THE company behind Brighton Palace Pier has reported falling profits and blamed “rail network disruptions”.

Brighton Pier Group brought in profits of £1.7 million before tax in the 26 weeks ending December 30 – £600,000 less than the same period in 2017.

In its latest financial report the company blamed poor weather and the weekend rail closures of the Brighton Mainline to London.

Anne Ackord, chief executive of the company, said: “Rail network disruptions to and from Brighton continue to affect the pier, which is disappointing.

“However once the engineering works are complete they will be of great benefit to future visitors travelling to the city and consequently to our Brighton businesses.”

The pier, still the fourth most visited free tourist attraction in the UK, increased its revenue by £100,000 compared with the same period in 2017.

But the company took a £500,000 hit from decreasing sales for the pier’s rides and arcades, which need more money than other attractions to stay profitable.

The report claimed this was due to bad weather over the August bank holiday weekend that continued into the following months, as well as the rail disruption.

With weekend closures between Brighton and Three Bridges to continue until mid-May, the company expected profits for the financial year to be 18 per cent lower than originally predicted according to a statement in January. But hopes are that, once the engineering works are finished, improved railway services will lead to a better second half to the financial year.

This is for the whole group, not only the pier, and the group comprises the pier, Eclectic Bars and Paradise Island Adventure Golf.

The figures are another blow for Brighton pier Group chairman Luke Johnson, whose £160 million worth of shares in Patisserie Valerie were hit by a crisis at that company.

He pumped in £20 million in loans to try to rescue the cafe chain, which has branches in Sussex.