The Palace Pier will start charging entry for the first time since 1984 from the end of this month – but the good news is that admission will still be free for Brighton and Hove residents.
To take advantage, you’ll need a resident’s card, which about 11,000 people already hold. A couple of hundred people have already applied for one this morning, and the pier is expecting many more.
Here’s how it will work.
How do I apply for a card?
To apply, head over to the Palace Pier website and fill out the resident’s card form or email info@brightonpier.co.uk with names and proof of address. Anyone with a BN postcode is eligible – which means the offer is good for a large area surrounding the city too.
It’s currently taking a day or two to process the applications.
The online form currently doesn’t require proof of address as cards have been sent out in the post, but this is set to change imminently.
In future, cards will have to be picked up at the entrance of the pier. There’s no time limit on when they need to be picked up, but a proof of address will be needed.
And residents who haven’t had a chance to get online and apply in advance will be able to fill out forms at the pier itself too, if they have that proof of address.
The following are accepted as proof of address:
- Current UK drivers licence
- Utility bill (gas, electric, satellite television, landline phone) issued in the last three months
- Current council tax bill
- Council or housing association rent card or tenancy agreement for the current year
What do the cards look like? Will they have photo ID, and can I get an online version to keep on my phone?
At the moment, the cards are pretty basic – a key-fob sized card with a QR code on the back. The pier has a stock of these it will use up, so if you apply today, that’s what you’ll likely be given.
Brighton Pier Group is intending to move to more hi-tech photo ID in the near future though.
It is also developing an app, which it’s hoped will include an online residents card. This won’t be ready for 2024 though.
Who needs a card?
The existing cards will curently admit a whole family. The pier is intending to move to each adult individual needing a card, but under-13s won’t need their own.
Larger groups with just one card would be wise to email the pier before they arrive to make sure they can get in smoothly.
How do I get onto the pier on the day?
Residents cards can be collected – or applied for – at the booth to the right of the entrance gates.
There will also be six small kiosks set up in front of the entrance selling the £1 admission tickets if you have non-Sussex resident visitors with you.
The pier will start hiring for a team to greet visitors, sell tickets, issue cards and man the gates this week.
There will be one entrance to the pier, and one exit – just show your card to the person manning the entrance gate, and you’re in.
What else does a resident’s card get me?
As the thousands of existing card holders know, free entrance isn’t the only benefit of having one.
The biggest perk is two for one wristbands on weekends, which typically runs during the school term.
Other offers which run less frequently include deals at the Palm Court restaurant, and Friday afternoon ride and wristband discounts.
I remember paying 2p at the turnstiles when I was a kid! Didn’t I?
Well, it’s possible – but you’d have to be in your 90s, as that price hasn’t been charged since the 1930s. In 1984, when an entry fee was last charged, the price was 20p – or roughly £1 in today’s money.
So why is this post code related I live 10 miles away but have to pay I could be in pevensy or Arendel and be free how is that more local ?
Because using post codes is an easy way to define an area and the population within it.
Remember paying late 1960s and 70s no problem
So the £7.6m profit they made last year isn’t enough for them?
I certainly won’t be spending my money there.
David that was a loss of 7.6 million last year accross the group, mainly due to a large revenue dip on the year before. Maybe you would correct yourself.
It’s £1 pay it or sit on the beach and feed the seagulls [shrug]
“man the gates”!? 2p!!
‘Anyone with a BN postcode is eligible…’ including e.g. BN7?
Just another local attraction locals won’t be going to. The Museum now the Pier. Once there’s a fence around the pavilion they’ll charge to enter there to.
They do charge for that already!
The museum yes
Did you even read the article -FREE for locals with a resident card.
Yes.. I did read the article. No I’m not an idiot. The ‘free entry’s is on condition you give them your details which they will use for their own purposes. No that is not acceptable to me or many others. 🙂 have a nice day..
Blimey your a precious. Details are for the Pier to send promo/ info emails don’t want them mark as Spam and never have to read them. Hardly difficult
That’s a very naive view.
Apart from the funfair items for kids, the only reason for going on the pier is to use the loo.
I worked on the pier in the 50s and it was 6pence old money entrance fee then when the Daltons owned it
Free for under 13s without ID – fantastic but what ID are 14+ teenagers supposed to use if they want to get in with their friends?
They don’t have bills in their name and no driving licence until they are at least 17
Do residents go on the pier? I thought it was just for chavs from Croydon and the like.
My partner and I have been coming to Brighton since we were toddlers. We moved here 8 years ago and love the Pier. Our grandchildren also love it.
We sometimes have a “tourist day” and always end up on the Pier whatever the weather. Wish they’d kept the other one two 🙂
came down to Brighton from South london in the 1960’s with the Mods fell in love with Brighton dreampt I might live here one day Result moved here in 1971 not any Brightonians I know have even been on the pier or musem
or royal Pavilion etc we love the pier we walk on the seafornt almost daily and if weather good we sit in a free Deckchair on the pier I remember when the turnstile was there think it ended up in the museum or could have been the one from Goldstone ground not too sure great ameneities on the pier we been brringing our children grandchildren and great grandchildren to the pier for decades £1 !!!!!! wtf best value in Brighton we had our residents badge since inception afew years ago I remember Eva Petulingro fortune teller on the pier when I was a cabbie the dispatcher woul call for a cab for Petuligro ” she knows your coming ” always cracked me up!
I tried to fill in the form, but I have to tick the box to agree to receiving marketing emails to be able to submit the form!
I work in a charity shop in Brighton cancer research and I do 1 day week so I’m gonna apply for the card say I live they haha
Go to Brighton quite a bit as I have family there. Love having a walk on the pier and enjoying the stalls and cafes,but won’t be going much more .
I think the businesses will suffer because although its only a pound people won’t pay especially to use yhe cafes etc .Can’t they raise the money another way ?
I get some amazing photos from the pier.
Maybe if you can’t afford the pound to help support this locally owed business, you should stay at home with your pot noodle.