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Model of West Pier
This is a wooden model showing a pier jutting out into the sea, with an entrance, a promenade and pavilions at the far end.
This is what the West Pier used to look like. It was designed by Eugenius Birch and opened in 1866, west of the original Chain Pier which opened in 1823.
It featured ornamental houses, two toll houses and glass screens to protect visitors from the weather. It was extended in 1893 with a pavilion for 1400 people.
After a decline following the Second World War, the pier fell into disuse as maintenance costs increased and it was finally closed to the public in 1975.
A fire in 2003 destroyed the pier, leaving the iconic ruin we see today.
How different might the seafront be if Brighton still had two working piers?