An ice rink and Christmas market which were set to delight visitors to a pier over the festive period have been cancelled.  

The ice rink and a series of Christmas markets were expected to open on Friday November 22 but organisers, Piertown, announced on November 18 that they would no longer be running events on the pier.

In a statement on social media, they said: “It is with a very heavy heart and great reluctance that we have to announce the time has come to draw the Piertown project on Hastings Pier to a close.

“Our aim from the beginning was always to give a nod to the past, and rekindle the musical heritage of the pier, with bigger and better shows planned for each year. Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be for us.

“The overhead costs involved with attempting this project on the Pier have become too onerous and too costly to continue any longer.”

Piertown have said that all ticket holders for the ice rink and Christmas markets will be contacted by Skiddle and will receive a full refund.

Back in the summer, several authorities including South East Coast Ambulance Trust Sussex Police, HM Coastguard and Hastings Borough Council’s own environmental health team raised concerns about the management of events on the pier.