Tourists fume as they're charged 'rip off' price to walk along pier at iconic seaside town
Visitors have been left raging over a £2 charge to visit a popular pier in a busy seaside resort.
Opened in 1899, Brighton Palace Pier is an iconic Brighton landmark and has fairground rides, arcade games and restaurants.
It was free to enter until last year, when tourists started being charged £1 entry between the months of March and September.
But now the price has doubled.
And, although the £2 entry charge includes a £1 voucher to spend on the pier, some visitors are far from happy with the new price, with one even insisting they won't 'go back'.
A reviewer on Tripadvisor described the pier's 'admission charge as a joke'.
'Rajb_UK' wrote: 'What a rip off...lots of people turning around and leaving.
'No wonder the number of visitors on a Bank Holiday Monday was low...won't go back again.'
Another visitor 'HalyconDays' wrote: 'It is some time since we had been on the Palace Pier. We [were] absolutely flabbergasted to find out they were charging £2 a person to get on.'
Visitor 'JJ L' , who left a one star review, said: 'What a scam! What a disappointment that is has become paid!'
'Gregory P' said: 'Absolutely disgusting that they are now charging a fee to walk down the pier!
'You should be ashamed of yourselves. I refuse to come back to the pier until it's free again!'
However, local residents can still access the pier for free all year round, as long as they apply for a special card.
Brighton Palace Pier told the Mirror that people with a BN postcode just need to collect a resident's card from the team at the pier entrance or apply on the website for free entry.
And not everyone was upset by the £2 entry fee.
'KateLondon_9' said: 'First time paying to enter the pier but you do get money off the rides. There's plenty to do - arcade games, rides, food and drinks.'
'Michael B' wrote: 'This is a piece of history that should and has been preserved for many more years of enjoyment.
'Great to spend some time in the old penny arcade playing the vintage games. Great outlook over the ocean.'
The pier team told The Mirror: 'The pier is a substantial structure and in recent years maintenance cards have risen by more than a third.
'The admission fee is critical in helping to meet the unique challenges and costs of preserving the pier's structural integrity as well as continuing to remain as an all-year-round attraction.'
Brighton Palace Pier is currently the city's fourth-best rated attraction on Tripadvisor with four out of five stars.
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