Brighton Palace Pier has been put up for sale by its owners, the Brighton Pier Group, following a period of difficult trading attributed to a decline in tourism to the coastal city. The 126-year-old Grade II* listed structure, which spans 1,722ft, is being marketed with an undisclosed price tag.
The company said the decision to sell forms part of its strategy to divest leisure assets and return capital to shareholders. Anne Ackord, the group's chief executive, described the pier as a profitable, standalone business with significant potential, adding that any prospective buyer would need "many millions" to secure it. She also noted that a new owner would ideally need to be in place by the summer, ahead of the busy trading period.
The move follows years of challenges for the pier, which the group has partly blamed on falling visitor numbers to Brighton and poor summer weather. In March, Ms Ackord said costs had risen by about 50 per cent overall in recent years, and in 2024 the pier's sales dropped by four per cent compared with the previous year. An admission fee of £1 for non-residents was introduced in 2024, then doubled to £2 in March, which the group said had "partially alleviated" declining revenue.
Brighton Palace Pier first opened in May 1899 and was bought by the Brighton Pier Group in 2016 for £18m. The group warned in November that it was considering selling the historic structure, and has now opted to proceed. Estate agent Knight Frank has been appointed to oversee the sale. John Rushby, a partner at Knight Frank, said the pier was "one of the country's most significant heritage landmarks" and offered a rare opportunity for a new owner to build on its strong foundations as a leisure and hospitality destination.
