LABOUR CO-OP Councillor Brian Fitch will be urging the Council to work with any potential new owner of the ‘Brighton Pier’ to officially change the name back to the original ‘Palace Pier’.

Many locals still refer to the 111-year old attraction as ‘Palace Pier’, but it was in fact recently re-named by current owners Noble, who bought the iconic Victorian Grade II* Listed landmark in 1984.

The name change met with strong local resistance and Labour Co-op Councillors see this as a “fresh opportunity to put things right.” At this month’s Cabinet meeting, Cllr Fitch will urge the Green Council to work with any potential owner to ensure that the pier’s original name returns. Labour & Co-operative are also launching a petition.

As part of a campaign to restore the ‘Palace Pier’ name, Labour & Co-operative activists will be out and about in the vicinity of the pier over the summer to garner support for their campaign and collect signatures for the petition.

Brighton & Hove Labour & Co-operative Councillor, Brian Fitch, said:

“When the Noble Organisation bought the pier 25 years ago, one of the first things they did was to re-name the ‘Palace Pier’ to the ‘Brighton Pier’ and you can tell how unpopular the new name is because nobody round here uses it!

“This sale of one of Brighton & Hove’s true landmarks provides us with a fresh opportunity to put things right and re-introduce the attraction’s original name, Palace Pier.

“That’s why I am launching this campaign and at this month’s cabinet meeting I will be asking the Green Council to work with any potential new owner to ensure the pier’s original name returns.”