Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier is to install a giant glass conservatory on the South Deck of the Pavilion building.
The conservatory, which will be more than 50 metres long and 10 metres wide, will cost over a quarter of a million pounds. The roof will open and retract electronically and the doors will all slide open and stack, so the whole area can be opened up on sunny days.
Work will begin this week and the conservatory will be ready for the October half-term holiday, one year on from when the Grand Pier re-opened after the fire.
Grand Pier owner Kerry Michael said: “The conservatory will enable us to extend the season and allow our visitors to enjoy the great outdoors day to day during the winter months.
“It will also be used for special events like concerts and weddings and will be a great place to watch the Grand Pier firework display on 5th November”.
The conservatory will be specially constructed with tall, wide automatic doors at each end which will allow the land train to drive through it and turn around.
Monday, 5 September 2011
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Ice Hockey World Championship Heats On The Grand Pier
The Grand Pier will host two rounds of the 33rd Table Ice Hockey World Championships when it is staged in Weston-super-Mare from 27th August to 3rd September 2011.
The Preliminaries will take place at the Grand Pier on Tuesday 30th August from 2pm – 6.30pm and the Final Heats on Friday September 2nd from 11am to 3pm.
Hundreds of competitors and their families from around the world will attend the event, which is being held in Weston-super-Mare for the first time.
The Grand Pier is sponsoring a coach excursion for competitors in the championship to discover the West Country. They will be taken on a tour of Cheddar Gorge, Wells Cathedral, Glastonbury Abbey and Clarks Village.
Grand Pier owner Kerry Michael said: “I am delighted to see new events coming to Weston and am glad to be involved in promoting the Grand Pier and the town to people from all over Europe”.
The Preliminaries will take place at the Grand Pier on Tuesday 30th August from 2pm – 6.30pm and the Final Heats on Friday September 2nd from 11am to 3pm.
Hundreds of competitors and their families from around the world will attend the event, which is being held in Weston-super-Mare for the first time.
The Grand Pier is sponsoring a coach excursion for competitors in the championship to discover the West Country. They will be taken on a tour of Cheddar Gorge, Wells Cathedral, Glastonbury Abbey and Clarks Village.
Grand Pier owner Kerry Michael said: “I am delighted to see new events coming to Weston and am glad to be involved in promoting the Grand Pier and the town to people from all over Europe”.
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
GRAND PIER FLY PAST
The Grand Pier will be honoured with a fly-past by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) on Friday 26th August at 1pm. A Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster will fly over the Pavilion.
The BBMF, which was set up in 1957 to represent the nation’s aviation heritage, will fly the WWII aircraft into Weston-super-Mare.
The Spitfire was produced in greater numbers than any other British combat aircraft. In total 20,400 were manufactured. The Spitfire played a major part in achieving the ultimate victory in WWII.
The Hurricane is one of the classic fighters of all time. It was designed and built for war and was at the forefront of Britain’s defence in 1939 – 1940.
There are only two Lancasters in the World that remain in an airworthy condition. The one that is coming to Weston-super-Mare was built in 1945 and was used on Photographic Reconaissance duties with 82 Squadron in East and South Africa.
Grand Pier owner Kerry Michael said: “We are delighted to have been selected for a fly-past so soon after our Grand Pier Air Day on 17th August.
“I am sure crowds of people will line the sea front to see these historic World War II fighter planes”.
The BBMF, which was set up in 1957 to represent the nation’s aviation heritage, will fly the WWII aircraft into Weston-super-Mare.
The Spitfire was produced in greater numbers than any other British combat aircraft. In total 20,400 were manufactured. The Spitfire played a major part in achieving the ultimate victory in WWII.
The Hurricane is one of the classic fighters of all time. It was designed and built for war and was at the forefront of Britain’s defence in 1939 – 1940.
There are only two Lancasters in the World that remain in an airworthy condition. The one that is coming to Weston-super-Mare was built in 1945 and was used on Photographic Reconaissance duties with 82 Squadron in East and South Africa.
Grand Pier owner Kerry Michael said: “We are delighted to have been selected for a fly-past so soon after our Grand Pier Air Day on 17th August.
“I am sure crowds of people will line the sea front to see these historic World War II fighter planes”.
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
The World-Famous Three Degrees Are To Play At The Grand Pier
Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier is to host a Three Degrees concert on Friday 7th October. The famous trio had been asked to play live at the Pier by two local fans, Richard Buckner and Gary Langdale.
Richard and Gary, who run the Weston based energy surveying business, A1 Home Inspectors, have become friends with the Three Degrees after years of attending their concerts all over the world, and were delighted when the trio agreed to perform at the Grand Pier.
Richard Buckner, 34, said: “The Three Degrees always said they would come to our home town if they were invited and now that the Grand Pier is open they are finally coming here. Gary and I are really excited about being able to see our favourite group in Weston-super-Mare”.
The Three Degrees formed in 1963 in Philadephia. Over the years the trio has changed but their most successful line-up included Valerie Holiday, Helen Scott and Shelia Ferguson. That line-up performed for Prince Charles at his 30th birthday party and attended the pre-wedding party before his marriage to Lady Diana Spencer.
The line-up that will play the concert on the Grand Pier will be Helen Scott who joined the group in 1963, Valerie Holiday, who joined the group in 1967 and former Lady of the Supremes, who is a relatively new addition, Freddie Pool.
The Three Degrees 1974 single “When Will I See You Again?” was a huge international hit, peaking at Number Two in the US and topping the UK Singles Chart.
Grand Pier owner Kerry Michael said: “I am absolutely delighted the Three Degrees have agreed to perform here. I always envisaged the Grand Pier becoming a major venue in the South West and I am very excited that we are now attracting world-class acts”.
“We are starting to bring some really big names to Weston-super-Mare. The Grand Pier is now so much more than a family entertainment centre. It is a major visitor attraction that will bring visitors and concert-goers to the town in the daytime and evening throughout the year”.
A Motown tribute band will support the Three Degrees. Details will be announced soon. Tickets for the Three Degrees will go on sale shortly.
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Great Grand Pier Air Day Update
The running order for The Great Grand Pier Air Day in Weston-super-Mare on Wednesday 17th August has now been announced.
First to perform on the day will be the Royal Artillery Parachute Team, the Black Knights, which is the official parachute display team for the Royal Artillery. They will begin their display at 11.30am. The five parachutists, who are all serving soldiers, each with between 300 and 600 jumps experience, will arrive in a Cessna 206 aircraft and will jump into an arena, which will be specially constructed on the beach, to the North of the Grand Pier.
The Black Knights will be followed at 1.30pm by the World’s only aerobatic formation wingwalking team, the Breitling Wing Walkers. They will perform a breathtaking sequence of acrobatic manoeuvres and handstands whilst strapped to the top wings of the team’s beautiful Boeing Stearman bi-planes.
The team pilots will fly the aircraft through a well-rehearsed energetic routine of dazzling aerobatics and close formation flypasts as the wingwalkers wave at the crowd.
These manoeuvres include loops, rolls, stall turns and inverted flight. During this the wingwalkers will experience speeds of up to 150 mph and ‘G’ forces of up to 4 G.
At 3pm the Blades air display team will fly into the town. The Blades are among the World’s best aerobatic pilots, flying the ultimate in high-performance piston aircraft.
The Blades pilots are all former Red Arrows and they set up the UK’s only full-time civil formation team in 2005. One of the Blades first air displays was at the Beckham’s Full Length and Fabulous Ball. Their displays have been watched by 18 million people at over 150 venues.
Display highlights have included Her Majesty the Queen’s 80th birthday at Balmoral and the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Grand Pier owner Kerry Michael said: “I want to establish the Great Grand Pier Air Day as an annual event that people all over the country will look forward to and get the date firmly in their diaries early on in the year.
“I am delighted we have been able to secure such a varied and top quality display for our air day and I intend to build on it in future years”.
First to perform on the day will be the Royal Artillery Parachute Team, the Black Knights, which is the official parachute display team for the Royal Artillery. They will begin their display at 11.30am. The five parachutists, who are all serving soldiers, each with between 300 and 600 jumps experience, will arrive in a Cessna 206 aircraft and will jump into an arena, which will be specially constructed on the beach, to the North of the Grand Pier.
The Black Knights will be followed at 1.30pm by the World’s only aerobatic formation wingwalking team, the Breitling Wing Walkers. They will perform a breathtaking sequence of acrobatic manoeuvres and handstands whilst strapped to the top wings of the team’s beautiful Boeing Stearman bi-planes.
The team pilots will fly the aircraft through a well-rehearsed energetic routine of dazzling aerobatics and close formation flypasts as the wingwalkers wave at the crowd.
These manoeuvres include loops, rolls, stall turns and inverted flight. During this the wingwalkers will experience speeds of up to 150 mph and ‘G’ forces of up to 4 G.
At 3pm the Blades air display team will fly into the town. The Blades are among the World’s best aerobatic pilots, flying the ultimate in high-performance piston aircraft.
The Blades pilots are all former Red Arrows and they set up the UK’s only full-time civil formation team in 2005. One of the Blades first air displays was at the Beckham’s Full Length and Fabulous Ball. Their displays have been watched by 18 million people at over 150 venues.
Display highlights have included Her Majesty the Queen’s 80th birthday at Balmoral and the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Grand Pier owner Kerry Michael said: “I want to establish the Great Grand Pier Air Day as an annual event that people all over the country will look forward to and get the date firmly in their diaries early on in the year.
“I am delighted we have been able to secure such a varied and top quality display for our air day and I intend to build on it in future years”.
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