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Scarborough wants own London Eye

Martin Dawes Futurist Theatre site ScarboroughMartin Dawes
The Futurist Theatre was demolished following a long campaign to try and save it

A seaside resort in Yorkshire wants its own version of the London Eye.

Scarborough Borough Council has issued a tender document to try and attract a temporary observation wheel.

The authority said it would be located on the site of the former Futurist Theatre.

The council stated any observation wheel would not be a "fairground attraction" and would be in place for 28 days at first, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Any extension to that time period would require planning permission, it said.

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Khamtran/Wikipedia London Eye Khamtran/Wikipedia
The London Eye was the world's tallest wheel until 2006

A brief history of wheels

  • The first modern Ferris wheel was built for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893
  • Since 2000 a number of wheels have held the title of tallest wheel in the world - The London Eye (2000), the Star of Nanchang in China (2006) and the Singapore Flyer (2008) all took the title in turn
  • Those three were surpassed in 2014 when the High Roller in Las Vegas - with a height of 550ft (167.6m) - opened
  • The London Eye remains Europe's tallest observation wheel at 443ft (135m) high.
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Steve Siddons, Labour leader of Scarborough Borough Council, said: "I promised that we would look for a high-quality use for the site when I was elected and this proposal will fit the bill.

"Having an additional high-quality attraction on Scarborough seafront will benefit the South Bay and make use of the site until plans for a permanent solution are finalised."

Bids to operate the observation wheel must be lodged with the authority by 24 June.

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