In 1931 a fire started on the Pier. It destroyed the original wooden Bijou Pavilion, but following the success of the new Pier Pavilion it was not replaced. A large portion of the Pier was damaged, but repairs were fast and the Pier was running as normal by the following year.

"The original Bijou Pavilion, after a period of dereliction, was used for very popular dances but in August 1930 was destroyed by a fire which also destroyed the central part of the main decking and shelters whilst a dance was in full swing. It was only prevented from reaching the new Pavilion by the fact that the decking fell into the sea. There were heroic rescues that night but the most bizarre initiative must go to Mr Leonard Zanoni, musical director of the Moonbeams Company then playing in the new Pavilion who, having spotted the fire, ran back into the Pavilion and told the orchestra to play I’m Happy When I’m Hiking. He then got everyone to march out, to this tune, onto the Esplanade."