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Observation wheels are so turn of the century. In an increasingly competitive market for high altitude experiences, attraction developers are coming up with ever more inventive ways to take guests to new heights and, as you'll see over the page, fun ways to bring them back down. Owen Ralph reports on two new attractions that opened this summer in England, starting with the latest venture from the designers of the London Eye
Attraction Profile
had already welcomed more than 100,000 guests in its first three weeks of operation. The 162-metre-tall attraction (531ft) not only boasts the same designers as the London Eye, but the same naming partner as the famous observation wheel when it was launched by the banks of the River Thames back in the year 2000. This time the location is the south coast seaside resort of
Brighton, about an hour from the British capital, and rather than views of the Thames, House of Parliament and other London landmarks, passengers on i360 can see Brighton's famous amusement pier and the surrounding sussex coastline, the English Channel and South Downs national park with its signature chalk hills. “We looked at a number of cities in the UK and Brighton
was the one that offered a perfect combination of conditions,” reveals David Marks, director of Marks Barfield Architects and chairman of attraction operator Brighton i360 Ltd. “It is Britain’s most visited seaside resort and enjoys
British Airways i360 C
reinventing the observation tower
onceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects, British Airways i360 is the world’s tallest moving observation tower. Offiicially opened on August 4, it
excellent transport links to whole of the South East. Brighton also had a prominent site that needed bold yet sensitive regeneration: a dilapidated stretch of seafront centred on the ruins of the West Pier.” “Flights”, a term borrowed from the London Eye and one of
several aeronautical phrases used on the BA-sponsored attraction, last 20 minutes during the day and cost £15 ($20/€17.75) for adults and £6.50 ($9/95/€8.85) for children, with under 4s free. Online bookings benefit from a 10% discount. After 6pm, the 200-capacity pod transforms into the Nyetimber Sky Bar and lingers for a little longer near the top of the tower, during a 30-minute flight in which passengers can upgrade their experience with a glass of English sparkling wine. Park World boarded last month for an early evening flight,
clearly a popular time. “We do get people asking when sunset is going to be each evening before booking their tickets,” revealed Jason, our BA uniform-wearing guide. Yet according to Brighton i360 chief executive Eleanor Harris (formerly with both British Airways and the London Eye), some of the best visibility is afforded at less sunny times, when
Image courtesy Visual Air/British Airways i360
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