Brighton i360 tower 'should never have been funded with public money' says council
The leader of Brighton and Hove Council says the i360 observation tower is a 'white elephant' which should never have been funded with public money.
Cllr Bella Sankey says it is a huge drain on the council's resources, with the outstanding debt standing at more than £44m.
She said: "Well we know that the business model for the i360 desperately needs to be diversified.
"There's been some diversification this year, so we have a roller rink and the cricket sixes but we need more because we need to ensure that that money can be repaid.
"We don't think that the i360 should have ever been funded with public money but the situation we're in is that it was, and we now need to get those repayments going."
The attraction has failed to meet its loan repayments, blaming the pandemic, poor weather and the cost of living crisis for dwindling visitor numbers.
Cllr Bella Sankey says the i360 business model needs to change
Julia Barfield, Chair of Brighton i360 Ltd, says: “Like many businesses, Brighton i360 has faced huge challenges over the last year with rising inflation, bleak summer weather, the cost-of-living crisis and national train strikes.
City spending and visitor numbers are still lower than before the pandemic. Nationally, visitor numbers are down across UK attractions by 24% according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA). At Brighton i360, there is still a 16% drop in visitor attendance compared to pre-pandemic times
“Paying the loan back to the council has always been a top priority for Brighton i360 and we are sorry we are unable to make December’s instalment to the council. We appreciate both our community and the council’s understanding and would like to thank them for their continued support."
She added: “We remain committed to improving the business and are actively implementing numerous initiatives to drive increased revenue. Over the last year we have created a new vision for Brighton i360 to be a 21st century beachside entertainment hub, introducing new offerings including an interactive cricket experience and a roller rink. This vision is expanding across the site over 2024 with additional offerings being installed, which is hoped will attract existing and new audiences and increase revenue.
“The i360 has an important role to play in rebuilding the city’s tourist economy by providing a unique experience to our guests as part of their trip to Brighton.”
The i360 was officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh back in 2016.
It was hailed as a ground-breaking piece of technology, but ultimately the i360’s success will be measured by whether it can pay its way.
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