page_title: West Pier
section_title: 19th century
hierarchical_section_title: West Pier / History / 19th century
caption_attribution_description: English: The opening of West Pier, Brighton, in 1866 from the Illustrated London News. Originally the pier had only six rather small ornamental houses, two toll houses and glass screens at the pier end to protect visitors from the elements.
context_page_description: The West Pier is a pier in Brighton, England. It was designed by Eugenius Birch and opened in 1866. It was the first pier to be Grade I listed in Britain but has become increasingly derelict since its closure in 1975.
  The pier was constructed during a boom in pleasure pier building in the 1860s, and was designed to attract tourists to Brighton. It was the town's second pier, joining the Royal Suspension Chain Pier of 1823. It was extended in 1893, and a concert hall was added in 1916. The pier reached its peak attendance during this time, with 2 million visitors between 1918 and 1919. Its popularity began to decline after World War II, and concerts were replaced by a funfair and tearoom. A local company took ownership in 1965, but could not meet the increased maintenance cost, and ultimately filed for bankruptcy. They could not find a suitable buyer, so the pier closed in 1975 and subsequently fell into disrepair.
  The West Pier Trust now owns the pier and has proposed various plans to renovate it. Some schemes have been opposed by local residents and the owners of the nearby Palace Pier, who have claimed unfair competition.
context_section_description: The West Pier was constructed during a boom in pleasure pier building in the 1860s, during which 22 new piers were erected across Britain. It was designed by architect Eugenius Birch as a place for seaside visitors to enjoy fresh sea air. Some wealthy residents in the nearby Regency Square objected to construction, complaining that the planned toll houses at the entrance would spoil the view of the sea from their homes. It was felt that the pier would have a positive effect on property values in the town, so the pier was approved. Construction began in 1863 and the pier opened to the public on 6 October 1866.
  The pier had a length of 1,115 feet (340 m) and a width of 310 feet (94 m) at the pierhead. It was built with cast iron threaded columns screwed into the seabed. The superstructure's ironwork was manufactured by Robert Laidlaw, featuring an "oriental" style. Upon opening, the pier was fitted with gas lamps with ornamental serpent designs, which had been directly influenced by similar examples inside the nearby Royal Pavilion. The pier had ornamental houses, two toll houses and glass screens at the pierhead to protect visitors from the weather. A New Scientist report covering Britain's piers called the pier Birch's "masterpiece".
  In 1893, the pierhead was extended under the supervision of Birch's nephew, Peregrine, who added a pavilion with a capacity for 1400 people. After the Royal Suspension Chain Pier was demolished following a storm in 1896, the West Pier became the only one on Brighton's seafront until the construction of the Palace Pier.
caption: The opening of West Pier in 1866 from the Illustrated London News.
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