ons ▁Development ▁( DM WD ). ▁It ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁HMS ▁Bir n beck ▁and ▁was ▁used ▁for ▁secret ▁weapons ▁development ▁and ▁storage ▁with ▁testing . ▁The ▁" B oun cing ▁bomb " ▁was ▁tested ▁at ▁the ▁Bre an ▁Down ▁Fort ▁on ▁the ▁opposite ▁side ▁of ▁West on ▁Bay . ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁the ▁pier ▁res umed ▁its ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁tour ist ▁att raction , ▁but ▁business ▁decl ined ▁due ▁to ▁competition ▁from ▁the ▁Grand ▁Pier ▁which ▁opened ▁its ▁am usement ▁arc ades ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁the ▁Bir n beck ▁Pier ▁Company ▁sold ▁the ▁pier ▁to ▁P ▁& ▁A ▁Campbell , ▁the ▁ste amer ▁operators . ▁After ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁their ▁ships ▁it ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁John ▁Crit ch ley , ▁who ▁re develop ed ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁" V ict or ian ▁pleasure ▁centre " ▁which ▁even ▁had ▁special ▁permission ▁to ▁issue ▁its ▁own ▁currency ▁to ▁visitors . ▁There ▁have ▁since ▁been ▁several ▁propos als ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁pier ▁a ▁commercial ▁success ▁again , ▁including ▁converting ▁it ▁into ▁a ▁hotel , ▁cas ino , ▁resident ial ▁use , ▁or ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁a ▁mar ina . ▁ ▁The ▁most ▁successful ▁ste amer ▁company ▁serving ▁the ▁Br istol ▁Channel ▁was ▁P ▁& ▁A ▁Campbell ' s ▁" White ▁F unnel " ▁fleet . ▁Their ▁operations ▁were ▁susp ended ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁after ▁which ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁passengers ▁decre ased ▁with ▁the ▁avail ability ▁of ▁cheap