Concerns over safety of events held on Sussex pier

Calls to improve the safety of events held on Hastings Pier are set to go in front of a panel of councillors next month.

On September 2, a Hastings Borough Council licensing panel is expected to meet to review the terms of a premises licence, which allows music events and alcohol sales to take place on the pier.

The review hearing has been triggered by an application from the South East Coast Ambulance Trust (SECAmb), which is seeking to address safety concerns related to the provision of medical services at “mass gathering events”.

SECAmb says the provision of medical services at previous events had been “significantly below nationally recommended guidelines” and were considered to have fallen to a “dangerous level”.

Several other authorities — including Sussex Police, HM Coastguard and Hastings Borough Council’s own environmental health team — have also raised concerns about the management of these events.

In documents submitted as part of the application, Martin Watson, an operational commander with SECAmb’s East Sussex operating unit, said: “Hastings Pier is a popular venue, with a unique position and facilities available for visitors. It is essential that the venue is operated with safety at the forefront of the mind for venue owners, promoters, and contracted service providers such as medical and security.”

He added: “I am not of the belief that revocation of the licence would be beneficial in this instance… however I also feel that the current licensee is not taking adequate steps to ensure the safety and security of visitors during events suggesting a change of licensee may be appropriate.”

In his statements, Mr Watson highlights several incidents which have prompted SECAmb’s concerns. These include a description of an unannounced site visit to an event held on Saturday, June 8, which was attended by approximately 1,000 people. This was a “joint agency” visit attended by several members of the Hastings Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which includes the council and emergency services.

Mr Watson said there should have had at least three or four “first responders” on site for an event attended by that many people. When attending the event, however, Mr Watson found only two medical staff on site — a newly qualified paramedic and a first aider, who did not count as a full “first responder” under national guidance.

Mr Watson said he saw these medical staff carrying a “retirement age woman”, who had suffered a fall, from the pier to the promenade in a fireman’s lift. He said this highlighted a lack of appropriate equipment on site, as the injured woman should have been transported in a wheelchair.

The application goes on to mention other incidents, including an event held on May 25, during which there was no dedicated medical team on site. Mr Watson says this was discovered when an ambulance crew was called to the venue to assist an intoxicated person. He says the crew was told security staff, who included several members with appropriate training, were performing a dual role at the time. Mr Watson notes how such dual roles are “frowned upon, although not strictly prohibited.”

SECAmb says it has sought to raise its concerns with event organisers, their medical providers and the licence holders through meetings with the SAG on several occasions. SECAmb says these attempts have “proven unsuccessful”.

Other members of the SAG have also raised concerns.

For example, Sussex Police says it has conducted several visits to the pier, which “highlighted several breaches of licence conditions and a lack of understanding of what is currently on their licence.” Police say these breaches include a lack of CCTV at the premises, despite this being a condition of the pier’s licence.

The council’s own officers say there are also breaches of conditions related to noise management, as well as “numerous” noise complaints from neighbours.

Like SECAmb, these other agencies are calling for stronger conditions rather than total revocation of the pier’s licence. These potential conditions also seek to address more general safety concerns, such as the risk of fire or event goers falling into the sea.

The imposition of new conditions is one of several options available to the panel. The panel also has the power to suspend the licence or to remove the designated premises supervisor, a role currently held by pier leaseholder Max Wolf.

Any decision reached by the panel will be open to appeal through the courts.