Club supporting community scheme
Pompey have backed a community scheme to buy South Parade Pier in Southsea and refurbish it and are calling on fans to play their part in saving a city icon.
The club, which itself became the country's largest community club in April after a £3.9m fan buy-out of the administration-stricken company, is now urging fans to support a similar scheme to save the pier.
Blues director and Pompey Supporters' Trust executive board member Mark Trapani said: “South Parade Pier is part of the city's rich cultural history and we are delighted as a club to call on our fans to back this plan to set up a social enterprise, like the Supporters’ Trust did to save Pompey, to buy the pier and ensure it is used fully by the people of Portsmouth and beyond.”
Leon Reis, chairman of South Parade Trust, added: “Pompey fans bought the club against all the odds and we know ourselves just how high a mountain that is to climb. We really admire the fans’ phenomenal achievement.
“We want to buy South Parade Pier, repair it and welcome local families back to a safe and friendly place. And then we have to develop its business to ensure it has a sustainable future – just like the Supporters’ Trust has done with Pompey. Local ownership is the key to making the pier great again – just like the club.
“When we own the pier, we will want to open it up to local organisations like the club to use for their own fundraising purposes.
“Voting membership of South Parade Trust – the social enterprise company set up for the purpose of buying the pier – is free and children and grandchildren can be members too. We want Pompey fans to help us to buy it for the sake of our future generations.”
Pompey fans can get involved by joining the South Parade Trust or following @PeoplesPier1 on Twitter or liking thepeoplespier on Facebook.