Sussex seaside town to get big wheel

An East Sussex seaside town is set to get an observation wheel.

The 36m (118ft) big wheel - dubbed the "Sky Club" - is due to be on Eastbourne's eastern seafront, near the beaches east of the Redoubt, from 5 April.

An Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) spokesperson said the attraction would increase footfall to the area and "light up" the night-time economy.

"The observation wheel is such a big crowd-pleaser for people of all ages," they said.

EBC said the promenade would be temporarily closed between Treasure Island car park and the T-junction near Splash Point Café from 7:00 BST on 31 March until 4 April to install the wheel.

It will operate for four weeks, according to EBC.

The local authority said the wheel would offer "panoramic views" of the seafront towards Sovereign Harbour and the town's pier.

"Pre-pandemic we used to have a big wheel on the Western Lawns during the airshow each August," said a council spokesperson.

"Then in 2020, due to events being cancelled up and down the country, the operators came back to Eastbourne in the summer as a temporary measure. However due to its success, they returned again in 2021, 2022 and 2023."

The Sky Club is a different operator and this is their first visit to Eastbourne, the local authority added.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.