The London Eye may grace London’s horizon beyond 2028
(Picture: Oli Scarff / Getty Images)The Millennium Wheel originally opened on December 31, 1999, with a five-year lease. This was later extended and currently runs to 2028. Its operator, Merlin Entertainments, now wants a long-term agreement to keep the South Bank attraction in place for many years to come.
Merlin division director Mike Vallis said: “The London Eye is a UK success story with a global reach. When it first opened at the turn of the century, no-one could have envisaged it would become synonymous with all that is great about our capital city. As the capital’s most visited paid-for attraction, it continues to be enjoyed by millions of guests every year, it is now time for us to secure its long-term future through this application to Lambeth Council.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has backed the move to keep the “must-see destination for tourists from at home and abroad”.
It’s now up to Lambeth Council to decide whether the big wheel is irreplaceable in the London skyline or if, after more than 20 years, it’s time to move on and potentially let another attraction have a turn.
Should the London Eye stay? Let us know in the comments or on our Instagram for your chance to be featured on the ES website.
Yesterday we asked: Are the French overreacting about fish-finger croissants?
Shots were fired on Facebook, where Trisha C Mokosh commented: “Yes. But that’s par for the course. They’ve been eating the same food for over a hundred years.”
Meanwhile, Bill Briant responded: “Of course they are... what do the French know about decent food.”
Amanda Marioni Hunt pointed out other differences in tastes: “Italians don’t get pineapple on pizza. Indians don’t get a chicken tikka masala, no one gets a fried Mars bar. Welcome to the UK!”
Some were keen on trying it for themselves. Others, less so.
Al Grace wants to give it a go: “Never tried that, but now I know what to have on Friday. Sounds nice.”
Susan Corlett also stuck up for the Yorkshire bakery’s creation, saying: “Get it down thee!”
On Instagram, sayathousandwords was a little more coy: “would defo eat, but like secretly.”
pipson_ described it as “so unbelievably cursed” while @PaiviTen on Twitter and ligiamalcher on Instagram both labelled it an “abomination”.
