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Waves crash against the Brighton Palace Pier in Brighton, Sussex, the day after Storm Eunice brought disruption and record-breaking gusts of wind to the UK and Ireland, leading to the deaths of at least four people, February 19, 2022
BRIGHTON’S Palace Pier has been put up for sale after struggling with visitor numbers and rising costs in recent years.
Owner Brighton Pier Group (BPG) has appointed estate agents Knight Frank to sell the near 127-year-old attraction, saying the move is intended to “return capital to shareholders.”
The Grade II-listed pier, which opened in 1899, was bought by BPG for £18 million in 2016.
Chief executive Anne Ackord said the pier was a “profitable, standalone business” and described the sale as “an opportunity to become part of the next chapter in a remarkable story.”
The pier attracts almost four million visitors a year, but earnings fell to £300,000 in 2024 from £1.7m the previous year, with BPG blaming poor summer weather.
The introduction of a £1 entry fee in 2024, later increased to £2, helped offset falling visitor numbers.
The pier features arcades, fairground rides, bars, restaurants and event space.
