West Pier

Developments in the 19th and 20th centuries

Reproduced with permission from the Encyclopaedia of Brighton by Tim Carder, 1990

Please note that this text is an extract from a reference work written in 1990.  As a result, some of the content may not reflect recent research, changes and events.

b) ADDITIONS: The West Pier remained largely unaltered for over twenty years until 1890 when a new company took over and immediately added the central windshield. Three years later, in 1893, the pier-head was widened and a large pavilion was erected, decorated with oriental towers and seating 1,400; a landing stage was added at the same time. In November 1896 however, the West Pier was damaged to the tune of £6,000 by wreckage from the Chain Pier . The pavilion was converted into a theatre in 1903, and further additions came with the attractive concert hall at the centre in 1916, and the raised entrance at the shore end in 1932.
Between the wars the West Pier was used by day-trippers to and from France and had resident customs officials, but in 1940 the structure was cut in two to prevent an enemy landing. When the pier reopened in 1945 the theatre, which had had its own repertory company in the 1930s, was converted into an amusement arcade. It was also used for filming Oh! What a Lovely War in about 1968.

Any numerical cross-references in the text above refer to resources in the Sources and Bibliography section of the Encyclopaedia of Brighton by Tim Carder