Brighton Pier

The Brighton Palace Pier stands on the seafront in central Brighton, opposite the Old Steine. It stretches 525 metres into the English Channel and carries 137 kilometres of timber planking. The structure is Grade II* listed and is managed by the Brighton Pier Group. At night, 67,000 bulbs outline every rail and roof, turning the pier into a glowing ribbon along the coast. The entrance lies where Marine Parade meets Grand Junction Road, a short walk from Brighton station. It is the only survivor of three piers built in the 19th century. The pier opened in 1899 as the Brighton Marine Palace and Pier, replacing an earlier collapsed pier. By 1911 it had become a theatre where Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin performed early in their careers. After the Second World War it hosted summer shows with stars such as Tommy Trinder and Dick Emery. In the 1980s the theatre was removed and replaced by an amusement arcade and thrill rides. In 2016 more than four million people visited, making it one of the busiest piers in Britain. Visitors find a long deck lined with fairground rides and arcades. The seaward end holds roller coasters and children’s attractions, while the entrance end still shows the original ironwork and clock tower. The pier’s length means the deck is wide enough for trams and crowds to move easily. At the far end there are stalls selling candy floss and ice cream under striped awnings. The view back towards Brighton’s Regency squares and the South Downs frames the scene on clear days.