Knight Frank has been appointed by Brighton Pier Group to handle the sale of the 127-year-old pier
Brighton Palace Pier has been put up for sale with its current owner hoping to find a buyer by the summer.
Knight Frank has been appointed by Brighton Pier Group to handle the sale of the 127-year-old pier. The Grade II listed venue was first opened in May 1899 and was bought by Brighton Pier Group for £18million in 2016.
Brighton Pier Group – which also runs a number of leisure sites and mini-golf venues – said it is selling the iconic 1,722ft long pier after struggling with falling visitor numbers and rising costs.
Its earnings fell to £300,000 in 2024, down from £1.7million the previous year, as like-for-like sales dropped 4%. The company introduced a £1 entry fee for non-residents in 2024 – this was doubled to £2 in March last year – and said this had helped offset a drop in visitor numbers.
Almost four million people visit Brighton Pier every year. Anne Ackord, chief executive of The Brighton Pier Group, said: “Brighton Palace Pier is a profitable, standalone business with significant potential to build on its already strong popularity.
“This is more than just the sale of an asset – it is an opportunity to become part of the next chapter in a remarkable story and shape the future of this national treasure.”
The BBC reports that Ms Ackord said any buyer “would want to be in situ by the summer” and although the group has not revealed how much they want it sell it for, they said those wishing to buy it would need “many millions”.
The pier has two arcades, 19 funfair rides, a restaurant, two bars, kiosks, event space and a children’s soft play area. The firm is expecting interest from UK and overseas buyers.
Brighton Pier Group said in November it was considering a sale of the pier after suffering “subdued” trading in 2025. The firm is also looking for buyers for its Lightwater Valley theme park in North Yorkshire for £3million.
Ms Ackord warned in March that Brighton must not take tourism for granted. She said: “There is a lack of recognition in this city about how important tourism is, and we risk having a very difficult future unless all get together to take incisive action.”
She described the £2 entry fee for Brighton pier was “a very difficult trading situation over the last few years, wherein costs have risen overall by about 50%”.
