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Brighton Pier

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pippin
pippin
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
8
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14
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Editor Pick

Get Ready For A Fleecing

  • November 10, 2009
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Nilo0901 from London, United Kingdom
I last visited Brighton Pier about 3 weeks ago whilst visiting for the weekend with my girlfriend. It's a fascinating if slightly depressing place. It's a throwback to the glory days of the English Seaside and at the height of summer can be so much fun. The beginning of October in the rain however has it's own unique charms and lack of them too.

For those who don't know the pier, it is in the heart of Brighton off the main seafront promenade and is home to numerous (or should I say countless) arcade games, slot machines and other devices for robbing you of your valuable pennies. At the end of the pier are the serious amusements and rides including a rickety looking roller coaster precariously perched on the edge of the pier, a ghost house lacking in frights and a number of carousels for the more feint hearted amongst us. Sadly, although I have used these in the distant past when I feared for my life less often than I do now, the rides were shut due to the rain when we went so we couldn't go on them. You can imagine my disappointment.

What is open year round come rain or snow and until midnight in the winter (2am in the summer) is the arcade. Here you can lose all your money however you wish. They have arcade games of all varieties for all ages through to your standard 2p slots and those machines that give you an opportunity to literally grab a cuddly bear or ipod mini. I was foolish enough to attempt (yes, it was in a lacklustre romantic gesture) and was fleeced for many pounds in my futile attempts. Don't bother with these; I'm sure you can't win and you'll only succeed in looking foolish in your attempts.

Once bored of losing money, you can get yourself a greasy fish and chips and stare out to the ocean or visit one of 2 of the most miserable looking pubs you'll ever have the misfortune to encounter. Fine cuisine this ain't so to avoid further being fleeced, stick with the candy-floss and donuts and you'll be fine. These are reassuringly expensive.

This place can be an entertaining day out but you can't help feeling slightly depressed afterwards when thinking back to the glory days of the seaside pier. This one is in need of an overhaul, or maybe not, perhaps it's just fine as it is. Go see for yourself.

Fun But Expensive

I used to love coming to Brighton Pier as a child and now I love taking my kids.
There's lots to see - fortune tellers, souvenir shops, a pub, the arcade with modern and old fashioned games, like the "Penny Fall".
And right at the the end of the pier the fun fair with booths and fairground rides and rollercoasters. The snag is that these are incredibly expensive. One shot at the helter skelter (a slide) cost 2 pounds in 2007. The roller coaster cost 6 pounds (or was it 8? Too much anyway!)
So the pier is fun. More fun if you come in the evening and most fun if you come with plenty of cash to spend!
Editor Pick

Brighton Pier

  • August 14, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by kristin5683 from Hutchinson, Kansas
Brighton Pier

During the summer, Brighton beach is generally packed with people.
Always a favorite, Brighton pier was attracting the usual cast of tourists and families. On the pier there are fun fair rides, like bumper cars, a small roller coaster, and various other rides. There are also carnival games and slot machines, along with booths to buy cheap trinkets and souvenirs. You can buy "American donuts," ice cream, and other snacks on the pier, but watch out for the seagulls! I had one steal a donut right out of my hand!
Farther down the beach is the now-decrepit West Pier: a victim of arson, it is now slowly crumbling into the sea. On clear evenings, it makes a good photo opportunity, since starlings roost in it at night.
The sea is generally filled with paddlers and swimmers, along with kayakers and boaters. Bring your own food and drink to have on the beach, since the cafes and restaurants on the seafront are all fairly overpriced. The deck chairs also cost money to use for the day, so you might as well just get comfortable on the stones.
Not a "normal" beach, Brighton beach is made up of pebbles, which can be nice since it's easier to get a pebble out of your swimsuit then sand! Always packed during sunny weekends over the summer, the beach is a great place to see a wide variety of people. During the winter it quiets down and is a good place to collect your thoughts and watch the seagulls swirl and dive.

From journal Seaside City of Brighton

Brighton Pier

  • January 2, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Glamazon22 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Brighton Pier

It's a bit creepy to see an amusement park atop a pier. Knowing that roller coasters are so heavy and that the pier can only hold so much, I never really got over my fear, but nevertheless, Isha and I had fun riding some rides and gambling our money away on the slot machines they had.

From journal On The Sea

Editor Pick

The Brighton Pier(s)

  • March 30, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by MichaelJM from Nottingham, England
The Brighton Pier(s)

Brighton has two piers. Well, 1 and a fourth to be precise, as the Grade 1-listed West Pier recently crumbled into the sea after a very heavy storm. It was built in 1866, and in its heyday, had a very ornate theatre and ballroom. Following its recent destruction, it suffered the indignity of hoards of scavengers grabbing bits of its destroyed structure for memorabilia. Will it ever be restored to its former glory? I don’t think so – too much has been re-possessed by the sea and the cost would be astronomical.

So, Brighton became a 1-pier city overnight. The second pier, built in 1889, continues to be used for its original purpose, although it does replace the original Chain Pier (1823), which was swept away in a fierce storm. The Palace Pier is a third of a mile long and boasts an elaborate gilded dome in the style of the much-loved pavilion.

The original pier would have been lined with fishermen and crammed with pinball machines (not quite as we know them today) and moving-picture machines ("what the butler saw"), known as the penny arcade. Today, if you want to check out some of the original machines, a small museum on the lower promenade has an interesting selection to look at and play on.

The pier does not claim to have the super structures of the major theme parks, and many ride fanatics will think the rides extremely sedate. However, what the pier has is atmosphere, and that makes it a venue to try. I’d recommend you go at night, as then the whole structure is illuminated and the razzmatazz is there for all to enjoy.

I’m sure life on the Victorian pier was much more sedate, but nowadays you’ll enjoy a whole range of sensations. The combination of fish-and-chips, hot dogs, doughnuts, toffee apples, and candy floss attacks the nasal senses and taste buds if you care to weaken your will. Whilst the bright flashing lights of the rides, the side shows, and the modern arcade games combine with the music, banter from the stallholders and the noise of the machinery assault your sight and hearing. It would be unusual to make it around the pier without the shrieks of delight from the ride participants, and of course, everyone has to shout to make themselves heard. The general brouhaha on this busy pier will result in some good-natured jostling as you try to maneuver your way around – don’t be timid, because you won’t get anywhere. Before you leave for the comparative calm of Brighton Prom, make sure you purchase a stick of Brighton Rock and take a bit of time to check out the souvenir shops that dominate the center "aisle" of the pier.

Every Saturday night in the summer, the pier plays host to a fantastic firework display –it’s free and encourages the tourists down to the promenade in droves.

From journal Spring Time in Brighton

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