Designed by Eugenius Birch and opening in 1866, the West Pier was originally known as the West End Pier. It was constructed during a boom in pleasure pier building in the 1860s to attract tourists to Brighton. While some wealthy residents in the nearby Regency Square originally objected to its construction because the planned toll houses would spoil the sea view, the pier was eventually approved and opened to the public on 6 October 1866.
The pier saw significant growth, including an extension in 1893 and the addition of a concert hall in 1916. It reached peak attendance between 1918 and 1919, welcoming 2 million visitors. However, popularity declined after World War II as the pier transitioned from concerts to a funfair and tearoom. A local company took over ownership in 1965 but filed for bankruptcy due to high maintenance costs, leading to the pier's closure in 1975.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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