JUSQU'AU BOUT DE LA PROMENADE ? LE SORT DES JETÉES BRITANNIQUES (XIXE-XXIE SIÈCLES).

Since the 18th century, coastal tourism in Great Britain has experienced architectural forms that will serve as reference. Among them, the pleasure pier allows for varied activities (boardwalk, fishing, dance, theatre, restaurant, attractions). During the 19th century, these popular leisure places were rapidly expanding geographically thanks to the railway and the emergence of major population centres. Very sensitive to storms, fires, collisions and wars, these areas of daily life have suffered strong disaffection from the 1980s, especially when competing with distant destinations now accessible by plane. Nevertheless, they still share a strong coastal identity : residents and tourists have formerly and profoundly appropriated these piers that structure many British seaside resorts. Visible from afar, the pleasure pier welcomes regularly a large and varied audience. Faced with threats of demolition, mobilizations animated by a local patriotism are organized, well helped by piers heritagisation and the National Lottery's financial contribution. Since the end of the 1990s, the regeneration of the British seaside resorts has begun, which relies alternately on the authenticity or modern reinterpretation of their piers. Finally, the popular pride displayed at the reopening after works shows that the feeling of belonging to a popular British seafront practice remains deeply rooted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]