With the disasters of Brighton's piers, there has been much reminiscing but few ask why so many piers have vanished.

The answer is the high cost of maintenance and too few people paying to promenade on them. That is why the West Pier closed.

The Palace Pier was becoming run-down when the Noble Organisation took over and injected a new lease of life.

Some may not like the funfair at the head but that helps to bring in the money for upkeep and free admission.

As for the theatre, how large an audience would it get? The Theatre Royal sometimes has empty seats. Let the people who know how to run an enterprise get on with the job.

-R W Carden, Beechwood Avenue, Brighton