Plymouth Hoe Big wheel operator waits for approval to run
THE Hoe's big wheel stopped spinning last night, but could be on the turn again if council planners give it the green light.
The attraction's new bosses are pinning their hopes on a favourable response from Plymouth City Council's planning department to their bid to get the 53-metre high structure revolving.
Dubai-based Freij Entertainment acquired the wheel, which has been in Plymouth since 2011, alongside other wheels in Manchester, Liverpool, York and Glasgow, for an undisclosed sum late last year.
The Herald has previously reported how the firm had secured a licence to operate the attraction and had since applied to Plymouth City Council for an extension to its planning permission.
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The firm said the seven staff were retained for the past few weeks and they hoped – dependent on planning permission being granted – to hire another nine workers for the summer.
Speaking from his Dubai office yesterday, David Jones, director of Freij's European operations, said the firm would review the situation "if and when" the council approved the planning application.
He said: "It's our intention to keep it there. Looking at the financial implications, winter is never a good time for attractions of this kind.
"Once approved we could open the next day. The wheel will be kept fully maintained until then."
The operators – Wheels Entertainment – have previously said it hoped to be able to reopen the wheel for the school half-term holiday, beginning on February 16, and stay open until September.
Plymouth City Council said planning officers had been in discussion with Freij and are expecting a planning application shortly.
A council spokesman said: "As the application is for a renewal of a consent we would expect the matter to be decided by a planning officer under delegated authority – unless the decision is referred to planning committee by a councillor."
Comments
by blackbeard9
Monday, January 07 2013, 8:24PM
“Here we go AGAIN PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL DRAGGING IT'S FEET ONCE MORE
The wheel owners will get fed up and pull out for sure and yet here is an obvious visitor attraction that works.
Remember the fiasco with the Plymouth Airshow that never happened because some dimwit in PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL decide that it will not go ahead and again what a crowd puller that would have been
Come City Planners get you're act together and give these guys the OK and give Plymouth another chance to give folks a reason to visit”
by Kit1cat
Monday, January 07 2013, 5:31PM
“Let's hope the planning department get their fingers out and the new owners reduce the cost of using the wheel. I am sure at the right price it would be a great attraction.”
by circles1
Monday, January 07 2013, 4:56PM
“waiting for PCC and planners, jobsworths wont be rushed, you know”
by JTPlymouth
Monday, January 07 2013, 4:07PM
“It started operating in April 2011. I have a photo dated 14th April showing it's construction nearing completion.
I hope it can stay. I've been on it three times and, as a resident of the Hoe, I happen to think it looks nice.”
by issacc_hunt
Monday, January 07 2013, 10:40AM
“surely that wheel has been on the hoe since before 2011????
im sure i went on it 2 summers ago and it had been there well before that.”