Snow blows off the Svalbard Global Seed Vault before being inaugurated at sunrise, Tuesday, February 26, 2008. (Photo by John McConnico/AP Photo)

While the lido was described as bringing “modernism to the masses” on the British coast it was just the latest example of a trend that had been developing since Victorian times – transforming seaside towns into resorts for leisure and entertainment. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the fashion was for local authorities to build great piers stretching from the promenade out into the sea. The Eastbourne Pier, pictured here in May 1931, was erected between 1866 and 1870 to an ingenious design by Eugenius Birch, which saw the structure sitting on special cups allowing the supporting struts to “move” in bad weather. Arranged on the pier's 1,000-foot length were kiosks, a theatre, a ballroom and a camera obscura. 1931. (Photo by Aerofilms Collection via “A History of Britain From Above”)

Miss Brazil Julia Gama reacts after her team won the tug of war event during the Miss World sports competition at the Lee Valley sports complex in north London, November 26, 2014. Contestants from 126 countries are in London to compete in the 2014 Miss World competition. (Photo by Andrew Winning/Reuters)

A model wears a creation by Peruvian designer Jessica Butrich during Lima Fashion Week, LIF Week Summer 15-16 in Lima October 28, 2015. (Photo by Mariana Bazo/Reuters)

Alexis Ren seen at Focus Features Los Angeles Special Screening of “Nocturnal Animals” at Hammer Museum on Friday, November 11, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Focus Features/AP Images)

Robot pianist Teo Tronico performs at the World Robot Conference (WRC) 2017 at Etrong International Exhibition & Convention Center on August 22, 2017 in Beijing, China. The World Robot Conference 2017 is held from August 23 to 27 in Beijing. (Photo by Liu Guanguan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

Debutantes Amira Rayner, 19 (L) and Eliza Lewis, 17 (R) prepare at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

School teachers and staff members take part during an active shooter training at James I. O'Neill High School in Highland Falls, New York, U.S., December 12, 2017. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)