Make folly more relevant to us

Devotion by Jane Shultze for Abid Gulzar and what she calls his “rusting heap of metal” pier is very touching but a tad lacking in facts (Change attitude to pier owner, February 2).

Can she for instance, give us the evidence that there is not a queue of people waiting to purchase Eastbourne Pier? What about her devoid of substance claim that “much of Eastbourne would be much the poorer if Abid Gulzar had not invested his money in our town”. What is this “much”? Name all the things that comprise this “much”? What is Mr Gulzar’s contribution to the £75 million upgrade to the Arndale Centre?

As for the pier being a “rusty heap of metal” in reality that is exactly what it is. Worse it is a 19th century “rusty heap of metal”.

Are we really so devoid of talent that we cannot turn this outdated folly belonging to a bygone age into something dynamic, inspiring and relevant to us living here and now in the 21st century? Why do some Eastbournians pretend we live in the 19th century? We do not.

As for altering an attitude to the pier owner, when he stops bleating every few weeks he deserves our hard earned tax money for his private pocket I will.