IT is time to say goodbye to the Jersey Eye this week, as the four-day operation to dismantle the giant ferris wheel is now well under way.
The 60-metre attraction, which became a dramatic feature of St Helier’s coastline and was brightly lit up at night since it was erected in June, is being taken to Cardiff for the Christmas season. Not nearly as popular in Jersey as had been expected by its private owners, Funderworld, the ferris wheel also hit bad-weather problems, as it had to be closed for five days during the past week and over the season a total of 14 days were lost due to strong winds.
It was that sort of luck that seemed to dog the venture, which Edward Mellors from Funderworld said would lead to them facing an overall loss of around £15,000. ‘I don’t think enough local people were interested in it and there were not the number of visitors around to make up for that,’ he said.
Asked if he believed that the ferris wheel would have drawn more crowds if it had been in a location offering a view not available from another site, Mr Mellors said that the immense size of the equipment made it impossible to manoeuvre it along many of the Island roads. He said that at one stage they had considered the Weighbridge as a possible site but its development had not been completed at that time.
Article posted on 8th October, 2008 - 2.56pm
16 Article Comments
An overpriced, crap big wheel offering a view which you can get from Fort Regent for nothing.
No wonder it didn’t succeed!
Old fashoned and too expensive
Goodbye and good riddance.
Whoever gave permission for that monstrosity should be shot.
Considered the Weighbridge? Makes me laugh. They obviously didn’t do any research before coming over. Hopefully they won’t ever be back.
How lovely it is to look at the sky without that monstrosity in the way.
I was going to comment but i think DK has beat me to it, spot on and dont come back.
Typical islands attitude. I am an islander now living in Nottingham. It has to be said that when the wheel was here earlier in the year, most people in the city loved it… Fort Regent? Why would I want to see the harbour from a multi storey conference centre. We’ll welcome back the wheel to Nottingham. I wouldn’t bother going back to Jersey again ferris wheel owners, ungrateful lot.
Mark - let us know how much they were charging you up there - by all accounts the price doubled when they brought it over here! They were presumptive enough to think that they could charge more in Jersey (we’re all super rich let’s face it) and get away with it - but no, the people spoke with their very Jersey feet! We’re quite tight by nature (and in this climate you have to be)and they thought that by offering us a view that we could get from any of the surrounding high ground (or on many flights into and out of the island) they could charge us £7.50 for the pleasure!
They should have done their homework!
Maybe in Nottingham it would be nice to have but in Jersey it was just an eyesore I’m afraid. Nice idea but not well thought out plus in current climate those who would want to go on it, ie families, could not afford the high prices when the view is free from the Fort. I will not be sorry to see it go !
Most businesses or ventures would test the waters first with a simple analysis to gauge whether this would be a worthwhile exercise. If Edward Mellors had done this then he wouldn’t have bothered bringing the monstrosity over.
He has clearly thought he could rip off islanders by charging more to ride this big wheel than he has charged elsewhere. He got it wrong and now he is out of pocket. Unlucky.
I would also be very interested to know which clown authorised this whole fiasco. If it is one of the current politicians up for re-election then we have a right to know.
Mark, the sight of an oversized white metal wheel with flashing lights probably enhances Nottingham but, sadly, not Jersey. I suppose it is a useful target in Nottingham for your hoodies to practice on with their Uzis and Glocks
Re Fort Regent, it is neither multi-storey nor is it a conference centre.
What it is, is one geological feature out of three in the area which is higher than the wheel and so offers better vistas and, importantly, is free. There is not much point in putting such a device in what is essentially a bowl.
Oh, and charging higher prices than they normally do, just because they were in Jersey did not help their cause.
you really are a miserable bunch, there’s nothing wrong with someone trying to make a few quid, It’s still cheaper than the London eye! The St Helier skyline is horrendous anyway! It is in the Jersey nature to be tight but even more so to whinge, moan & complain!!!
“No fun allowed” it was a nice change to have something a little lighthearted in Jersey for a change. After all this must be the only place in the modern western world that dosent have a theme park for children,but hang on a minute! We dont want your wheel over yer or anything for families
that might be considered a bit of fun oh no.
All these horrible attitudes displayed here with such cynisim are unbelieavbly showing what a “sick” place Jersey has become.
So anti-fun and anti family.
Who else would advertise accomodation saying no chidren or pets allowed.
The children are the future,and there suppossed to support this “grudging” nasty lot!
FUTURIST - I dont know what land your living in mate but families could not afford to go up in that monstosity ! as a single parent I say good riddance now my children will stop nagging me to waste £21.00 that I have not got to go up in it, but if now it had been a theme park that would have been entirly different I would have found £21.00 from somewhere to take them. You say we are anti fun that is just not true yes we are a tight bunch but then we have to be money does not grow on trees as they say and I for one like many of my single friends (and before you say it not our fault and not by our choice )can not afford the stupid price that was being charged we have better things to do with our money like put food on the table.
BERGERAC - well said “The St Helier skyline is horrendous anyway” so why then would we spent our money to go up in a stupid wheel and look at it ? as for the london eye at least you have something decent to look at and miles of it ! also the “ride” is about 5 times longer for the money.
So all in all good ridance and here you go your welcome to it in Nottingham.
I’m surprised that no one called it an eyesore!
Bergerac, There is of course nothing wrong with someone trying to make a few quid. However, like any business, you succeed or fail on what your product is, where you locate it and how much you charge for it.
What your product is:- A ferris wheel which takes the customer on a 15 minute slow ride. Futurist, is this your idea of ‘fun’? You compare it to a theme park where a whole host of different activities can be found. Hardly the same is it?
Where you locate it:- overlooking a building site. All the views can be obtained free of charge from other locations.
How much you charge:- Would I be cynical to suggest that the owners said - “look this is Jersey, they are all minted there. Lets throw an extra few quid on top”.
In short, it failed because the owners simply didn’t research the market.
This large ferris wheel was covertly manoeuvred into a place very near to where there are private residences. It is clear that the people running the attraction had no intention of conferring with those neighbours. The sole aim was, it seems, to bypass planning procedures and to cock a snook at any would be objectors. Complaints were received but were dismissed because the installation was by then a fait accompli.
The fact that the project failed is clear enough. Blaming the same [as some commentators have seen fit to do] on an “island mentality” represents a bigoted view and one which, one would hope, the incoming race relations law will act to curtail.