Peter James backs our Palace Pier campaign

More than a decade ago the Noble Organisation caused controversy when it took down the former Palace Pier sign and replaced it with one saying Brighton Pier.

Now, with the Victorian landmark up for sale, The Argus has launched a campaign for the new owners to give the landmark back its real name.

Last night more than 700 people had signed the online petition while dozens more had sent in paper copies.

This includes Mr James, of Woodmancote, near Henfield, who became famous for the Roy Grace detective novels set in Brighton and Hove.

A spokesman for Mr James said: “As you know, Roy Grace always refers to it as the Palace Pier in the Dead books and Peter says that Roy and he will give this campaign their fullest support.”

Noble, which took over the 112-yea- rold attraction in 1984, says the renaming in 2000 was a marketing decision.

Supporters of the campaign to switch its name back, launched by The Argus last week, have come from former residents living as far afield as the USA, Holland and Greece.

Lynn Piley, of Northampton, said: “Although I now live elsewhere, Brighton is the town of my birth and I was outraged that the name of the Palace Pier was changed.”

Stefan Richards, of Brighton, said: “I first went on the Palace Pier in 1971, aged four. “I used to live within ten minutes' walk of the pier and went on it many many times.

“Since the name was changed to the Brighton Pier I have only been on it twice.”

Former Brightonian Dudley Robert Seifert, of Colorado, USA, said: “Why the name was changed is still a mystery to me but it was unnecessary and probably the inspiration of some collection of people who had no appreciation of Brighton's heritage.”

Agent GVA Humberts Leisure is conducting a worldwide search for a buyer which is expected to take at least six months.

Experts locally have suggested the pier could fetch in excess of £30 million.

Sign our online petition here.