's hardly heritage is it? Once people had payed the £5 or whatever it would no doubt have to cost to use it, for one novelty walk along it, most wouldn't use it again I'd bet. ...and as for the hundreds of thousands of tourists we get here??? The old pier earned its keep from tourism, which doesn't exist anymore. Ramsey is a crap heap - and needs the £7M it would supposedly cost to fix up the pier spent on Ramsey itself. If there was something in the north, like an F1/F2/F3/F4 circuit to boost the economy up there, I could maybe understand it being done up to add to the supporting infrastructure and be useful for bringing in traffic. Otherwise please no no no no - let Ramsey pier fall into the sea - and if they're not going to build an F1 circuit, spend it on the hyperbaric chamber and a proper review of all the 11,000 civil servants we have here. agree. if there going to spend any cash in ramsey at least let it be on the town and not on that bloody thing Absolutely agree - absolute waste of public money - let it go for heaven's sake people, let it drop to the sea and spend the moeny on things that the public need like health services, dentists, or places to go etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulgarian Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 A flimsy cast iron structure built on sand, going out into the sea, only built as a novelty in the first place - Victorian iron piers were just not built to last, and they're already over 100 years old as it is. I think the Ramsey pier should be left as it is, as a relic of our Victorian heritage. To spend millions in public money restoring it now to little purpose when other projects are in want of funds would show total delusion on our government's part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 A flimsy cast iron structure built on sand, going out into the sea, only built as a novelty in the first place - Victorian iron piers were just not built to last, and they're already over 100 years old as it is. I think the Ramsey pier should be left as it is, as a relic of our Victorian heritage. To spend millions in public money restoring it now to little purpose when other projects are in want of funds would show total delusion on our government's part. Agreed, sad, but it's a relic and not sustainable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jehovah Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 A flimsy cast iron structure built on sand, going out into the sea, only built as a novelty in the first place - Victorian iron piers were just not built to last, and they're already over 100 years old as it is. I think the Villa Marina, Laxey wheel, Camera obscura, Battery pier, Legislative buildings, etc; etc should be left as it is, as a relic of our Victorian heritage. To spend millions in public money restoring it now to little purpose when other projects are in want of funds would show total delusion on our government's part. Agreed, sad, but it's a relic and not sustainable. "Flimsy" but still there after 100 yrs? "Built as a novelty in the first place", please substantiate that statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 "Flimsy" but still there after 100 yrs? A few rusting supports sticking out of the sand, and a load of planks that need replacing is all that is really left...not counting all the planks that want to spend £7M to 'refurbish' the damn thing, and commit to god knows how much a year to maintain it. Of course it would be nice to spend money on everything like this, but the fact is we can't and heritage preservation and other things needs to be prioritised - including the renovation/recouperation of Ramsey Town itself. Even the horse trams/MER need to go down to one track to cut costs and inconvenience and reflect reality IMO. The difference between the horse trams/MER and Ramsey pier, is that Ramsey Pier is so far gone it would be nothing but a replica pier in reality - and an under utilised white-elephant of a project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulgarian Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 A flimsy cast iron structure built on sand, going out into the sea, only built as a novelty in the first place - Victorian iron piers were just not built to last, and they're already over 100 years old as it is. I think the Villa Marina, Laxey wheel, Camera obscura, Battery pier, Legislative buildings, etc; etc should be left as it is, as a relic of our Victorian heritage. To spend millions in public money restoring it now to little purpose when other projects are in want of funds would show total delusion on our government's part. "Flimsy" but still there after 100 yrs? "Built as a novelty in the first place", please substantiate that statement. Those other things you kindly mentioned for me are in no way near as poor condition as the pier, simply because of the nature of a piers construction - built on sand, made of iron and jutting out into the sea - nor do they cost as much to maintain. It's great that we've retained so many victorian features on the Island, but piers by nature are doomed. Iron piers were a novelty in their time, feats of engineering, and enjoyed by millions, now the people have gone and the piers are falling into the sea. I'm all for saving historic architecture, but the costs of such projects have to be weighed up against the benefits. Restoration of the Iron Pier would be costly, and of little benefit to anyone except Victoriana perverts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triskelion Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 What if...as part of the restoration they shortened it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkydevil Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 What if...as part of the restoration they shortened it? About 20 foot seems fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulgarian Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 What if...as part of the restoration they shortened it? Perfect for long walks for the despairful residents of Ramsey left with no services or facilities, but the world's shortest, most expensive, most pointless pier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Even though I kinda have to agree with much of what has been said it does seem sad to let it fall into the sea. I know it is just a bunch of iron poles and plank but I personally see it as a part of Ramsey's identity. Though in comparison with other piers in Britain, which I do think deserve restoration, the Queen's Pier isn't anything like a tourist attraction like they were. I do have to say though Vulgarian, I am a victorian and edwardian era pervert. I cannot see, however, how millions can be justified in refurbishing it if most people don't want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parchedpeas Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Grant the money and then spend it on the town. Ramsey is a vibrant community with lots to offer. The pier is just a cry for help - we don't really want it fixed but it would draw us some attention and let us share in the honey pot that is the heritage grant scheme. I'm not ever from Ramsey, but I know how they feel. If IOMG spend on the pier they will have to spend on the surrounding architecture to support it. Without a gimmick like the pier, Ramsey will get nothing. With it, Ramsey stands a chance of being supported from within. Best solution for me: give Ramsey 10 million quid and let them build something that could be NEW heritage. Something spectacular. Something that nowhere else can do. They, of all the towns, have the land free and the ambition. The pier is a diversion, not an answer. Let the rest of the IOM wallow in history and give Ramsey the money to celebrate TODAY not YESTERDAY. And then after that, let Port Erin become the new capital, because it has more vibrancy than Douglas has EVER had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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