Photograph Collections:
The West Pier
The West Pier is today just a ruin, a few sad fragments of iron in the middle of the sea.
I have a vague memory of being on the pier as a child. I recall paying to go on and going through the turnstiles.
Some people say it is an eyesore and that it should be removed. I guess it is but it’s also a reminder of what was once there. It still looks amazing to me especially at sunset.
A bit of West Pier history ...
The West Pier was designed by Eugenius Birch in 1866. It was the second pier to be erected in Brighton, the first being the Chain Pier.
The concert hall wasn’t added to the pier until 1916. The pier was closed to the public in 1975 due to its structure being classed as unsafe.
The pier has slowly deteriorated since. 2003 saw the collapse of the concert hall and a couple of months later it was set on fire which left just its metal frame.
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
The West Pier, complete in January 1988.
The West Pier, complete in January 1988.
The West Pier, complete in January 1988.
The West Pier, complete in January 1988.
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
The West Pier in July 1988
The West Pier in July 1988
The West Pier in July 1988
Its removal would help to save the concert hall for a time.
Just visible is the boating pool, which was long gone by 2012.
The West Pier in July 1988
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
The West Pier in February 1989
The West Pier in February 1989
The West Pier in February 1989
It has since been demolished, tarmaced and now used as a skateboarding area. Progress! (?)
The West Pier in February 1989
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
The West Pier in 1990
The West Pier in 1990
The West Pier in 1990
The West Pier in 1990
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
The West Pier in 1991
The West Pier in 1991
The West Pier in 1991
After the failure of the £30 million rescue scheme by Merlin International, the future of the pier looks bleak.
The West Pier in 1991
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
The West Pier in May 1992
The West Pier in May 1992
The West Pier in May 1992
The West Pier in May 1992
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
The West Pier in 1995
The West Pier in 1995
The West Pier in 1995
By 1994 it aimed to restore the section over the beach, put back the entrance gates and start restoring the seaward end.
By 1995 the Trust planned to open the pier up as far as the concert hall with most of the pier being restored by 1997.
The West Pier in 1995
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
The West Pier in January 2003
The West Pier in January 2003
The West Pier in January 2003
Gale force winds lashed the pier, collapsing parts of the concert hall.
The collapse occured shortly after high tide with waves whipped up by a southern storm.
The West Pier in January 2003
Image: (c) Carol Homewood
