Woke this morning to the news that arsonists have been playing on Hastings Pier. By the sounds of reports by the BBC the area effected mainly is the Ballroom where the blaze was started.

With initial repair costs of £3 million this is going to be a significant blow to the Trust who have been working so hard to coordinate funding, profile and CPO's since the gates to the apron shut in 2006.

Hastings pier is a well loved but always under used assett to the seaside town on Hastings in East Sussex but with the Trust planning innovative ways of making the pier not only structurally but economically sustainable again, the hope was that socially it's popularity would grow.

The fire may have caused a lot of damage but this is still to be assessed and the Trust and the people of Hastings should not loose hope. This might bot be a West Pier story yet. In a disturbing way the fire might be just the thing to raise the profile of the pier and get local people more interested in the campaign to save it.

Meanwhile Space have been long time supporters of Hastings Pier and White Rock Trust and know how they will be feeling this morning. Now is the time to rally round and support this innovative Trust and the very important campaign to SAVE HASTINGS PIER.

For more information about the Trust please visit their website.

To keep up to date about the news I've been checking Twitter and the BBC News.

If you have any news or pictures please send them to use, jcb@meanwhilespace.com.