Francis has worked in Hospitality for over 25 years. Originally from Dublin, moving to London in the late eighties. His early career was spent with Hilton, in locations from Portsmouth to Glasgow. His first post in this area and first General Managers Role was at The Swan in Lavenham and he has not left the area since! Francis spent a decade working with Adnams overseeing the Swan and Crown Hotels in Southwold, the Victoria at Holkham and Globe in Wells, before taking on board the challenges of his own business at the White Horse Blakeney. Spending the next three years at Wyken Vineyards as General Manager of the Leaping Hare . Francis is very excited to join the team and to explore the opportunities a business as diverse as the Pier presents, believing that this jewel in the Norfolk Crown, showcases much of what is best about the area. As another Liverpool supporter , Sean now has some safety in numbers! Completing the Run Norwich 10k last year he hopes, to get back in lycra this year.
Sean joined Openwide Coastal in May 2015 as our Financial & Administration Manager. Sean previously worked for Big K Charcoal Ltd as their Office Manager. Born in Norwich, Sean has many years of operational and accounts experience under his belt. Because of Sean’s love of the seaside, it made changing jobs an easy decision. Sean is the calming influence in the team and keeps everyone in check, winning the award for being “the most likely person to go to in a crisis” He is a lifelong Liverpool Football supporter and is hoping that this year they will finally win the Premiership (dream on, Sean)
Debs is a Norfolk girl but has lived and worked in Cardiff during her working career, moving back home to Norfolk 7 years ago and joining the Cromer Pier team in 2011. She has mainly worked in Health & Leisure Clubs prior to joining Cromer Pier, dealing with membership and sales. Helping to make memorable customer experiences and having a passion for Cromer, The Pier and The Theatre is what drives Debs in her role. You may see her out and about spreading the word about the Cromer Pier Shows, or dressed as an Elf during the winter season, helping Father Christmas out when he visits the pier! She loves long beach walks with her Lab boy Bob and is also a keen Norwich City Football Club fan, so watch out Sean!
A 500 foot iron pier, the inspired work of a London engineering firm, Douglass and Arnott, replaced the second jetty. It opened on 8 June 1901, having cost £17,000. A bandstand was erected at the head. This was extended in 1905 to form a pavilion.
The ‘Great Eastern’ brought dignitaries and members of the press from London while the ‘Midland and Great Northern’ ferried VIPs from as far afield as Birmingham and Bradford. The ‘Blue Viennese Band’ played in the bandstand and the brochure assured visitors that ‘here, while the season lasts, strains of charming music will be constantly heard.’ In 1905, the bandstand was covered to form an enclosed pavilion and the following season the first ‘concert parties’ performed. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the ‘Cromer Protection Commission’ was responsible for selecting the concert parties at the pavilion, and toured the south coast looking at potential shows.
In 1936, one of the Pavilion’s most famous shows first appeared: Ronnie Brandon’s ‘Out The Blue’. At the outbreak of World War II, the Royal Engineers removed the middle section of the pier and shows ceased for the duration of hostilities. After the war, Cromer Council advertised in ‘The Stage’ for concert parties to provide shows to cover a fourteen-week season. In 1953, devastating gales demolished the pavilion and wrecked the pier. The government of the day granted compensation for the rebuilding of the pavilion and the new theatre was ready in time for the 1955 season.
Managed by Commissions East on behalf of North Norfolk District Council and supported by Lottery funding through the Arts Council England, East this incredible installation features twenty-four up-lit granite ‘standing stones’ positioned in an arc looking out to sea and pointing in the direction of a rescue by a named boat. These are surrounded by flint pebble walls up-lit with brush strokes of soft, coloured light. ACT provided the technical interpretation and design of this concept.
David Ward, Cromer Prospect lead artist, has worked with many people on a permanent installation that celebrates the town’s principal lifeboats set in Cromer Pier’s forecourt. Twenty-four granite stones, each one representing a lifeboat, have been set along lines looking out to sea, pointing in the direction of rescue missions. The scheme has been developed by landscape designer, Shaun Ruffles.
Cromer Pier Pavilion Theatre has approx. 500 seats making for an intimate experience but drawing quality acts who always enjoy returning to the stage here. In the past we’ve had many now familiar names developing their careers here, including
Amanda began her career as a stage hand at the Assembly Hall Theatre Tunbridge Wells and thrived during an apprenticeship as Theatrical & Domestic electrical engineer, achieving Assistant Chief Electrician. Spreading her wings, she became freelance and moved into the world touring sector, working on plays, musicals & rock n roll. Returning to the UK she headed for the West End as a part of the sound department team on a variety of West End Productions and other venues including theme parks.
During the weeks leading up to the season Amanda and Mike will get together with Di Cooke the Director, Deviser and choreographer of our famous show since 2002. The production team will review the specific tech requirements for show 1 and show 2 and produce full lighting design and plan. The equipment then gets delivered to Cromer five weeks before the show opens so that the fabulous Pier tech team can rig it in before the set “get in”. The seaside becomes home for the week for Mike, Amanda and Tommy leading up to opening night. Early mornings and late nights are guaranteed, as are copious cups of tea and coffee, Fish and Chips, Cromer Crab and Ice Cream.