THE BIG Wheel is heading back to Manchester.
The attraction is set to become the centrepiece of the city's New Year's Eve celebrations based around Piccadilly Gardens.
"With impeccable timing, the wheel has returned to centre stage as we will be welcoming in the New Year in style in Piccadilly Gardens"
Come the stroke of midnight the Council have also promised a ten minute fireworks display - You may not want to be up top of the wheel for that one.
The 60 metre high, 42 pod observation wheel (a different one from the original), formerly of Exchange Square, first appeared in Manchester over Christmas 2004, reappearing in 2006 as a permanent fixture for the city skyline.
The wheel was dismantled back in 2012, having carried over 3m people up for a view across the cityscape of Manchester.
Construction on the wheel will begin this week, with the official opening on 31 December. Although no official end date has been set, the Council have said that Piccadilly Gardens will host the wheel until 2015.
Cllr Pat Karney, Manchester’s City Centre spokesperson, said: “With impeccable timing, the wheel has returned to centre stage as we will be welcoming in the New Year in style in Piccadilly Gardens – the first time the Gardens has hosted the New Year’s Eve spectacular – and will be the glacé cherry on top of what has been a remarkable and memorable Christmas in the city.”
Piccadilly
Cllr Rosa Battle, Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “The big wheel in Exchange Square became a much loved part of the city centre and a recognised feature on Manchester’s famous skyline – and we welcome the attraction to its new home, and a new must visit destination for the city.”
The wheel will include a new VIP experience with chocolates, champagne and interactive TV screens. Still, if you've paid to go 200ft up an observation wheel looking out over the city, I'd probably give the TV screens a miss. In fact you'll be able to spot the Corrie set in MediaCityUK.
Piccadilly
