THIS WEEK IN 1998: '˜Funfair' tower wins approval

By The Newsroom
Published 27th Dec 2017, 06:00 BST
The tower with freefall and panoramic liftsThe tower with freefall and panoramic lifts
The tower with freefall and panoramic lifts

The Berkeley Group had sent the tower scheme into crisis by cutting its investment by £7m.

Disaster had turned to triumph with a new consortium on the scene which promised to plough more than £12m into the project.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They believed by adding panoramic lifts, a free-fall thrill-ride, a glass-floored crow’s nest and other attractions they could attract more than 600,000 visitors a year.

The tower was yet to win planning approval.

Senior officers were confident they would win approvals and it was a risk worth taking.

The tower was expected to be completed by November 2000.