THE company which owns Brighton Pier has moved into profit after showing a loss in 2015.

Brighton Pier Group PLC consists of Brighton Marine Palace and Pier Company, which owns and operates the pier, and Eclectic Bars Limited, a leading operator of 19 premium bars in the country.

Bars in the city include Dirty Blonde, Coalition and LolaLo, although Dirty Blonde continues to lose money and the report says a decision on its future will be made in the coming months.

It was announced in April that the then Eclectic Bar Group, chaired by former Pizza Express entrepreneur Luke Johnson, bought the Grade II* listed structure for £18 million.

At the time, Mr Johnson, a former chairman of Channel 4, said Brighton Pier was one of the most instantly recognisable attractions in the UK.

He said: “The pier is hugely popular with the British public and it occupies a special place as a landmark at the heart of Brighton.

“Brighton is one of the UK’s most popular visitor destinations, with more than ten million visitors per year, making it the most visited place in the south east.”

Now the company has released its financial summary for the year ending June 26, showing a small profit of £900,000 compared to a loss in 2015 of £500,000. Chairman Mr Johnson said this has been a transformational year for the group, adding: “The acquisition of The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier Company, and the operational and financial improvement made within our bars division, mean the group is well positioned to drive the growth of our business.

“Our ambition is to become a leading, experience-led attractions business in the UK.

“I believe we now have the right group structure and experienced management team to deliver that ambition.”

The report says the increased revenues from purchasing the pier may lead to further expansion in the entertainment sector in the coming years. Regarding the future of Dirty Blonde in East Street, the report says: “The work to make the bar more visible from the street, to simplify the food offering and to reduce the cost base has been completed.

“However, the challenge to deliver mid-week sales, together with the high cost base, means this venue continues to be unprofitable.“We are reviewing all options for this site over the coming months.”