▁has ▁been ▁made ▁since ▁that ▁initial ▁proposal . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Pl anning ▁Pro vision ▁for ▁a ▁pier ▁to ▁be ▁constructed ▁for ▁pleasure ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁boat - land ing ▁deck ▁was ▁first ▁discussed ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 6 0 s , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁L yth am ▁Pier ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁Pl ans ▁included ▁visitor ▁waiting ▁rooms ▁at ▁the ▁pier ▁head ▁and ▁orn amental ▁gates ▁at ▁the ▁entrance , ▁similar ▁to ▁those ▁at ▁Bright on ' s ▁West ▁Pier . ▁Its ▁construction ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁with ▁the ▁sc rew ing ▁in ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁iron ▁p ile , ▁a ▁pre - pl anned ▁event ▁designed ▁to ▁ensure ▁a ▁suit ably ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁visitors ▁would ▁be ▁present ▁to ▁witness ▁the ▁occasion . ▁The ▁pier ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁un anim ous ▁local ▁support ; ▁some ▁residents ▁believed ▁that ▁L yth am ▁had ▁ins u fficient ▁regular ▁visitors ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁pier ▁finan cially ▁vi able , ▁or ▁that ▁a ▁high ▁t ide ▁would ▁too ▁easily ▁destroy ▁the ▁pier . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁Despite ▁some ▁res erv ations , ▁building ▁work ▁was ▁completed ▁a ▁year ▁after ▁the ▁first ▁p ile ▁had ▁been ▁sc rew ed ▁in , ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁£ 5 8 9 0 ▁( ). ▁The ▁pier ▁was ▁opened ▁by ▁Lady ▁Ele an or ▁Cl if ton ▁on ▁E aster ▁Monday , ▁ 1 7 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁▁ ▁of ▁iron ▁were