Town to enjoy big wheel after new operator found

One of the country's top seaside resorts will have a big wheel this summer after the attraction was previously cancelled.

At the beginning of May, the Mellors Group said it would not be bringing its big wheel to Torquay due to "operational and financial factors".

But Torbay Council said a different 115ft (35m) big wheel had been constructed on the seafront by DeVey Events and was now open.

Jackie Thomas, cabinet member for tourism, culture and events at Torbay Council, said finding an alternative operator within weeks showed "exactly the kind of energy and ambition we want to see for Torbay".

The council said the big wheel had been a "much-loved feature of the seafront in recent years" and that it wanted to "support and attract high-quality attractions that appeal to both residents and visitors".

Thomas said she was previously disappointed the wheel would not be returning but "moving quickly" to secure an alternative would ensure "residents and visitors continue to enjoy brilliant attractions here in the bay".

The council said the attraction would be open daily from 10:00 BST to 23:00 with the price of tickets still being finalised and that updates would appear on the council's social media pages, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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