Construction starts, engineer Eugenius Birch (1818-1884) Pier opened by Mayor (Henry Martin). Cost £27,000. Length1115 ft. Two square kiosks at entrance; two octagonal kiosks with marinets at centre; four octagonal kiosks at corners of pier head platform. Also on platform: windshields and rotunda screen. Lamp columns decorated with entwined serpents placed around perimeter and lit by gas. Motif said to derive from Royal Pavilion music room. The pier head widened and a large pavilion built, to be used first as a 1400 seat concert hall. Chain Pier (located close to the site of the Palace Pier) destroyed by a storm. Wreckage driven into West Pier causing £6000 of damage. Landing stage constructed to cater for steamer excursions. Pier widened further at centre and Concert Hall built. The completion of the Concert Hall marked the end of the half century of building the West Pier. There were no other significant additions after this date although there were many subsequent changes in the use of the pier. In readiness for D-Day, anti-personnel devices cleared by Captain Ken Revis and Sargent Gordon Marnoch, of Royal Engineers bomb disposal. Both soldiers survive serious injuries from explosions on the pier. Until his death in 2001, the blinded Ken Revis serves as a West Pier Trust Board member. Blasts also destroys a kiosk which is later replaced by a helter skelter. Pier used as location for the film “Oh, What a Lovely War!” directed by Richard Attenborough. AVP seeks permission to demolish the southern end. Pier made Grade II* to protect it. European Commission clears legal challenge and HLF reactivates project, £1.2m Design & Development phase of work begins. Extensive public consultation takes place on BWPT/St Modwen enabling development proposals. 29th Dec/20th Jan partial collapses of Concert Hall. 26th Feb Brighton & Hove City Council grants planning permission for BWPT/St Modwen enabling development proposals. Weeks away from the start of the pier’s restoration in March and May arson attacks destroy the Pavilion and Concert Hall. HLF withdraws its funding for the restoration project. British Airways i360’s contemporary design and advanced technology, together with the reinstatement of the pier’s tollbooths in their original positions provide a perfect celebration of the site’s heritage whilst also looking to the future. A vertical pier which doesn’t preclude the possibility of a new sea-based West Pier in the future. 11th October 2006, unanimous approval for i360 scheme 2014 After years of frustrating delay owing to the global financial downturn, i360 funding finally in place. Construction of the new attraction began in June 4th August Brighton & Hove’s new attraction opens to the public The piazza celebrates the West Pier and Eugenius Birch’s achievement with a golden spiral of original West Pier columns. At its eastern end WPT’s restored and reconstructed Kiosk will be sited. The only surviving complete West Pier structure and the world’s oldest pier building, it will be repurposed to tell the story of the West Pier and to host community activities.
Construction starts, engineer Eugenius Birch (1818-1884)
14th July 1863
West Pier Opens
28th July 1866
Pier Head Widened
22nd July 1893
Chain Pier Destroyed
8th August 1896
Pavilion converted into a theatre with seating for 1000 people
22nd July 1903
Concert Hall Built
23rd July 1916
Highest ever recorded figure of 2,074,000 paying visitors
11th July 1919
Pier closed for security reasons
22nd July 1939
D-Day
22nd July 1943
Oh, What a Lovely War!
22nd July 1968
Grade II Listing
23rd July 1969
Entire pier closed to the public for safety reasons
23rd July 1975
Crown Estate Commissioners sell the pier to the Trust for £100
23rd July 1983
15th September. Restored root end reopened
23rd July 1987
November. The National Lottery created
23rd July 1994
HLF approves a grant of £14.2m towards the restoration of the pier
23rd July 1998
£1.2m Design & Development phase of work begins
23rd July 2002
Partial collapses of Concert Hall
23rd July 2003
HLF withdraws funding
23rd July 2004
Marks Barfield Architects proposes i360 for West Pier root end
17th August 2005
Planning permission granted for i360
10th August 2006
Construction of i360 begins
23rd July 2014
British Airways i360 Opens
23rd July 2016
West Pier Centre opens in a renovated arch on West Pier Piazza, east of i360.
16th February 2017
