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Seaside pleasure piers were first built during the early 19th century, and became popular during the Victorian era of the mid to late 1800s. During this period, the railways were expanding allowing mass tourism to the coastal resort towns. Pleasure piers allowed holiday makers to promenade over and alongside the sea at all times. Since the introduction of commercial flights from the 1950s holiday makers flocked abroad and the seaside towns lost the tourist trade. Many piers became unprofitable and fell into disrepair. Many have since been destroyed by storms, demolished, or lay derelict. The earliest pier was built at Ryde and opened 1814. It is still open to this day.
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