▁sea ▁during ▁a ▁storm . ▁Wor se ▁damage ▁was ▁caused ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁year ▁on ▁ 6 ▁October , ▁when ▁two ▁b arg es ▁driven ▁by ▁a ▁g ale - force ▁wind ▁coll ided ▁with ▁the ▁pier ▁despite ▁the ▁best ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁one - man ▁cre ws ▁on ▁each ▁boat ; ▁one ▁caused ▁significant ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁central ▁pier ▁structure ▁while ▁the ▁other ▁got ▁caught ▁among ▁the ▁pi ers ▁supporting ▁the ▁pav il ion . ▁Cla ims ▁for ▁compens ation ▁were ▁made ▁against ▁Pr eston ▁Corporation , ▁who ▁owned ▁the ▁b arg es , ▁and ▁after ▁rep airs ▁had ▁been ▁undert aken ▁the ▁pier ▁re open ed ▁at ▁E aster ▁ 1 9 0 4 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 0 s , ▁George ▁King ston ' s ▁M inst rel s ▁became ▁an ▁att raction ▁on ▁the ▁pier ▁and ▁the ▁beach , ▁continu ing ▁through ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁on ▁the ▁pier ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁pav il ion . ▁D ivers ▁performed ▁each ▁season ▁at ▁the ▁pier ▁head ▁in ▁sw imming ▁displays , ▁featuring ▁Professor ▁Ste ar ne ▁and ▁Professor ▁Pay ne . ▁A ▁Flor al ▁Hall ▁opened ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁occasionally ▁playing ▁host ▁to ▁orch est ral ▁concert s , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁amateur ▁dram atic ▁soci eties . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁the ▁pav il ion ▁was ▁showing ▁films ▁and ▁this ▁was ▁its ▁primary ▁fare ▁income ▁from ▁visitors . ▁ ▁Dec line ▁By