The Brighton Pier in Brighton, England, is a delightful combination of Victorian architecture and English seaside tourist attraction: fairground rides, games arcades, a fish and chips restaurant, a fortune teller, stripey deck chairs and lots of seagulls.
The History of the Pier
The Brighton Pier, or Palace Pier, is a Grade 2 listed building. The original early 19th century Chain Pier that preceded today's pier received passenger ships from France. Entertainment and confectionery stalls were set up on the pier for arriving passengers. After several storms that damaged the pier between 1824 and 1834 one major storm eventually destroyed it completely, and the pier had to be rebuilt. The construction work on the new Palace Pier took years (and a lot of money) and the pier eventually opened in May 1899.
The original steel arches from the 19th century still remain on today's Palace Pier. On the opening night the arches were decorated with 3000 light bulbs (today the pier is illuminated with 67 000 long-life energy saving bulbs). Passenger ferries with steam engines operated from the pier to English seaside resorts and over the English Channel to France. Amusement machines were brought to the new pier in 1905. A concert hall that opened a few years later, eventually became a theatre. A bandstand that held free concerts can still be seen on the pier and is located inside the Palm Court Fish and Chips Restaurant.
The Palace Pier Today
The pier changed ownership in 1984 and was renovated. New attractions included deck chairs, the Palm Court restaurant and more food stalls. The fairground now has rides for all ages including thrill rides that are not for the faint-hearted: the Air Driver Super Booster promises to lift you to 38 metres above the sea, before dropping you down at a speed of more than 90 km/hour. There are games arcades with modern and traditional games, and you can try to win prizes at the side stalls.
Even after the construction of the new Brighton Wheel, the pier remains the main attraction on the beach. There are few more appropriate places to eat fish and chips than the Palace Pier, so grab a deckchair and enjoy your deep-fried lunch, and follow it up with a lemon and sugar crepe, toffee apples, Brighton rock (traditional rock-hard seaside sweet) or a family-size pack of doughnuts. The pier is open every day except Christmas Day and stays open until late evening. Entrance is free. If you really love the Brighton Pier, you can even hire it for your wedding.
Sources:
Brighton Pier Official Website
