Feature: People of south England win battle to save iconic pier

In 1066 it became famous as the place where the historic Battle of Hastings was fought, leading to William the Conqueror's reign in Britain.

And now 950 years later, the people of Hastings, saw the results of their latest conquest Sunday when the town's legendary 280-meter long pier was finally officially re-opened to the general public after a tough campaign, known as the new Battle of Hastings,to save it.

Over more than a century it became a playground for millions of visitors to the south coast of Britain, often referred to as the English Riviera.

Famous stars such as the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Who and Tom Jones all played sell-out concerts at the end of the pier, stretching out into the English Channel.

In the later years of the 20th century the old pier went into decline as Britons turned their backs on holidays in Britain, opting for sun, sand and sangria in hotter Mediterranean destinations. Storm damage and a devastating fire in 2010 seemed to spell the final chapter for the historic pier.

Instead local people were galvanised and backed a campaign to save and restore their beloved pier. Many Hastings residents were among the 3,000 people who bought 100 pounds shares so that local people could take ownership of their pier, now run by a charity trust.

It has now re-opened to the general public for the first time in 10 years after a restoration program costing almost 21 million U.S. dollars, backed by fund raising and lottery heritage grants from the lottery fund.

Simon Opie, chief executive of Hastings Pier Charity, described the re-opening as a "tremendous" moment.

He said: "It's a great relief in many ways to reach this stage, but also tremendous to be able to celebrate what has been achieved."

"We have been able to deliver what we set out to achieve, and that is a tribute to the local people. The pier started to suffer from neglect from the 1980s, but it was the fire that was the turning point when people rallied to the cause,"he added.

Structural engineer Peter Wheeler said 3,000 tonnes of steel and 8,000 meters of hardwood decking have been used in the restoration, giving the pier a lifespan of many decades.

Next year is the 100th anniversary of another devastating fire which saw a 2,000 pavilion theater destroyed, but the pier survived. Now the newly refurbished pier will be used for many events, including an open-air cinema.

A century ago there were more than 100 piers in Britain, with less than half still surviving. Endit