The bright lights and clanging amusements of Brighton Pier will soon come at a price. From May 25, the seaside landmark will impose a £1 entry fee. These will help tackle maintenance costs, which the owners say have risen by a third in the last five years. The attraction, built at the very end of the Victorian period, has long been the premier spot for day-trippers to find fish and chips and fairground rides, but – for now at least – its future depends on ticket revenue.
It’s a small fee, but one that does feel like a sea-change for the attraction. And there are similar cases across the UK and abroad, from the white sands of Sardinia to the Hagia Sophia. Here are some of the other places that have started charging an entry fee in recent years.
Mount Fuji
Overtourism in Japan has reached a crisis point this year, prompting drastic action. Kyoto has introduced measures to stop visitors from hassling geishas, while a popular lakeside town erected a barrier to prevent tourists from taking photographs of Mount Fuji. It’s at this mountain that the crowding issues have reached a peak. In order to limit visitor numbers, hiking up it – for the first time ever – now costs 2,000 yen (or about £10). The fee, payable online, allows access past the entrance to the popular Yoshida trail. According to officials, the proceeds will be used to cover maintenance expenses and disaster response services.