THE chief executive of the i360 has complained he is having to give his customers “not a nice experience” by serving glasses of £10 sparkling Sussex wine in plastic glasses.

Steve Bax appealed to the Brighton and Hove city council licensing committee to relax restrictions on where the venue can serve alcohol, and how.

But Sussex Police representatives stood by their objection that glass champagne flutes could be “used as weapons” in the pod.

Sussex Police licensing officer Hannah Staplehurst said: “Glasses could potentially be used as a weapon inside the pod, as a wide variety of people use or have access to the pod.”

She said the attraction had not carried out a risk assessment or identified health and safety concerns in the event of such an attack.

i360 boss Steve Bax said that after analysing the business after 18 months, during which time there had been no anti-social behaviour, he wanted to make the change for customers.

He said: “We aren’t your usual attraction, we offer something very special and when you’re having a glass of £10 Nyetimber when you’re overlooking Brighton, it’s not a nice experience when it’s in a plastic glass.

“We have a lot of complaints about having plastic, there are a lot of comments on TripAdvisor.”

He said the attraction uses top quality polycarbonate ‘glasses’ which are washed and reused, but the plastic still deteriorates and blemishes over time.

He added safety was the “number one concern” and that in addition to 24 hour digital CCTV, a security officer travels on each flight after 6pm.

The attraction’s bosses also want permission to serve drinks at a bar at beach level, to diners who are waiting for a table, and to allow people to bring their beverage out of the pod with them if they have not finished it by the end of the flight, which lasts 25 minutes.

Residents have objected, worried about the venue transforming into another loud seafront bar. Mr Bax insisted that was not in the business plan.

A request for an “off” licence has also been submitted, so tourists who have sampled Nyetimber sparkling wine or Brighton Gin on their flight would be able to purchase a bottle in the gift shop.

The committee - of Councillors Jackie O’Quinn, Julie Cattell and Lynda Hyde - will make its decision known in the coming days.

The meeting in Hove Town Hall did not discuss whether glass drinking vessels are commonly used as weapons elsewhere in the city.