May 6, 2010 at 16:47 
Joining Herne Bay Pier Trust is a chance to make a difference to the town and play a part in building the history of the future. The trust is urging people to become involved in preserving the pier and add their views to plans for the area surrounding it.
May 6, 2010 at 16:12 A war of words has broken out between pier campaigner Kim Hennelly and county and city councillor Jean Law just days before Tuesday's Pier Trust annual meeting. In a series of e-mails between the two women, Cllr Law accused property investor Mrs Hennelly 49, who lives abroad most of the year, of "whingeing". But Mrs Hennelly replied: "I am not whingeing. How bizarre you think that."
Apr 7, 2010 at 22:57 Herne Bay’s Museum and Kings Hall should be sold off to pay for the redevelopment of town’s pier, a new report has suggested. The document, which was written for the city council by consultants Humberts Leisure at a cost of £10,000 reveals few developers are interested in working on the pier and suggests local firms may be the only hope. The consultants recommend demolishing the pavilion building and using the empty pier structure as a performance or events space. A cafe, shops and entertainment venue could replace the hall, and collections in the museum could be relocated to the new pier.
Mar 16, 2010 at 15:12 In 1830 two London businessmen visiting the area came up with an inspired idea. One of these entrepreneurs, George Burge, had recently worked for the great engineer Thomas Telford on the construction of St Katherine's Dock. Burge knew that the shallow water near the shore meant that any passengers wishing to land and take the waters had to be brought across in beach boats known as hoys, an uncomfortable and inelegant method of travel. He also knew that a similar problem across the Thames Estuary in Essex had recently been solved by the building of a landing stage more than a mile long which allowed passengers to disembark from paddle steamers and walk or ride on a cart towards the growing resort at the end, becoming known as Southend.
Mar 15, 2010 at 16:27 There were mixed feelings in the town as to whether a replacement pier should be built, but eventually the Herne Bay Promenade Pier Company financed a very modest structure at a cost of £2,000. Designed by Wilkinson & Smith the new pier was erected purely with promenading in mind, and extended only to a length of 320ft (97m), with a small bandstand at the end. It was opened on 27 August 1873 by the Lord Mayor of London.
Mar 14, 2010 at 16:30 In 1892 visits by shallow draft steamers began as an experiment to see how popular a new service would be and by 1895 ambitious plans were underway for a new deep-water pier capable of handling regular steamers. Work on the new iron structure began in 1896. When it was finished this would be the second longest pier in the country, running 3,787 feet (1147m) out to sea and requiring a small railway to carry the passengers and their luggage to shore.
Mar 10, 2010 at 23:30 
The Herne Bay Pier Trust was set up in 2008 by Canterbury City Council who have appointed 11 founding trustees. They are currently the most active body promoting the (re)development of the Pier, and our best hope of getting anything done.
THE VISION: The preservation, renovation, reconstruction and enhancement of Herne Bay Pier and the surrounding area as a building of special architectural and historic interest.
THE MISSION: The promotion and use of the Pier for recreational purposes and as a community and heritage building for the general use and benefit of all the inhabitants of and visitors to Herne Bay and the surrounding area.
Find out more at their website.
Feb 25, 2010 at 12:21 Herne Bay's museum and Kings Hall should be sold off to pay for the redevelopment of town's pier, a new report has suggested. The document, which was written for the city council by consultants Humberts Leisure at a cost of £10,000, reveals few developers are interested in working on the pier and suggests local firms may be the only hope.
Sep 2, 2009 at 15:41 Herne Bay pier is among 10 across England and Wales that have been identified as being at serious risk of demolition or collapse. The report from the National Piers Society, placed the town's iconic structure at number nine in a top 10 which also includes Hastings and Brighton West piers in neighbouring East Sussex. But staunch defenders of Herne Bay Pier's future have dismissed the survey as pure conjecture.
CCC, Herne Bay, Pier | Keywords: Graham Cooper, HB Pier Trust Jun 29, 2004 at 22:00 [Jun 2004] Consultants have concluded there is the potential to develop Herne Bay pier into a major attraction that could help regenerate the town as a thriving seaside resort. However, their report makes it clear that there is no prospect of attracting sufficient public or private funding, in the foreseeable future, to restore the full three-quarter-mile long pier.
