Brighton Wheel could return to the seafront

The popular Brighton Wheel looks set to return to the city next year. The much‑loved attraction, which was dismantled in 2016, could be back in action by next summer. 

At a Cabinet meeting on 17 September, councillors will decide whether to award the family run business behind the Brighton Zip & Daltons Venue a 25-year lease to operate the Wheel on its original site on Madeira Drive.

The Brighton Wheel was originally installed in 2011 and quickly became a popular landmark on the eastern seafront. Its lease ended in 2016, to make way for the development of the i360 given the green light by a previous administration.

The operators have continued to run the popular Zip Wire and café. If permission is granted, the Zip Wire will remain, and the Wheel will be constructed on its previous site.

Welcoming the proposals, Councillor David McGregor, Cabinet member for Economy, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, said: “Brighton became Brighton because people came here to have fun by the sea. That’s part of our identity, and we should be ambitious about what a great seaside city looks like for the next generation.

“Bringing the Wheel back isn’t about looking backwards. It’s about taking something people loved and making it part of the next phase of our seafront, as we regenerate Madeira Drive and bring new energy to the east of the city.

“We want Brighton & Hove to be a place where everyone can have a brilliant day out, and the Wheel would add another reason to come here, stay longer and enjoy everything this part of the city has to offer.”

The team behind the Brighton Zip has more than 15 years of experience managing attractions on the seafront and has invested over £1.3 million on the site, including constructing the Zip Wire, constructing the base to strengthen the building to support the previous Wheel, and have contributed to other improvements across Madeira Drive.

The operators also run the grass-roots music venue, Daltons Bar and Cabaret, from the building below the current café, and owns the lease for the site.

Jeffrey Sanders, the owner and operator of the business located at Daltons Bastion, said: “Brighton’s seafront has been a huge part of mine and my family’s life for more than15 years, and we’ve continued to invest in this part of the city throughout that time.

“We believe the Brighton Wheel can once again become a much-loved part of Brighton’s seafront, bringing families and visitors to Madeira Drive, supporting neighbouring businesses and complementing the fantastic attractions already here.”

Delso Da Silva, the General Manager, said: “We are over the moon at the prospect of bringing the Brighton Wheel back to the city and look forward to working with the council to make the Wheel’s return a reality.”

Under the proposed new lease, the operator would be fully responsible for all operational costs, staffing, maintenance, business performance and day-to-day trading activity.

As a result, the council would receive a guaranteed commercial rent for the duration of the lease, providing a direct financial benefit from the attraction. This income would help support the ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance all that is great about Brighton & Hove, including investment in seafront maintenance.

If approved at Cabinet, the operator will seek planning permission and aim to have the Wheel up and running by next summer.

The proposal supports the ambitions set out in the council's Seafront Development Prospectus, which identifies opportunities to strengthen different character areas along the coastline and encourage new investment in visitor attractions. 

The return of the wheel would form part of a family-focused leisure offer in this part of the seafront, sitting alongside existing attractions and helping to create a destination where families can spend more time together.