Brighton's i360 'could end up being torn down', councillor claims

Councillor Dawn Barnett said she “wouldn’t be at all surprised” if the seafront viewing tower was eventually demolished after owners announced that no new sponsor would replace British Airways when a contract ends next month.

She said: “I can understand businesses being a bit weary about taking it on - I think it’s going to be left to the taxpayer to tell you the truth.

“I always thought it would end up like this.”

Councillor Dawn Barnett said she 'wouldn't be surprised' if the i360 is eventually demolished (Image: Conservative group)

Following the news earlier this year that British Airways had parted ways with the i360, Cllr Barnett said that the split could mark the “beginning of the end” for the tower and predicted the structure would be dismantled next year.

The i360 said no new sponsor would be replacing British Airways from November and announced a rebrand which will see references and livery linked with the airline removed and replaced with new designs, staff uniforms and logos.

The Brighton seafront attraction has struggled to meet high expectations for visitor numbers and was forced to miss repayments of a £36 million loan from Brighton and Hove City Council in the midst of disruption caused by the pandemic.

A new agreement was reached between the tower’s owners and the council earlier this year, which will see the council carry out a “cash sweep” every six months and take all the spare cash in the business, leaving enough for operational needs.

The i360’s next loan repayment of £900,000 is due to be paid to the council in two months' time.

Cllr Barnett said: “The next payment is in December and we’ll see if they’ll come up with the money they’re supposed to.”

The i360 has attracted nearly two million people since it opened (Image: Newsquest)

Readers said they were unsurprised by the news, with some calling for the controversial landmark to be scrapped entirely.

One reader took to Twitter and said: “Just scrap the damn thing and use the proceeds from it to rebuild the West Pier.”

Reg Dove said he felt sorry for taxpayers in the city, as the attraction owes millions to the council after being granted a loan in 2014.

He said: “Most locals thought it was a folly to start with.”

In an interview with The Argus, chief operating officer of the Brighton i360 Ian Hart said that a sponsorship arrangement was “not essential” to meet the demands of loan repayments.

He said: “Within our five-year plan we have produced, which the council have gone over, the numbers are robust and they do not include any sponsorship at all.

“Although we are talking to people about sponsorship, and of course, it would be a positive thing to get if we get it, it is money over and above what we’ve already got in our plan.”

A council spokesman sought to reassure residents and said the lack of a sponsor for the attraction “does not in any way affect the loan repayment scheme” agreed earlier this year.

He said: “This is because the five-year business plan we based the restructure on assumed no sponsorship income.

“It is entirely a matter for the i360 whether they choose to have a sponsor or otherwise.”

The i360 declared to comment further.