Advantages: Great day out
Disadvantages: Cost a lot to repair

...Brighton has been a firm family favourite seaside destination for over 150 years now. It was once the favourite home of Queen victoria. She had the grand Pavillion renovated in the town and in 1850 sold it to the town. A grand structure, it looked more like the Taj Mahal. A Palace fit for a Queen. This may be how one of Brighton's 2 piers got their name. Brighton has in fact had 3 piers during its history. 1) The Chain Pier ----------------- In 1827, the first pier opened in Brighton and was, in fact, simply a landing stage for boats and ships. It was named, the Chain Pier. Being so close to the continent, it became used as the first stop off on a travellers journey to London. It soon became clear that the public like walking on the pier and it offered a recreational purpose. Walking over water was new and therapeutic. Its... Read review

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Advantages: Hopefully it will be restored
Disadvantages: Looks decrepit, sad really.

...As I returned to Brighton after the Easter break, I was very dismayed at the present situation. So much so that I felt the need to write an opinion to inform others of the current state of the only pier in the country to be given Grade 1 listed status. Firstly we will start with the history of the West Pier. Originally constructed in 1866 by the famous designer Eugenius Birch. (so famous he has a bus named after him in the city!!!) Constructed with many cast iron column fixed into the sea bed and strengthened by a latice structure of steel girders, the building stood proudly off the Hove seafront. With its two main structures added shortly after, the bandstand in the centre of the pier (1875) and the very majestic concert hall at the end of the pier (1916), combined both Victorian and Edwardian architecture creating a superb location... Read review

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Advantages: Lots to do, good fun
Disadvantages: Crowded, bad attitude of Pier managers. Expensive rides

...Having just finished university after 3 years in Brighton it suddenly dawned on me that I had never written a review of Brighton’s' most famous landmark - the pier (well the surviving one anyway!!!) The Palace Pier has now been renamed as the Brighton Pier as the owners felt that people did not know location of the pier with its original title. Strange but true!!! So just for the owners - Brighton Pier is situated in the East Sussex coastal city of erm? Brighton, and is at the junction of the A259 and the A23 in the Old Steine part of the city. It is easily accessible by foot or from a small electric tram service from the nearby marina. The Pier itself was built in 1891 to replace the old Chain Pier which collapsed into the sea. Construction work was finally completed in 1899 and at 1722 ft long is one of the most impressive... Read review

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Advantages: It is a part of Brighton's history and should be restored
Disadvantages: Will be very expensive

...We went to Brighton in May 2004 and saw the old Pier. The closest you can get is on the street, or on a boat. The Pier has been closed for years and is no longer safe. The pillars where the walkway used to be are still there, along with some kiosks. I was fascinated by the old Pier and we popped into a Portacabin there and bought a book about it. Since then I have taken an interest in the future of the pier. Brighton West Pier opened in 1866 and originally cost £28,000 to build, a lot of money at that time. It is now one of only 2 Grade 1 Listed Piers in this country. Does that not count for something? The Pier closed in 1975 due to fears that it might fall down. The company that owned it went into liquidation. The Pier was open for guidied tours only until it fell into complete disrepair. For various reasons... Read review

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Advantages: English Tradition.
Disadvantages: None.

...The North Pier is my favourite of the three piers at Blackpool. It is how I believe a real seaside pier should be. Originally this pier was called the Blackpool Pier and it is the oldest (1863) and longest (402 metres) of the three Blackpool piers. This is a pier to just stroll along and really enjoy the sea air. There is a small amusement arcade at the start of the pier, where there is also a coffee shop and a few other small shops. The pier is a traditional open promenade with wooden flooring, where you can see the sea through the gaps in the planks. All of the way along the pier on either side there are seats where you can just sit and relax and watch the world go by. If you don’t fancy walking to the end of the pier then you can save your legs by taking a ride on the pier tram (75p return – 50p single... Read review

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Advantages: loads of arcade amusements
Disadvantages: very busy in summer

...Skegness Pier is widely entertaining for visitors of all ages. The Pier was built in 1881. There used to be a Theatre situated on the pier, but unfortunately there was a devastating storm in 1978 with tragic consequences – the Theatre was totally destroyed. Skegness Pier has long since been re-constructed and now features Amusements, Fair Rides, Side Stalls and Refreshment Area's. Also if you fancy a brisk walk - you can go out through the back doors onto the end of the pier where you will find many fair rides and side stalls, or maybe you'd like to walk to the end (it may be a bit breezy), where you can watch the waves and the kids building sandcastles on the beach. If you look over to the right in the distance you will be able to see East Anglia and if you look to the left - you might even catch a glimpse of the popular holiday... Read review

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Advantages: Good for older people and school groups. Theatre group excellent
Disadvantages: Hard to find. expensive if you only have a quick look round

...Wigan. It is not the most inspiring place is it? Images of cloth caps, cobbles, clogs and cotton mills spring to mind. The other major thing about Wigan is that although it is miles away from the coast it has its pier featured in the title of the George Orwell classic "The Road To Wigan Pier" and also in a number of old music hall jokes. It also inspired the building of the first heritage centre in Britain, in the early 1980s, the Wigan Pier Experience. What is the Wigan Pier Experience? The Wigan Pier Experience, as mentioned, was the first heritage centre in the country. It was built as a community initiative to bring tourism to an economically depressed community using the reputation of the pier as a starting point. The pier, which was a coal-loading device by the canal side, had long since disappeared but was resurrected... Read review

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Advantages: Fresh, Fun, Exhilarating Sea Views & Great Entertainment
Disadvantages: More deckchairs & outside seating needed.

...I have just enjoyed a week in Blackpool and my favourite time was enjoying the beautiful scenic views on North Pier. It is amazing to sit at the end of the Pier and enjoy a drink watching the sunset and the thousands of starlings that fly overhead is a natural phenomenom. We visited 3 shows the best being Soap Queens with Debra Stephenson and Bernie Nolan., Great comedy, brilliant songs and the audience made two emotional standing ovations. The Theatre is a lovely, vintage and beautifully restored little gem. Steeped in Victorian swags, tails and ambiant atmosphere you are transported back in time. The lights, the views and atmosphere is one of the best we visited in the resort. The staff were friendly and very theatrical. We loved it. Joey Blower the resident comedian at The Merrie England Showbar at the front of the Pier is a comedy... Read review

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Advantages: Really good imagery, Gets the mind working
Disadvantages: critical of some social decisions

...To begin I would like to give some information on Piers Anthony himself. Piers Anthony was born in Oxford, England in 1934. He and his family moved to Spain in 1939. In 1940 with him at the age of six they moved and settled in the U.S.A. He had difficulty getting through the first stages of school due to finding it difficult to learn to read. However after overcoming this obstacle he progressed to become an English teacher before settling as a full time author. In 1958 He became a citizen of the U.S.A. His first publications were short stories, the first one of these was called POSSIBLE TO RUE and this was published in 1963. Four years later in 1967 CTHON became his first published novel. By 1981 when he began writing ON A PALE HORSE the first book of the INCARNATIONS OF IMMORTALITY he was writing an average of three books per year... Read review

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Advantages: Nostalgic, family entertainment at a fair price.
Disadvantages: The weather! Good eating houses away from the Pier are a long walk.

...Having visited the North Pier Theatre in July 2007 to see two shows, namely Music Music Music and Liberace Live From Las Vegas, I was highly impressed with the quality of the entertainment and was dismayed to hear that the Theatre might be closed for 2008. Fortunately, this is not to be and it now looks as if there will be a full season of great entertainment, which is I gather, presented by the same people who presented the two 2007 shows that I saw. MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC was a presentation of what used to be The Black and White Minstrel Show, although political correctness prevented the company from 'blacking-up'. There were songs in the 'old' tradition of George Mitchell and the cast contained original Minstrels cast members Bob Hunter and Les Want who were supported by a very lively company, The Minstrel Maids with some absolutely... Read review

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