Council to consider 25‑year lease for Wheel on Madeira Drive
Councillors will consider a proposal next month that could see the Brighton Wheel return to its former site on Madeira Drive by next summer. The family‑run operator of the Brighton Zip and Daltons Venue has applied for a 25‑year lease to rebuild the attraction on the eastern seafront, a move supporters say would boost the area as regeneration gets under way.
The Wheel, first erected in 2011 and dismantled in 2016 when the site was used for the i360 project, was a familiar landmark for residents and visitors. If councillors approve the recommendation at a Cabinet meeting on 17 September, the Zip Wire and café currently on the site would remain and the Wheel would be constructed on its previous footprint.
Investment and local experience underpin application
The submission from the team behind Brighton Zip points to more than 15 years of experience operating seafront attractions and to over £1.3 million of investment already made on the site. That money has been used to build the Zip Wire, strengthen the base of the building to support a previous Wheel, and to carry out other improvements on Madeira Drive. The operators also run the grassroots music venue Daltons Bar and Cabaret from premises below the existing café and hold the lease for the site.
“Brighton became Brighton because people came here to have fun by the sea… Bringing the Wheel back isn’t about looking backwards. It’s about taking something people loved and making it part of the next phase of our seafront,”
The comment came from Councillor David McGregor, Cabinet member for Economy, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, who has publicly welcomed the proposals and framed them as part of a wider ambition to regenerate the east of the city and encourage visitors to stay longer.
What the proposal would keep and change
- The Zip Wire and on‑site café would remain in place.
- The Wheel would be sited on its previous location on Madeira Drive.
- Daltons Venue — run by the same operators — would continue to occupy the premises below the café.
Jeffrey Sanders, who owns and operates the business at Daltons Bastion, has said the team behind the Brighton Zip has the necessary expertise to run the Wheel alongside existing attractions on the site. The council report makes clear the proposed operator has invested in structural works intended to make the site suitable for a returning Wheel.
How the decision could affect Brighton
Approving a long lease would give the operator security to invest further and to incorporate the Wheel into the emerging plan for Madeira Drive. Proponents argue this would add to the range of leisure options on the seafront, supporting businesses and encouraging longer stays by tourists — an important consideration for the city’s economy.
Opponents in past debates about similar attractions have raised concerns around visual impact, congestion and the balance between commercial uses and public space on Brighton’s seafront. The council will need to weigh those local concerns alongside the operator’s proposals and the anticipated economic benefits.
Next steps
The Cabinet meeting on 17 September is the next formal stage in the process. Councillors will be asked to decide whether to award the proposed 25‑year lease. If approved, the operator aims to have the Wheel constructed and in operation by the following summer.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Proposed lease length | 25 years |
| Site | Original Brighton Wheel location, Madeira Drive |
| Operator | Team behind Brighton Zip & Daltons Venue |
| Investment to date | £1.3 million+ |
The proposal will be watched closely by residents, traders and visitor‑economy stakeholders. Decisions about the seafront shape not just the city’s skyline but daily life for those who work and socialise along Madeira Drive, and this report sets the stage for a significant local discussion about what the eastern seafront should look like for the next generation.
