Sub-structure of Hastings Pier

Pier case Tribunal decision details Sheikh Gulzar’s penalty of almost £75k

In May, HOT reported on the Employment Tribunal case of the Hastings Pier engineers who had been working on the Pier. Their case of constructive unfair dismissal was upheld and compensation of nearly £75,000 was awarded. The article was titled ‘Pier-owner shamed by Tribunal decisions’. Now the Decision has been published.  Bernard McGinley was at that hearing, and reports again on Case 2301155/2019 & 2301177/2019.

At the hearing in Ashford in May, the engineers were represented by Hastings solicitor Michael Foster (of Michael Foster Law) and stated their case of constructive dismissal and attendant abuses. The Pier’s owner (since 2018), Sheikh Abid Gulzar, did not turn up, and was not represented.    

After spending hours in scrutinising the details of the case, Employment Judge Corrigan was clear where culpability lay, such as:

5.  The respondent contravened section 40 Equality Act 2010.

This is the section that relates to harassment.

The engineers, Peter Wheeler and Daisy Hill, were awarded £28,646.19 and £45,844.68 respectively. That sums to £74,490.77. At the time of publication none of it had been paid.  The question of whether he would was at the end of the previous Tribunal article in HOT. Mr Gulzar has plenty of form in this regard.  

The conduct of Mr Gulzar and Pier management considered by the Tribunal was also reported in Private Eye (No 1578, published 29 July 2022, p22).

Over half of the award is to Daily Hill for the abuse and disrespect she suffered, and includes:

an injury to feelings award of £38,698.68 (including interest on the hurt feelings award of £8,698.68). 

Meanwhile, in the Hastings County Court the Land Registry recently registered a Bankruptcy Charge for the Pier (Title Number ESX246860):

4   2022-09-15    BANKRUPTCY NOTICE entered under section

86(2) of the Land Registration Act 2002 in respect
of a pending action, as the title of the proprietor of
the registered estate appears to be affected by a
petition in bankruptcy against Sheikh Abid Gulzar
presented in the County Court at Hastings (Court
Reference Number 14 of 2022) (Land Charges
Reference Number PA 15983/22).

Mr Gulzar still owns a number of hotels in the Eastbourne area (and its Pier, since 2015).  His record of breaches, misfeasances and malfeasances grows longer and shabbier.

Hastings Pier is closed till next April. Maintenance appears to be nil, as it has been for some years.  The abrasion from the sea is relentless.

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