Brighton Palace Pier – one of the last bastions of Britain’s seaside glories of yesteryear.
A place for young and old, big and small, full of nostalgic beach treats yet still packing plenty of contemporary cultural appeal.
It’s well worth a visit if you haven’t been before and merits a revisit for those who have already seen it. Before you go, though, you may want to know a little more about the pier’s rich and storied history. So, we’ve put together five interesting Brighton Pier facts (plus a few bonus ones) you can reel off to your impressed family and friends while strolling along the seafront.
Fact #1 – three quick-fire Brighton Pier facts
Fancy a three-for-one fact deal to get you started? Here are three of the basics all Brighton Pier enthusiasts should know about.
Is it actually called Brighton Palace Pier?
Yes. In fact, Brighton Palace Pier has gone through a couple of name changes in recent times. The original moniker was changed to the more familiar Brighton Pier at the turn of the millennium by the then-owners, before changing back to the original Brighton Palace Pier in 2016.
Of course, most of us just call it Brighton Pier.
How long is Brighton Pier?
Brighton Pier is 1,722ft long. That’s 525m for the non-imperialists out there. Perhaps more impressively, it contains 85 miles of planking, and the repaint job takes three months every year!
When was Brighton Pier built?
Brighton Pier’s history stretches back into the nineteenth century… just. It was opened on 20 May 1899, having cost £27,000 to build (£2 million in today’s money). Two World Wars, a fire (in 2003) and over a century of tourism later, it’s still going strong.
Fact #2 - Brighton Pier is Grade II listed
Brighton Pier achieved Grade II status in 1971. That means it’s a structure of special interest and national importance, therefore worthy of protecting. That’s a testament to the pier’s historical significance and its place as a genuine cultural landmark of UK tourism.
Fact #3 - It’s the sixth most-famous pier in the world
Like all of us, Brighton Pier just wants to be loved. And while it’s more of a famous UK landmark than a worldwide one, the Palace Pier is globally renowned too. According to World Atlas, it’s the sixth most-famous pier on the planet, with the likes of Busselton Pier in Australia, Pier 21 in Canada and the Star Ferry Pier in Hong Kong lying ahead of it.
Fact #4 – It’s a TV and movie star
The Pier has featured in many a TV show and film over the years, including flicks like Carry On at Your Convenience, Mona Lisa and the aptly named The Girl on the Pier. The Pier is also the inspiration for the Mods and Rockers classic Quadrophenia, having been one of the main sites of the historic clashes between the two groups back in 1964.
Fact #5 – It’s the last of three old Brighton Piers
Brighton Pier hasn’t always been known as such because it once wasn’t the only pier in town. Indeed, it was the third to be built after the Royal Suspension Chain Pier in 1823 and the West Pier in 1866. It is now, however, the only one still standing.
The West Pier is now merely ghostly remains of its former self, while the Brighton Palace Pier we know today replaced the Chain Pier which was destroyed in a storm in 1896.
Getting to Brighton Pier
If that fact extravaganza has whetted your appetite for a trip over to Brighton to experience the pier and the many other delights of Brighton Beach and the surrounding area, we can help you get there. Trains to Brighton run all day, giving you a cost-effective way of getting down to the beach for the day or week.
Go ahead and grab your tickets today.