Misplaced Pages

London Eye

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 59.92.193.19 (talk) at 05:02, 22 September 2006 (→History). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 05:02, 22 September 2006 by 59.92.193.19 (talk) (→History)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
The London Eye at twilight

The British Airways London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, opened in 1999 and is the largest observation wheel in the world (a type of Ferris wheel). It stands 135 metres (443 feet) high on the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in Lambeth, London, England, between Westminster and Hungerford Bridges (Coordinates: 51°30′12″N 00°07′11″W / 51.50333°N 0.11972°W / 51.50333; -0.11972). It is adjacent to London's County Hall, and stands opposite the offices of the Ministry of Defence.


Financial controversy

On 19 May 2005 there were reports of a leaked letter showing that the South Bank Centre — owners of part of the land on which the struts of the eye are located — served a notice to quit on the attraction along with a demand for an increase in rent from £65,000 per year to £2.5 million, which the operators have rejected as unaffordable .

On 25 May 2005, London mayor Ken Livingstone vowed that the landmark would remain in London. He also pledged that if the row were not resolved he would use his powers to ask the London Development Agency to issue a compulsory purchase order . The land in question is a small part of the Jubilee Gardens, which was given to the SBC for £1 when the Greater London Council was broken up.

The South Bank Centre and the British Airways London Eye agreed a 25-year lease on 8 February 2006, after a judicial review over the rent row. The lease agreement meant that the South Bank Centre, a publicly-funded charity, would receive at least £500,000 a year from the attraction, the status of which is secured for the foreseeable future. Tussauds also announced that the acquisition of the entire one-third interests of British Airways of the Marks Barfield family in the Eye, as well as the outstanding debt to BA. These agreements gave Tussauds 100% ownership of the Eye and resolved a debt problem from the Eye's original construction loan from British Airways that had stood at more than £150 million by mid-2005 and had been increasing at 25% per annum.

The London Eye in film and television

  • It is one of the locations of Bride and Prejudice (2004)
  • It features as a central element in the storyline of the episode Rose in the 2005 season of Doctor Who. The London Eye is the source of the transmission of a signal by the Nestene Consciousness.
  • In 2005, it was used on the reality show The Amazing Race Season 7, in which teams had to go to the top of the London Eye to search for a location with the help of binoculars.
  • In the 2004 movie Thunderbirds, Thunderbird 2 flies through London and lands next to the London Eye.
  • In the 2003 spoof spy film Johnny English, there is an entire scene set in one of the eye's capsules.
  • Two characters from the comedy show The League of Gentlemen are seen riding it in the spin-off The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse, much to the confusion of nearby tourists.
  • On The Simpsons, Homer and Marge Simpson rode on it in search of their children (Bart and Lisa) in "The Regina Monologues" episode.
  • Part of BBMak's music video "Back Here" was filmed on the wheel.
  • An episode of Hustle opens with a confidence scheme to sell someone the London Eye.
  • The movie If Only has a scene that takes place in a private capsule of the London Eye.
  • Wimbledon, starring Kirsten Dunst, also features a scene on the London Eye.
  • In an old episode of Eastenders, Jim proposed to Dot in one of the capsules of the London Eye.
  • The movie Agent Cody Banks 2 had a scene in a car of the London Eye.
  • It is one of many landmarks in the first Midnight Club video game.


  • London Eye from Westminster at Night London Eye from Westminster at Night
  • The London Eye as seen from Westminster Bridge with the London Aquarium to the right The London Eye as seen from Westminster Bridge with the London Aquarium to the right
  • Inside one of 32 sealed and air conditioned passenger capsules on the London Eye. Inside one of 32 sealed and air conditioned passenger capsules on the London Eye.
  • Capsules at the top of the wheel Capsules at the top of the wheel
  • Silhouette of London Eye Silhouette of London Eye
  • Sideview of London Eye at night Sideview of London Eye at night
  • External closeup to London Eye's capsules External closeup to London Eye's capsules
  • A view of London Eye from a bottom angle A view of London Eye from a bottom angle
  • London Eye and the south bank London Eye and the south bank
  • One of the four sets of drive mechanisms on the London Eye. One of the four sets of drive mechanisms on the London Eye.
  • London Eye at Night London Eye at Night
  • London Eye at Day light London Eye at Day light
  • Bird's eye view Bird's eye view
  • View from ground View from ground

See also

Nearest rail and tube stations

National Rail

London Underground

"River Bus" services

External links

Categories: