The National Piers Society, (NPS), which boasts members from around the country, chose Ryde as the venue for this year’s AGM. The oldest pier in the country, Ryde Pier celebrates its bicentennial on July 26.
Historic Ryde Society members first met current NPS Chairman, Tim Phillips, two years ago, and have been in touch since, with a view to providing images and a slide show for this weekend. HRS is delighted to have been invited to attend the first event of the weekend, held at Ryde Castle Hotel. Author and one-time Ryde resident, Philip Norman, regaled a large audience with tales of his young days at the end of Ryde Pier, where his father Clive ran the Ryde Pier Pavilion.
HRS Treasurer Tony Packer worked for Philip’s father, running the Seagull restaurant from the age of 18. HRS Board Member Vic Scovell, played in a local band, The Sapphires. During his talk for the NPS, Philip referred to both as being part of his youth.
On Saturday, Historic Ryde Society provided a slide show for the NPS, with over 500 images of Ryde Pier. The patrons of the NPS, Gyles Brandreth and Timothy West both attended the event at Ryde Castle Hotel. A fantastic cake, in the shape of a seaside pier, had been baked for the occasion by Island company, Petticoats and Frills. The decorations included two members of the NPS on the beach, and a little dog, doing what dogs do…… The cake was delicious! Gyles then led the group in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Ryde Pier.
The assembled company were shown a film, recently screened on television, about the regeneration of Hastings pier, which is due to reopen in the Spring of 2015. In the evening, a Gala dinner, attended by 66 members of the Society, with invited guests from HRS, was held at Ryde Castle Hotel. A wonderful, and fully packed day!
