A Victorian beginning
The West Pier opened in 1866, designed by engineer Eugenius Birch.
Read the official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Seafront history · Opened 1866
The pier that became a silhouette.
West Pier
The offshore ironwork is the remains of the West Pier’s pavilion. Discover the old entrance by the i360 and the fires that changed this part of Brighton.
Explore the story ↓
Look a little closer.
Two fires in 2003
The West Pier Trust records an arson attack on the Pavilion on 28 March, followed by a deliberate fire at the Concert Hall on 11 May.
Read the official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)What remains offshore
The burnt-out Concert Hall was removed in 2010. The skeletal Pavilion remains became the familiar seafront silhouette.
Read the official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)From the old entrance to the sea
Find the landward end of the old pier beside today’s i360. From here, the deck once carried visitors out over the water to entertainment buildings. The pier had already closed to the public in 1975, long before the 2003 fires. There is no public path across the water to the remains. The West Pier and Brighton Palace Pier are different structures; Palace Pier is farther east and has its own visitor attractions.
Plan your visit.
View the remains from the promenade or beach near the i360. Do not approach offshore structures. For more history, check the West Pier Trust’s information about its Centre at 103–105 King’s Road Arches.
Sources & further reading
- West Pier Trust: chronology ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- West Pier Trust: collapse and fire ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Checked 21 October 2026. Programmes, access and opening times can change. This is Via’s independent guide; listings do not imply a partnership. Photographs show real places at their credited dates, not film or television stills. Images are resized and cropped for display.