Wheel of Liverpool

Last updated

Wheel of Liverpool
Liverpool Echo wheel 201902.jpg
Wheel of Liverpool
General information
StatusCompleted
Type Ferris wheel
Location Keel Wharf waterfront on the River Mersey, Liverpool, UK
Coordinates 53°23′54″N2°59′27″W / 53.39824°N 2.99083°W / 53.39824; -2.99083
Completed11 February 2010
Opened25 March 2010
Cost£6 million
Height196 feet (60 m)

The Wheel of Liverpool is a transportable Ferris wheel installation on the Keel Wharf waterfront of the River Mersey in Liverpool. The wheel is near to M&S Bank Arena Liverpool, and was originally opened on 25 March 2010. It was dismantled for refurbishment in the Netherlands in November 2020 and rebuilt in Spring 2021. The structure is 196 feet (60 m) tall, weighing 365 tonnes and has 42 fully enclosed capsules attached. The wheel had been planned for three years by the company Great City Attractions. They submitted a planning application which explained that it would increase tourism in Liverpool. A smaller observation wheel had been operational in the city, which was located at the Liverpool One leisure complex. This was dismantled because of the plans to open the Wheel of Liverpool. Construction was completed on 11 February 2010 at a cost of £6 million.

Contents

The wheel was closed for a short time following Great City Attractions going into administration. Freij Entertainment International purchased the attraction and it is operated by their subsidiary Wheels Entertainments Ltd. In November 2020 Freij Entertainment International dismantled the wheel without warning or explanation. [1] This was later explained as a planned refurbishment. The wheel was rebuilt in Spring of 2021 and reopened in the summer of 2021. [2] In October 2013, the Wheel of Liverpool was struck by lightning but did not sustain any damage.

History

Planning and opening

75,000 LED lights illuminate the Wheel of Liverpool at night. Wheel of Liverpool, night from north-east.jpg
75,000 LED lights illuminate the Wheel of Liverpool at night.

In October 2009, it was announced that Great City Attractions had submitted a planning application to install a giant observation wheel on the former King's Dock site of Liverpool. They stated that with the wheel tourism would be increased and it would complement the city's skyline. [3] The company had been negotiating a deal for three years prior. [4] In 2005, The Liverpool Culture Company had unsuccessfully attempted to secure permission the build a wheel on the Canning Half Tide Dock. [5] While a temporary predecessor had already existed in Liverpool, located on the Liverpool One shopping centre complex. This was closed on 31 January 2010. [6] That wheel had always been acknowledged as a temporary structure because of the city council's aspirations for the Wheel of Liverpool. [7] The attraction had the backing of the Albert Dock Tenants’ Business Association because of the overall waterfront visitor experience it would provide. [7] The application was successful and granted permission to operate for an initial twelve months, later extended to two years. [7] [8] Installation began in the days that followed the closure of the Liverpool One Wheel. [9] Its construction was completed on 11 February 2010. [10]

The attraction was opened on 25 March 2010 and had its own launch party. [11] It was located on the piazza of Liverpool event campus. [12] The official name of the attraction was the "Wheel of Liverpool". [12] [13] In its first year of operation it played host charity event, in which participants remained inside pods while the ride was operated for 24 hours. [14] The Liverpool Echo have claimed that the attraction has been successful and has become a known landmark in Liverpool. [15] In October 2013, the structure was struck by lightning but no damage was confirmed following safety checks. [16]

Design and ownership

The wheel cost came a cost of six million pounds to manufacture and construct. [4] The structure was 196 feet (60 m) tall and 5 m taller than the Liverpool One Wheel. [13] [17] It weighed 365 tonnes and it was supported by six 30 meter columns. 75,000 LED lights were installed to light it during the night. It is currently being installed with new LED lighting [4] The structure was supported on 300 tonnes of water. It was designed to have almost silent operation. [18]

The wheel had 42 fully enclosed capsules attached. They gave riders views of the River Mersey, the Welsh mountains and World Heritage Site waterfront at Pier Head. [7] One of the capsules was stylised as a luxury capsule complete with a glass floor. [13] Each pod could carry up to eight passengers and were designed to give a 360 degree panoramic view of the surrounding area. The ride operated in three cycles which took approximately ten to twelve minutes. [18]

Great City Attractions retained ownership of the wheel for two year until the company went into administration in July 2012. [19] The attraction had to be closed down during August 2012 until a new investor was found. [20] Land owners ACC Liverpool remained in contact with administrators during the closure. [21] The Wheel of Liverpool was acquired by Dubai-based Freij Entertainment International, [22] who without public warning or explanation dismantled the attraction in November 2020. [1] This was later explained as a planned refurbishment requiring transport of the wheel to the manufacturers facility in the Netherlands. The wheel was rebuilt in Spring of 2021 and reopened in the summer of 2021. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool</span> City in England

Liverpool is a cathedral and port city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England, which had a population of 496,770 in 2022. It is on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, 178 miles (286 km) northwest of London. Liverpool is the fifth largest city in the United Kingdom and the administrative headquarters of the Liverpool City Region, a combined authority area with a population of over 1.5 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Eye</span> Observation wheel in London, England

The London Eye, or the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over three million visitors annually. It has been featured numerous times in popular culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navy Pier</span> United States historic place

Navy Pier is a 3,300-foot-long (1,010 m) pier on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, located in the Streeterville neighborhood of the Near North Side community area in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Navy Pier encompasses over 50 acres (20 ha) of shops, restaurants, live theaters, family attractions, parks, gardens, and exhibition facilities and is one of the top destinations in the Midwestern United States, drawing over nine million visitors annually. It is one of the most visited attractions in the entire Midwest and is Chicago's second-most visited tourist attraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tate Liverpool</span> Art gallery and museum in Liverpool, Merseyside, England

Tate Liverpool is an art gallery and museum in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and part of Tate, along with Tate St Ives, Cornwall, Tate Britain, London, and Tate Modern, London. The museum was an initiative of the Merseyside Development Corporation. Tate Liverpool was created to display work from the Tate Collection which comprises the national collection of British art from the year 1500 to the present day, and international modern art. The gallery also has a programme of temporary exhibitions. Until 2003, Tate Liverpool was the largest gallery of modern and contemporary art in the UK outside London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferris wheel</span> Amusement ride

A Ferris wheel is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, they are kept upright, usually by gravity. Some of the largest modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on the outside of the rim, with electric motors to independently rotate each car to keep it upright. These cars are often referred to as capsules or pods.

Reach plc is a British newspaper, magazine and digital publisher. It is one of the UK's biggest newspaper groups, publishing 240 regional papers in addition to the national Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, The Sunday People, Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Star Sunday as well as the Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail and the magazine OK! Since purchasing Local World, it has gained 83 print publications. Reach plc's headquarters are at the One Canada Square in London. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Liver Building</span> Commercial offices in England

The Royal Liver Building is a Grade I listed building in Liverpool, England. It is located at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building is one of Liverpool's Three Graces, which line the city's waterfront. It was also part of Liverpool's formerly UNESCO-designated World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port of Liverpool Building</span> Building located in Liverpool, England

The Port of Liverpool Building is a Grade II* listed building in Liverpool, England. It is located at the Pier Head and, along with the neighbouring Royal Liver Building and Cunard Building, is one of Liverpool's Three Graces, which line the city's waterfront. It is also part of Liverpool's formerly UNESCO-designated World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince's Dock, Liverpool</span> Dock on the River Mersey, England

Prince's Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England, and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is the most southerly of the docks situated in the northern part of the Liverpool dock system, connected to Prince's Half-Tide Dock to the north. The dock is now in the buffer zone to one of Liverpool's World Heritage Sites.

Southport Pleasureland is an amusement park located in Southport, Merseyside, England. The park originally operated from 1913 to 2006 as Pleasureland Theme Park under the ownership of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach company. In 2007, the park re-opened under the ownership of Norman Wallis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yorkshire Wheel</span> Ferris wheels in York, England

Yorkshire Wheel was the name used by two transportable Ferris wheel installations at different locations in York, England.

Christina Malone is an English actress. She is best known for portraying the roles of Mo McGee in Brookside and Mimi Maguire in Shameless, both broadcast on Channel 4. She was also a housemate on the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother in January 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ACC Liverpool</span> Multi-purpose event and conference facility in Liverpool, England

Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool, also known as simply ACC Liverpool, is a multi-purpose event complex on the former Kings Dock, Liverpool, England. Opened in May 2008, it is part of Liverpool's event campus, consisting of an interconnected arena, convention and exhibition centre, positioned on the banks of Liverpool's heritage waterfront.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheel of Dublin</span>

The Wheel of Dublin, also known as Revolver, was a transportable Ferris wheel installation in the Dublin Docklands in the North Wall area of Dublin, Ireland. Commissioned by Harry Crosbie and operated by World Tourist Attractions, it opened to the public in July 2010 and was closed and dismantled 16 months later in November 2011.

Great City Attractions Limited, also known as Great City Attractions Global, was a company engaged in the operation of large transportable Ferris wheels. Based in Sutton Coldfield, UK, it was incorporated in 2008. It went into administration in July 2012 and ceased trading the following month.

Wheels Entertainments, sometimes referred to by the press as Wheels Entertainment, is a company engaged in the operation of large transportable Ferris wheels. Based at Shenstone, in Lichfield, Staffordshire, it is the UK operations arm of Dubai-based Freij Entertainment International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pier 57 (Seattle)</span>

Pier 57 is located in Seattle, Washington near the foot of University Street. Currently under private ownership, the pier is now a tourist attraction with gift shops and restaurants, and houses the Seattle Great Wheel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zubin Khan</span> Fictional character

Zubin Khan is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actor Art Malik. He first appeared in the series five episode "Private Lives", broadcast on 17 June 2003. Zubin arrives at Holby City hospital as a consultant anaesthetist. The BBC's drama controller Mal Young approached Malik with the offer of joining the show. He let Malik have control over Zubin's characterisation and as a result Zubin became a Muslim man with an "honourable" persona. The actor also accepted the role because he believed that Holby City positively featured many multiracial characters. To prepare for the role Malik consulted with his real-life family of surgeons and took work experience in a hospital.

References

  1. 1 2 Tyrrell, Nick (17 November 2020). "Liverpool Wheel is dismantled as uncertainty surrounds future of popular landmark". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  2. 1 2 Jaleel, Gemma (28 May 2021). "Wheel of Liverpool being reassembled for summer return". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  3. ↑ Stewart, Gary (1 October 2009). "Will Liverpool get its very own London Eye?". Liverpool Echo . (Trinity Mirror). Archived from the original on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Official opening for Echo Wheel.(News)". Liverpool Daily Post . 26 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Liverpool has 'eye' on big wheel". BBC News . (BBC Online). 31 March 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  6. ↑ Evans, Natalie (28 January 2010). "Liverpool waterfront set to welcome new big wheel". Click Liverpool. (Mercury Press Agency). Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Miles, Tina (28 January 2010). "Liverpool is set for a new big wheel". Liverpool Echo . (Trinity Mirror). Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  8. ↑ Miles, Tina (10 February 2011). "City wheel will keep on turning; another year for attraction". Liverpool Echo . Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Liverpool will still be reaching for the sky, as a second big wheel heads to the city". Liverpool Echo . (Trinity Mirror). 28 January 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  10. ↑ "New wheel lights up the city.(News)". Liverpool Daily Post . (Trinity Mirror. 11 February 2010. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  11. ↑ Miles, Tina (11 March 2010). "Liverpool Echo wheel of Liverpool – get VIP tickets for launch day". Liverpool Echo . (Trinity Mirror). Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Echo Wheel of Liverpool". kingsdock.com. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 "Welcome to the The Wheel of Liverpool". freijwheels.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  14. ↑ Miles, Tina (16 August 2010). "Hollyoaks stars pledge support for Liverpool's ECHO Wheel 24-hour fundraising challenge". Liverpool Echo . (Trinity Mirror). Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  15. ↑ Miles, Tina (30 July 2010). "Freewheelers! Free running crew show off dazzling skills at ECHO Wheel.(News)". Liverpool Echo . Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  16. ↑ Barlow, Eleanor (18 October 2013). "Strike! Dock; Watt a Picture.As Lightning Hits Big Wheel at Kings Dock". Liverpool Echo . (Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "Fairground family bring Liverpool One Wheel to city.(News)". Liverpool Daily Post . 10 November 2009. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  18. 1 2 "The Wheel of Liverpool". Ticket Quarter. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Company which ran Plymouth Eye big wheel on Hoe has stopped trading". The Herald . (Local World). 10 August 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  20. ↑ "Wheel of Liverpool Re-Opens to Public". Liverpool Echo . 25 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  21. ↑ "Wheel Be Back". Liverpool Daily Post . 2 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  22. ↑ "The Hoe's big wheel will stay in Plymouth until at least 2014". The Herald . (Local World). 5 April 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.