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Belfast's iconic big wheel to close
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Aerial Photography from around the Greater Belfast and Belfast Lough area. Belfast City Hall and Big Wheel.
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Belfast's Big Wheel - Stay or Time to Go?
Should the Big Wheel be kept at Belfast City Hall?
Should the Big Wheel be kept at Belfast City Hall?
| Yes - I want it to stay at City Hall |
 44% |
| Keep it in Belfast but move to another location |
 27% |
| Don't care if it leaves Belfast |
29% |
Belfast's Big Wheel —which has dominated the city's skyline for almost two years — is to close next month.
The massive 60m structure, which has sparked controversy over its location, will stop spinning beside the City Hall on April 11.
A planning application had been lodged by Great City Attractions, the company that owns the wheel, to stay in Belfast until next summer.
The DoE said the application remains under consideration. But Great City Attractions has made the decision to remove the wheel from the city.
Lord Mayor of Belfast Naomi Long said it had been “a real asset” for the city, adding that its loss will be a blow for tourism.
“I think a lot of people will miss it,” she told the Belfast Telegraph.
“It was loved as much as it was hated — a lot of people find it difficult to picture City Hall without the wheel beside it.
“It has been a major asset to us, particularly when City Hall was closed and you had visitors arriving with nowhere to go.
“Certainly we are aware that they (Great City Attractions) have made the decision not to have the wheel at City Hall.
>>Video: Gary Grattan brings his vertigo on the Big Wheel>>
“But it is not entirely clear the reasons, but I do not think it is just simply a planning decision. But we are pursuing other events and other things that can happen to boost the city in a positive way.
“I think there will be people sad to see it go because it marked our arrival on the stage as a major tourist destination.”
The wheel’s arrival in 2007 sparked controversy among some organisations. Titanic enthusiasts called for the dismantling of the wheel as it overshadowed a memorial to the 1912 disaster within the City Hall grounds.
Una Reilly, from the Belfast |Titanic Society, said: “It is with great relief, and no little pleasure, to learn that the Big Wheel was to move from its current location astride the Titanic Memorial at Belfast City Hall.
“The society never had a problem with a Belfast Wheel, just its inappropriate location.”
The wheel — which has 42 gondolas — had originally been scheduled to stay for just six months. But due to its popularity extended its stay and is now seen as an iconic part of the city skyline.
The Environment Agency had objected as it wanted to ensure it did not become a permanent feature beside a listed building.
There has been speculation of it moving to Belfast’s Titanic Quarter but there is no indication about further developments.
Michael Williamson, director of Tourism Consulting at ASM Horwath, told the BBC: “I think it is probably best served at another location at a point in time but probably for the operators’ point of view it needs to have a constant footflow all day long to make some money at it.
“If it goes down to a river location, perhaps that is better for example when the Titanic Signature Project is there and we have a constant draw of people all day long.”
No one from Great City Attractions was available for comment when contacted.
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Comments
126 Comments
See the wheel as another plus for tourism in Belfast/ Northern Ireland.However the City Hall is such a beautiful building think the wheel took away from it and would be better placed somewhere else, maybe Titanic Quarter.
Posted by Fiona | 10.04.10, 21:58 GMT
Yes, replace the wheel with a helter skelter and a ghost train?
Posted by Super Sparks | 07.04.10, 09:53 GMT
"Napolean's army blew the nose off the Sphinx"
Napolean's army did no such thing - the Spinx had lost her nose long before Napolean was born.
The Spinx lost her nose due to weathering - that's the beginning and the end of it.
The Big Wheel is another matter.
Posted by Auldoll | 06.04.10, 14:35 GMT
When I first heard that The Big Wheel was to be placed beside the City Hall, I wondered... But having seen it and been on it and viewed it from afar day and night - a delight by day amd a magical sight by night, I believe it would be the greatest loss Belfast has EVER had.
Posted by Lidia | 05.04.10, 20:18 GMT
You have a question missing - "Who wants the wheel to be removed?"
My answer would be an emphatic "yes". The thing blights the city.
Posted by Margaret | 03.04.10, 23:37 GMT
The ability to see the whole of Belfast from the wheel situated beside a major visitor attraction (the City Hall), must be a plus for tourism in Belfast.
Posted by Hugh McCaw | 02.04.10, 15:26 GMT
The city hall is a very beautiful building & it certainly does not need the wheel to enhance it as we felt it downgraded the whole scene. place it in another area such as a fun park, if there is'nt one why not build one & make it into a tourist area. lots of other ideas could come out of this eg further employment
good luck with it all,
stella
Posted by stella | 02.04.10, 02:26 GMT
At first i did,nt like the wheel at the city hall, but my attiude has change and i think it adds to making Belfast a more modern city with the new shopping malls and pedestrain walkways, i think it make,s Belfast a very interesting place to visit and when its lit up at night it makes the whole area around the city hall come alive were as before it was a dreay place i for one would be very unhappy to see it go as i think it brings life into the city centre
Posted by David Maxwell | 01.04.10, 18:46 GMT
I think it brings people to Belfast but i think its very dear if you have a large family
Posted by Lorraine | 01.04.10, 17:55 GMT
With respect, I've heard a lot of people say "it attracts families / visitors / tourists" etc. However, I've yet to hear one person tell me they came to Belfast because of the wheel. And, whilst I work in Belfast and pass it regularly, I haven't seen it turning since the first month it was here (though I'm sure it has - just making the point that they need a fitter hamster).
I'd like to see figures on tourism correlated against the dates the wheel has been here, along with cost vs. revenue and make an informed decision, aesthetic concerns aside. I've yet to see anything like that information in the public domain.... wonder why?
Posted by Ian | 01.04.10, 12:01 GMT
This attraction is one of the most progressive things to happen to our city in years - it attracts families into our city center and is a delightful addition to the town. It can be illuminated to celebrate the various holiday occasions and it makes a positive statement about Belfast.
Posted by Stephen Gordon | 01.04.10, 10:12 GMT
Andrew- The amount by which the rudder was too small didn’t influence the outcome. When you take into account other activities like stopping or reversing the engines and lag time for the steering engine to put the rudder over- a decent captain it could have limped in to port. The Titanic sank because the white star liner attempted to establish a new speed record. Choosing the northern route brought about the disaster. it was the saving of 3 hours that ended in the collision with the iceberg. H&W proposed 48 boats, but White Star Liners cut this to 20. The bulkheads would have been sufficient if the ship had struck the iceberg head on, and even with that there is some debate as to whether the bulkhead doors were closed in time or not.
Posted by Jim | 01.04.10, 09:51 GMT
I think the price of the wheel is too high. I do not like its location it looks out of place and doesnt give a wide spectrum of views around Belfast.
Posted by fiona | 01.04.10, 00:51 GMT
Keep the wheel it looks nice.
Posted by Helena | 31.03.10, 20:03 GMT
Jim I fail to see how the comment is ill informed when it is a fact.
Anyway
The titanic sank because of reckless sailing and catastrophic design faults....
Building "watertight" bulkheads with no ceilings - not exactly watertight.
Having a ridiculously low number of lifeboats for the number of passengers on it. yes I know it fulfilled legal requirements at the time but it is still unacceptable to have so few lifeboats on a "work of genius"
The titanic also had a disproportionately small rudder for the size of ship it was, which massively hindered turning, and avoiding icebergs.
If a revolutionary ship was built nowadays and sank because of similar reasons there would be outcry, and not celebration that it was still a good attempt. But then again maybe people nearly 100 years later would look back at it with misty eyed nostalgia.
Posted by Andrew | 31.03.10, 16:52 GMT
I think it should stay in Belfast, preferably at the city hall location. Other cities in the country such as Liverpool and Manchester now have wheels in addition of course to the London Eye! They make a valuable contribution to the tourist landscape/economy.
Posted by Alex | 31.03.10, 13:54 GMT
"Nearly half of the number of people killed in the whole of the Troubles were killed in one night as a result of poor design/workmanship/seamanship"
Andrew- That is a very ill informed comment. The Titanic was a work of genius, no other shipyard in the world could have produced it. The problem was that an English captain decided to drive it into an iceberg, which no ship could have survived.
Napolean's army blew the nose off the Sphinx- do people look at the Sphinx and mock the ancient Egyptians architects for producing a shrine with no nose on it? Why should our equally brilliant shipbuilders of the early 20th century be mocked for having their unparalleled creation destroyed after the event?
Posted by Jim | 31.03.10, 12:21 GMT
Waterfront area would be the best option... It takes away from the city hall's beuty; not to mention that people should be able to enjoy the whole of the city hall; not just 3/4s of it
Posted by S Battaner | 30.03.10, 21:38 GMT
Can someone please explain why this city is obsessed with the Titanic? Surely one of the biggest disasters in the history of transport and we act like we're proud of it. Nearly half of the number of people killed in the whole of the Troubles were killed in one night as a result of poor design/workmanship/seamanship. Perhaps we should erect a shrine to DeLorean on the other side of the city hall.
The wheel should stay were it is but unfortunately (as is the case throughout Northern Irish history) the more vocal minority will get it's way.
Posted by Andrew | 30.03.10, 20:08 GMT
The wheel’s architectural style clearly enhances and pronounces the nineteenth century baroque revival architecture of the city hall.
Posted by Seamus M | 30.03.10, 19:06 GMT
126 Comments