Brighton Palace Pier set to introduce admission fee
The charge will come into place at the end of the month
Brighton Palace Pier have today announced it will be introducing a £1 admission fee.
The group that owns the pier say the cost of maintaining, repairing and operating the Grade II listed structure has increased by almost a third over the last five years.
They did confirm the charges will not apply to some Brighton residents, or children under the age of two.
The new fee is set to come into force on the 25th May.
Anne Ackord, chief executive of Brighton Palace Pier, said:
“The admission fee will be an important contributor to ensuring that our iconic pier is with us for generations to come.
"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 company say costs to operate the pier had increased by 31%, which is £2.7m. It means the annual cost is now £11.6m.
A spokesperson for Brighton Pier Group said:
"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."
The fee will be in place during peak trading periods in the summer, beginning on 25 May, and over the weekends during June, and then throughout July and August.
The admission fee will not apply to Brighton residents who have a Brighton Palace Pier local residents card.