Seaside Splendour: The greatest seaside pleasure buildings erected in Great Britain and the Isle of Man during the golden age 1823-1939
by Martin Easdown and Caroline Bilson
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ISBN Number: 9781036965525   
Format: Softback
Number of Pages: 228
Publication Date: 2025
Publisher: National Piers Society Press

A beautifully presented look at the grand pleasure buildings that shaped Britain’s seaside golden age (1823–1939), covering resorts across Great Britain and the Isle of Man. Martin Easdown explores the architecture, atmosphere and heritage of these remarkable leisure landmarks, with illustrations by Caroline Bilson. An excellent addition for collectors and anyone interested in seaside, amusement and architectural history.

Each building has its own mini-chapter. List of buildings featured:

Town / Resort Buildings Featured
Bangor
  • Garth Pier (1896-present)
Bexhill-on-Sea
  • De La Warr Pavilion (1935-present)
Blackpool
  • Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1850s-1907)
  • Raikes Hall / Royal Palace Gardens (1872-1901)
  • North Pier Indian Pavilion (1877-1921)
  • Winter Gardens (1878-present)
  • Victoria Pier Grand Pavilion (1893-1964)
  • Tower (1894-present)
  • Grand Theatre (1894-present)
  • Alhambra / Palace (1899-1961)
  • Central Pier White Pavilion (1903-66)
  • Pleasure Beach Casino I (1913-37)
  • Pleasure Beach Casino II (1939-present)
Bognor Regis
  • Kursaal (1910-75)
Bournemouth
  • Winter Gardens (1877-1935)
Bridlington
  • Spa and Opera House (1896-present)
  • Grand Pavilion (Royal Prince’s Parade) (1906-36)
Brighton
  • Royal Pavilion (1823-present)
  • Royal Chain Pier (1823-96)
  • West Pier (1866-derelict)
  • Pier Theatre (1894-2003)
  • Concert Hall (1916-2003)
  • Theatre Royal (greatly reconstructed in 1866-present)
  • Brighton Dome (1867-present)
  • Aquarium (1872-present)
  • Madeira Lift and Terrace (1890-present)
  • Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway (1896-1902)
  • Palace Pier Theatre (1901-86)
  • Winter Garden (1911-present)
  • Duke of York’s Picturehouse (1910-present)
Clacton-on-Sea
  • Palace-by-the-Sea (1906-80)
  • Kinema Grand (1913-62)
Clevedon
  • Pier (1869-present)
Colwyn Bay
  • Victoria Pier Pavilion I (1900-22)
  • Victoria Pier Pavilion III (1934-2019)
Douglas
  • Derby Castle (1877-1971)
  • Palace (1887-1994)
  • Coliseum (1913-65)
  • Gaiety Theatre and Opera House (1900-present)
  • Villa Marina (1913-present)
Eastbourne
  • Winter Garden (1875-present)
  • Royal Hippodrome (1883-present)
  • Devonshire Park Theatre (1884-present)
  • Pier Theatre and Small Pavilions (1901-present)
Folkestone
  • Arts and Treasures Exhibition / Pleasure Gardens Theatre (1886-1964)
  • Leas Pavilion (1902-present)
  • Leas Cliff Hall (1927-present)
Gorleston-on-Sea
  • Pavilion Theatre (1901-present)
Gravesend
  • Clifton Baths (1836-1909)
  • Rosherville Gardens (1837-1913)
Great Yarmouth
  • Royal Assembly Rooms (1863-present)
  • Aquarium / Royalty Theatre and Cinema (1876-present)
  • Britannia Pier Pavilion I (1902-9)
  • Hippodrome (1903-present) (and Barron’s Paradium)
  • Wellington Pier Pavilion (1903-rebuilt 2005)
  • Winter Gardens (1904-present)
  • Gem Cinema / Windmill Theatre (1908-present)
  • Empire Cinema (1911-present) (and Regent Theatre/Cinema)
Harwich
  • Electric Palace (1911-present)
Hastings
  • Pier Pavilion (1872-1917)
  • Hippodrome / Royal Cinema De Luxe (1899-present)
  • White Rock Pavilion (1927-present)
Herne Bay
  • East Cliff Pavilion / Kings Hall (1904-present)
  • Grand Pier Pavilion (1910-70)
Lee-on-the-Solent
  • Tower (1935-71)
Llandudno
  • Pier (1877-present)
  • Pier Pavilion (1884-1994)
  • Grand Theatre (1901-present)
  • Palladium (1920-present)
Margate
  • Hall-by-the-Sea / Dreamland (1874-present)
  • Dreamland Cinema (1935-present)
Morecambe
  • Winter Gardens (1878-1982)
  • Victoria Pavilion (1897-present)
  • West End Pier Pavilion (1896-1917)
  • Central Pier Pavilion (1898-1933)
  • Tower (1900-61)
  • Alhambra Theatre (1901-present)
New Brighton
  • Tower (1897-1969)
Penarth
  • Pier Pavilion (1929-present)
Porthcawl
  • Grand Pavilion (1932-present)
Portobello
  • The Edinburgh Marine Gardens and Zoological Park (1909-39)
Ramsgate
  • Sanger’s Amphitheatre / Royal Palace Theatre (1883-1961)
  • Royal Victoria Pavilion (1904-present) (and West Cliff Hall)
Rhyl
  • Grand Pavilion (1891-1901)
  • Queens Palace (1902-7)
  • Pavilion (1908-74)
  • Palace-by-the-Sea (1906-80)
Rothesay
  • Winter Gardens (1924-present)
  • Pavilion (1938-present)
Ryde
  • Esplanade Pavilion (1926-present)
Saltdean
  • Lido (1938-present) (and Ramsgate and Weston-super-Mare Lidos)
Scarborough
  • Seawater Baths (1859-present)
  • People’s Palace and Aquarium (1877-1968)
  • Spa (1880-present)
  • Arcadia (1903-21)
  • Odeon Cinema (1936-present)
Seaview
  • Pier (1881-1952)
Shoreham-by-Sea
  • Swiss Gardens (1838-1905)
Southend-on-Sea
  • Pier (1889-present)
  • Pier Pavilion (1890-1959)
  • Kursaal (1901-present)
Southport
  • Pier (1860-present)
  • Pier Pavilion (1902-69)
  • Winter Gardens (1874-1933)
  • Pavilion (1878-1962)
  • Opera House (1891-1929)
  • Garrick Theatre (1932-present)
St. Annes-on-the-Sea
  • Pier Entrance (1899-present)
  • Pavilion (1904-74)
St. Leonards-on-Sea
  • Pier Kursaal (1891-1944)
Teignmouth
  • Assembly Rooms / Riviera (1826-present)
Torquay
  • Pavilion Theatre (1912-present) (and Marine Spa)
Tynemouth
  • Aquarium and Winter Gardens (1878-1997)
Ventnor
  • Grand Pavilion (1896-2022)
  • Winter Gardens (1936-present)
Westcliff-on-Sea
  • Palace Theatre (1912-present)
Weston-super-Mare
  • Birnbeck Pier (1867-present)
  • Knightstone Pavilion and Opera House (1902-present)
  • Grand Pier Pavilion I (1904-30)
  • Odeon (1935-present)
  • Weston-super-Mare Lido (referenced with Saltdean entry)
Weymouth
  • Pavilion Theatre (1908-54)
Whitley Bay
  • Spanish City (1910-present)
Worthing
  • Kursaal / Dome Cinema (1910-present)
  • Pier Southern and Amusement Pavilions (1935-present)
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