New catering plans and opening hours on the way for our award-winning pier

Changes on the way for Hastings Pier

A little over a year after its grand reopening, changes to the catering arrangements and the opening hours on the pier have just been announced. Toby Sargent reports.

Hastings Pier’s catering and hospitality operation is to be formally handed over from Centerplate to Hastings Pier Charity on Saturday 1 July 2017, with a new emphasis on high quality food and drink, mainly from local suppliers, including fresh fish from the Hastings fishing fleet.

Regular entertainment

The reopening is to be phased, but in time we can expect to see a different and possibly more welcoming atmosphere for customers. The eating area will be made over and regular entertainment is to be introduced.

Promising – The pier will soon be offering cocktails, new menus and regular entertainment

The reopening will begin with a ‘pop up’ offer on the Upper Deck bar & terrace from Saturday 1 July. However, the pavilion building and the fish and chip bar will be closed between 1-7 July, while what the management describe as ‘light refurbishment’ takes place.

This means a new look restaurant – with different menus, wines and cocktails – will be open for the public on Saturday 8 July. Weather permitting, they go on to say, ‘a DJ will be playing in celebration of the new opening in the afternoon and evening on the Pavilion terrace’.

Not forgetting doughnuts and candyfloss

Also on 8 July, we can expect a new food kiosk (also operated by Hastings Pier Charity’s catering team) serving ‘traditional seaside fair – including doughnuts and candy floss.’ And, in line with the new catering offer, Hastings Pier’s opening times will extend to 10.00pm from that date until the end of September.

The new catering and hospitality offer is being spearheaded by Erika Holland, who managed the much-loved ‘Gritti Palace’ on Hastings Pier before its rebuild. She told HOT:

Jo Stewart, Pier CEO – wants pier to be self-funded.

“I am very excited to be joining Hastings Pier Charity for this new venture. We will be sourcing our ingredients locally where possible and sustainability is key. Going forward we will be looking to put together a training programme with the aim to provide job opportunities for local people.”

Jo Stewart, CEO at Hastings Pier Charity, added:

“Bringing our catering offer in house is pivotal to our business plan and will bring the Pier one step closer to becoming self-funded in the future. It also opens up funding opportunities which will further bolster our business plan ensuring the Pier has a sustainable future.”

Meanwhile the pier has won another award. This one is a RIBA national award, to complement the ‘Pier of the Year’ received recently.

Also in: Hastings Life