News

Our autumn and winter exhibition at the West Pier Centre  is Brighton Beach Lovers, the culmination of 25 years of work by local photographer Stewart Weir. The exhibition will initially show 14 hand-printed and framed black-and-white photos from 2000 until 2025, although his connection to the beach goes back much farther than the millennium. “As ... Read more

Kate Phillips is a visual artist, Brighton born and bred; she has lived within a mile of the West Pier her entire life and began as a volunteer at the Centre to reconnect with her history in its shadow. Her work encompasses mostly sculpture and installation and she often incorporates immersive technologies. She has a ... Read more

“I have always loved the local seafront whatever the weather. Always changeable; sometimes scorching hot, at other times cold and rainy. For this talk, take a ‘virtual’ walk along the seafront to see pictures and paintings of some of the fiercest storms to have hit the local coast. Some tales and characters guaranteed. Bring a ... Read more

This talk marks the premiere of The Detectorist, an audio mystery drama by Anna Bertmark. Through an illustrative journey, the talk shares curious discoveries made during the project’s research process, including interviews with local metal detectorists, historians, and enthusiasts. Introducing the premise of The Detectorist and its themes of narrative artefacts, loss, and curiosity, we’ll ... Read more

West Pier Centre is staffed mainly by a small team of enthusiastic volunteers. We’re looking for new recruits to join this friendly group. Are you fascinated by the West Pier and its history, love chatting to people dropping in for information or souvenirs and  excited by the prospect of spending  time on the seafront where ... Read more

Based on Kathryn’s new book of the same title, this talk explores how seaside buildings changed between 1920 and 2000. Though this period covers both the heyday and the dramatic decline in popularity of the British seaside holiday Kathryn will show that new attractions were created throughout the century to try and meet shifting expectations. ... Read more

An exhibition of ‘blue hour’ photographic studies of the West Pier by Alex Bamford Blue hour is the time when the sun is sufficiently below the horizon for the ozone layer to block all other colours except blue. I’ve been photographing the West Pier for 25 years now, always looking for a new way to ... Read more

Shop our Winter Sale & discover offers up to 30% off special key artefacts from the West Pier Visit Brighton’s West Pier Centre on Saturday 18th January  between 11-2pm  for a sale of special key artefacts from the original West Pier.  These are beautiful and unique cast iron pieces with some minor damage.  This is a ... Read more

Visit Brighton’s West Pier Centre on Saturday 14th December between 10-2pm  for a sale of special key artefacts from the original West Pier.  These are beautiful and unique cast iron pieces with some minor damage. There is a limited selection available. This is a chance to own unique elements of Brighton’s most beloved and iconic seaside ... Read more

The Chalk Pit Furlong is Brighton’s ‘Lost Neighbourhood’; now almost unknown but located in the central city less than half a mile from the West Pier. This talk looks at its location and history from the 17th century until late in the 20th century. All now forgotten…but is it..? Geoffrey Mead was born and raised ... Read more

Over the course of more than 500 years, Brighton grew from a small village to one of the main fishing towns in the south of England, with most people employed in fishing and allied trades. However, over time, the trade declined for a number of reasons and now no longer exists. Brian Ogilvie tells the ... Read more

The end of the 19th Century was an era of technological wonder. Alongside electricity, the telephone and recorded sound, three vision technologies became very popular – photography, the magic lantern and film. Brighton & Hove emerged as a centre for all of these marvels. The sea-going electric car made its way through the sea, photographic ... Read more