Brighton i360 Webcam – Look Down on the West Pier Ruins

The Brighton i360 Webcam looks straight down from the top of the Brighton i360, the 162 meter (531 foot) observation tower on the Kings Road seafront in Brighton, England. Brighton CCTV runs two fisheye cameras on the summit. The south camera takes in the English Channel, the dark skeleton of the West Pier and the shingle beach below, with Brighton Palace Pier stretching out at the far left. The north camera looks inland over the lawn of Regency Square, the traffic on Kings Road and the white terraces and towers of central Brighton. Tide, surf, sun glare and the crowds on the beach change through the day.

About the Brighton i360

The i360 opened on 4 August 2016 at the landward end of the old West Pier, which is why it is often described as a vertical pier. David Marks and Julia Barfield of Marks Barfield designed it. The column is only 3.9 meters (13 feet) wide. A glass pod 18 meters (59 feet) across carries up to 200 people to a maximum height of 138 meters (453 feet), and a flight lasts about 25 minutes. It opened as the British Airways i360 and has been plain Brighton i360 since November 2022. After a spell in administration it was bought in February 2025 by the bar group Nightcap for 150,000 pounds, once Brighton and Hove City Council had written off 51 million pounds of debt, and flights resumed on 8 March 2025.

The West Pier is the dark frame standing offshore in the south view. Eugenius Birch designed it, and it opened in 1866 at 340 meters (1,115 feet) long. It closed to the public in 1975, became the first pier in Britain to be Grade I listed in 1982, and was wrecked by storms and fires in late 2002 and again in March and May 2003. Only a partial metal framework survives, cut off in the sea, and a row of stumps in the surf marks the line of its old deck back to the beach. Brighton Palace Pier, opened in 1899, lies about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) east and shows at the curved left edge of the same frame.

The north camera is centered on Regency Square, which the West Pier was built to face. The developer Joshua Flesher Hanson put up its 69 houses between 1818 and 1832, and 47 of them are Grade II* listed. The central lawn hides a 520-space car park built beneath it in 1969. Sussex Heights, a 24-story block of 102 meters (334 feet) finished in 1968, is the tall white tower just east of the square. Around midday the shadow of the i360 column falls straight up the lawn.

Weather and Climate in Brighton

Brighton has a mild, damp seaside climate, with about 680 millimeters (26.8 inches) of rain a year. January averages a high of 8 C (46 F) and a low of 3.9 C (39 F). Heavy snow is rare, and the worst falls on record came in 1881 and 1967. On a rough winter day the south camera shows long lines of white surf running the length of the shingle. The sea is coldest in February at 8.7 C (48 F), and it stays cold through spring even as the days stretch out.

Summer is the busiest season on screen. July and August average highs of 21.2 C (70 F) and lows of 13.3 C (56 F), and on warm afternoons the beach below the tower fills with people. The sea keeps warming into autumn and peaks at around 17.3 C (63 F) in September, so early autumn is often the best time for a swim. Around midday the sun stands over the Channel, so the south camera often looks into a bright band of glare on the water, while the north camera has the light behind it and shows the square and streets most clearly.

Things to Do Near the Brighton i360

Start with the tower itself. The pod climbs to 138 meters (453 feet) above the beach, flights have traditionally left every 30 minutes, and each one takes about 25 minutes. The promenade runs east to Brighton Palace Pier and its funfair, arcade halls and restaurants. Farther along the shore, Volk’s Electric Railway has run since 1883 and is the world’s oldest operating electric railway.

Inland, the Royal Pavilion was built in the early 19th century under the architect John Nash for the Prince Regent. The Lanes, a maze of narrow alleyways full of shops and places to eat, sit between the Pavilion and the seafront. Regency Square is a short walk up from the tower, and the Regency Tavern tucks into the passage at its northeastern corner. Heading west, the promenade continues into Hove, which joined Brighton in 1997 to form the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove, home to 283,870 people in 2024.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More seaside towns and piers along the south coast of England:

• Hastings Pier Webcam
• Bournemouth Webcam
• Dover Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Brighton i360 located?

The tower stands on the Kings Road seafront in Brighton, on the English Channel coast of East Sussex, England. It rises from the landward end of the West Pier remains, directly opposite Regency Square.

What can you see on the Brighton i360 Webcam?

Two views from the top of the tower. The south camera shows the sea, the ruined West Pier, the shingle beach and Brighton Palace Pier at the edge of the frame. The north camera shows Regency Square, Kings Road, Sussex Heights and the streets of central Brighton. Both use a fisheye lens, so the horizon curves and the top of the i360 column sits at the bottom of the picture.

What is the weather like in Brighton?

Mild for most of the year. Average highs run from 8 C (46 F) in January to 21.2 C (70 F) in July and August, and heavy snow is rare.

How tall is the Brighton i360?

The tower is 162 meters (531 feet) tall, and the viewing pod climbs to a maximum of 138 meters (453 feet). The webcams sit on the very top, above the pod’s highest point.

Is the Brighton i360 open?

The attraction closed on 20 December 2024 after its operating company went into administration. Nightcap bought it in February 2025 and reopened it to the public on 8 March 2025. Times and prices have changed since then, so check the i360’s website for current flights before you visit.

What happened to Brighton’s West Pier?

After closing in 1975 it was left to decay, and storms and fires in 2002 and 2003 destroyed most of it. Only a partial metal framework stands offshore, and some remaining structure was demolished in 2010 to make way for the i360.

Can you see Brighton Palace Pier on the Brighton i360 Webcam?

Yes. The pier appears at the curved left edge of the south camera, about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) east of the tower. The fisheye lens squeezes it into a thin line, so it is easiest to pick out on a clear day.

Source: Brighton CCTV