Brighton Pier owner to delist from London stock market and go private

Plan to quit Aim after ‘review of benefits and drawbacks’ is another blow to capital’s junior market

The leisure group that owns the 126-year-old Brighton Palace Pier is planning to delist from the London stock market and return to life as a private company, in the latest blow to the capital’s junior market.

Brighton Pier Group, which also owns several bars and mini-golf sites around the country, told investors it intends to cancel its listing on the capital’s Alternative Investment Market (Aim) after more than 11 years, blaming bad weather, falling consumer spending, rising wage costs and higher interest rates.