Bognor's pier has had a difficult few centuries. The original Victorian structure was battered by storms and fires; the current truncated version extends only a fraction of its former length into the English Channel, but it still functions as a gathering point for anglers and a marker for the beach. The view back to shore from its end — with the promenade, the beach huts, and the South Downs just visible on the horizon — is the classic Bognor Regis view.
The pier is free to walk and open most days in summer. The small amusements at its base are resolutely traditional British seaside fare. If you are here to stand at the end over grey-green English Channel water and eat chips in the wind, this is exactly the right place.