Category Archives: Hastings Pier

Thoughts about Hastings Pier 10 years after the fire

Posted on October 5, 2020 by jesssteele

Today is my daughter’s 20th birthday. A decade ago she spent her 10th birthday in the shadow of the still-smouldering Hastings Pier fire. I had been up all night, watching from the White Rock Hotel while our beloved pier was … Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings, Hastings Pier, JRS website, Piers, Seaside | Leave a comment

Statement regarding Hastings Pier

Posted on February 7, 2019 by jesssteele

STATEMENT FROM JESS STEELE REGARDING HASTINGS PIER February 2019 Since last summer there has been a disturbing level of polarisation within the town about the pier. I hope that this statement will help to tackle that and remind us of … Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings Pier, Just Me, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

How the money works

Posted on June 17, 2018 by jesssteele

I’m going to try to explain the financial package that Friends of Hastings Pier put together as simply as I can. This is both an exercise in extreme transparency and a practice run for some workshops I’m planning about how … Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings, Hastings Pier, Jericho Road Solutions, Piers, Seaside | 8 Comments

Hastings Pier… 3 things you can do to help

Posted on April 29, 2018 by jesssteele

“There are battles you think you’ve won, only to discover you need to fight them all over again” – Jonathan Freedland, Guardian 28/4/18 At first, when the Hastings Pier Charity was put into administration in November 2017, it seemed terrible … Continue reading →

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Investing Upside Down (ppt)

Posted on March 4, 2018 by jesssteele

Here’s a link to the slides I showed yesterday at the Labour Party #NewEconomics conference in Southampton. Plus the narrative notes. Investing Upside Down – Jess Steele Investing Upside Down – narrative

Posted in Hastings, Hastings Pier, Jericho Road Solutions, JRS website, Ore Valley, Self-renovating neighbourhoods, Thinking | 1 Comment

Friends Again!

Posted on February 27, 2018 by jesssteele

Friends of Hastings Pier reestablished 2018 Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings, Hastings Pier, JRS website, Piers, Seaside | 2 Comments

Two Piers and a Lesson for Local Government

Posted on May 21, 2015 by jesssteele

Spot the difference. The real difference between the circumstances – which were almost exactly four years apart – is very simple. The attitude of the council. In Hastings it took a long time and a lot of effort to persuade … Continue reading →

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Colwyn Bay Pier – next in line and it needs your help

Posted on November 13, 2014 by jesssteele

Victoria Pier, Colwyn Bay is *the* important pier to save next. The Pier needs your help, and fast! Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings Pier, Jericho Road Solutions, Seaside | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Roller-coaster week

Posted on June 13, 2014 by jesssteele

It’s been a roller-coaster week here in Hastings. Since handing over the pier project to Hastings Pier Charity, the White Rock Trust has been focusing on the wider neighbourhood and on the second most challenging building in town – the … Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings, Hastings Pier, Jericho Road Solutions, JRS website, Seaside, Self-renovating neighbourhoods | 9 Comments

The People’s Piers

Posted on September 1, 2013 by jesssteele

I was taken aback by the level of interest in the Bank Holiday launch of my Coops UK Fresh Ideas pamphlet ‘The People’s Piers’. Given the coverage – Guardian, Times, Mirror, Daily Mail, BBC News, ITN, etc – I should … Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings Pier, Policy, Seaside | Leave a comment

No resting place but a challenge constantly renewed

Posted on July 9, 2013 by jesssteele

“The Great Society is not a resting place… a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us towards a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvellous products of our labor.” – Lindon Johnson Not a … Continue reading →

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Stories as Community Action

Posted on June 28, 2013 by jesssteele

Pier Campaign – story version Last week a couple of trustees of the Hastings Pier & White Rock Trust were filmed for a BBC piece to be shown in the autumn which may turn into a longer documentary. It felt … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organisers, Hastings Pier, Thinking | 1 Comment

A month on the Jericho Road

Posted on June 17, 2013 by jesssteele

So it’s been a month since launching Jericho Road Solutions and I’m in reflective mood. I chose to leave a good job at Locality and start out on my own because I want to be directly involved in local transformations … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organisers, Hastings Pier, Jericho Road Solutions, Locality, Meanwhile, Seaside, Self-renovating neighbourhoods, Thinking | 1 Comment

Pier-to-Pier peer learning

Posted on June 2, 2013 by jesssteele

I think we just won a competition on the basis of a good pun. But my co-conspirators say it’s because what we’re doing is really important and worthwhile and brilliant. Could be both?! I’ve always been a believer in peer … Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings Pier, Jericho Road Solutions, Locality, Seaside | Leave a comment

Ba-Ba-Boom! Huzzah! Wow! OMG! Thank the Gods!

Posted on November 18, 2012 by jesssteele

Sometimes when things work out well we can hardly believe it’s because of us. We want to feel the thunderbolt and praise Thor! I’m really pleased that tonight Hastings Pier was saved. This is how I felt when I knew: … Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings Pier, Seaside | 2 Comments