Images Brighton pictures of the week 31-03-2003

picture search page | pictures of the week visual index | information | contact

I M A G E S B R I G H T O N P I C T U R E S O F T H E W E E K

Brighton's West Pier fire on March 28th 2003

What on earth is the matter with Brighton and piers ? The West Pier's concert hall falls into the sea in December and January. The Palace Pier's ghost train catches fire in February. And now the best bit of any pier in the country - the West Pier's pavilion - burns down in a spectacular blaze on March 28th. First reports suggest a black speedboat may have thrown an incendiary device onto it. How very James Bond ! This must be the end for England's finest seaside structure and it is both very sad and entirely unnecessary. The West Pier should by now have been secure and renovated with the lottery money it was allocated over five years ago. Brighton cannot afford to continue being so careless with its marvellous architectural inheritance.

The pier's pavilion was set alight in the morning at low tide and the emergency services could do little to stop the fire taking hold (image 2315-7)

next picture