Brighton Palace Pier introduces admission fee to preserve iconic attraction

For the first time ever, visitors to Brighton will soon have to pay to go on the pier in a bid to preserve the iconic attraction for future generations.

In a post on the Brighton Palace Pier website, it was confirmed that a £1 admission fee will be charged from May 25 until the end of August every year.

The admission fee will not apply to local residents, who have a Brighton Palace Pier local residents card, or children under the age of two.

The company said the costs of supporting the structure have "risen substantially".

It said: "In the last five years alone, the cost of maintaining, repairing and operating the pier has increased 31%, an additional £2.7 million, taking the overall annual cost to £11.6 million.

"The admission fee will be critical in helping to meet the unique challenges and costs of preserving the pier's structural integrity and fabric as well as continuing to remain open all year-round."

Brighton Palace Pier was established in 1889.

The Grade II listed landmark has a number of rides, two of the largest arcades in the South of England, food outlets and a variety of retail shops.

CEO of Brighton Palace Pier, Anne Ackord, said: "We see ourselves as the custodians of the pier.

"Many of our team, including myself live and work in Brighton and we understand first-hand the importance of the pier within our city.

"The pier is a substantial structure and in recent years, the costs associated with maintaining and operating it to the same high levels of upkeep, strength and structural integrity, have increased significantly.

"We have, to date, been able to offset and absorb these costs but we have now reached the point where, in our view, it is sensible to implement a small admission charge for visitors to the pier from outside the local area.

"The admission fee will be an important contributor to ensuring that our iconic pier is with us for generations to come."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…