Feature: Piece of history up for grabs as 3 of Britain's piers go up for sale

During the upcoming Easter holiday, Britons will be given the chance to own their very own pier, with three of its 18th century piers being put up for sale.

Two of the piers are in the Northern England seaside resort of Blackpool, and the third in the North Wales resort of Llandudno.

The owners of the piers, Cuerden Leisure, have posted an asking price of almost 19 million U.S. dollars for all three.

Llandudno pier, which opened in 1877, is 695 meters long and is the only pier in Britain to be officially designated as a Grade 2 listed building to preserve it as a heritage structure. It has been given a price tag of 6.7 million U.S. dollars.

Known as the "Queen of Welsh Piers," Llandudno pier stands in a bay between two mountain outcrops known as the Little Orme and Great Orme.

Blackpool Central Pier, which is 341 meters long, is the oldest of the three, opened in 1864, is on offer at 7.1 million U.S. dollars. The neighboring South Pier, which opened in 1892 is 150 meters in length, with a price label of just under 5 million U.S. dollars.

Despite dating back to Britain's Victorian era, neither of the Blackpool piers have heritage protection status.

Leisure says the decision to sell the piers was because the company is restricting its assets. The three piers generate an annual income for the company of around 2.4 million U.S. dollars.

Company director St. John Stott said: "These assets are jewels in the crown of the UK's coastline and we are delighted to offer them to the market either as separate lots or collectively."

The National Piers Society, which promotes the preservation and continued enjoyment of seaside piers in Britain, said: "These three piers are all in good order and trading successfully. Given that Easter is almost upon us, we have no doubt they will quickly find a buyer or buyers."

Piers around Britain coastline first appeared in the mid-1800s following the birth of the railway age, giving millions of Britons the chance to escape the smoke and grime of industrial and mill towns.

Around 50, including the three now up for sale, survive with a similar number closing in the last half century.

The idea was to construct walkways stretching out of the coastline to allow day-trippers to soak up the healthier sea sir.

It paved the way for a generation of penny arcades, candy-floss stalls, donkey rides, kiss-me-quick hats or just lazing on a sunny afternoon in a deck chair along the pier.

Some piers also boasted end-of-pier theatres where many big-name stars appeared in variety shows.

The arrival of cheap flights to the warmer climate of the Mediterranean spelled the end for many piers, as holiday fashions changed.

Tim Phillips of the National Piers Society has described the building of the piers as part of a new world created in the 19th century by the Victorians, with the piers standing as a powerful reminder of the achievements of Victorian engineers and entrepreneurs.

Phillips says: "The health giving climate of the seaside gave rise to a brand new industry, centered on getting away from the drudgery of industrial work."

A much-loved old song goes: "Oh we do like to be beside the seaside," and even today for many families a stroll along the pier is a must on a day-trip to the seaside. Endit