▁to ▁difficult ▁curr ents ▁around ▁the ▁structure . ▁An ▁electric ▁tram ▁along ▁the ▁sea front ▁ran ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁pier ▁approach ▁road ▁at ▁Bir n beck . ▁ ▁Many ▁visitors ▁arriv ing ▁on ▁the ▁steam ers ▁never ▁left ▁the ▁pier ▁and ▁Bir n beck ▁Island ▁which ▁between ▁them ▁hous ed ▁the ▁ca fe , ▁pav il ion , ▁am us ements ▁and ▁fun f air . ▁These ▁were ▁destroyed ▁by ▁fire ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁and ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁present ▁buildings , ▁although ▁these ▁have ▁been ▁alter ed ▁over ▁the ▁years . ▁The ▁attra ctions ▁included ▁Mut os cop es , ▁a ▁shooting ▁gallery , ▁mer ry - go - round , ▁park ▁sw ings , ▁a ▁theatre ▁of ▁w onders ▁and ▁a ▁lic ensed ▁bar . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁a ▁tele phone ▁was ▁installed ▁only ▁six ▁months ▁after ▁the ▁first ▁one ▁was ▁installed ▁in ▁the ▁town . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁the ▁am usement ▁area ▁was ▁expanded ▁by ▁an ▁extension ▁on ▁iron ▁supports ▁along ▁the ▁south ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁island . ▁However , ▁this ▁was ▁not ▁built ▁to ▁the ▁proper ▁specific ations ▁so ▁was ▁demol ished ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 ; ▁a ▁larger ▁concrete ▁platform ▁was ▁added ▁in ▁its ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁pier ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁as ▁an ▁out post ▁of ▁the ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Mis cell aneous ▁We ap