PRESS RELEASERef:
Date: Friday August 4, 2017
Customers enjoy the party as British Airways i360 celebrates its first birthday
One year after it opened to the public on August 4, 2016, British Airways i360 has been celebrating a “fantastic year”, with free cakes,a live band on the boarding deck and face-painting for children, plus a free ticket for anyone also marking their birthday today.
In its first year, more than 500,000 customers have taken a flight on the landmark attraction on Brighton beach, which was conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects, creators of the London Eye. British Airways i360has won nine awards and has become the number-one paid-for attraction in Brighton & Hove*, withalmost 80% of TripAdvisor reviews rating the attraction as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’.
Some 3,000 cupcakes have been baked for the anniversary; staff have been sporting birthday badges and the site is decked with balloons.
Customers on the 2pm flight today, which marked the moment the attraction opened to the public last year, were met by directors David Marks, Julia Barfield and Steve Bax who handed out free drinks from the Nyetimber Sky Bar and cupcakes.
David Marks, British Airways i360 Chairman, made the “welcome on board” announcement, thanking customers.“Exactly one year ago, at this moment, British Airways i360 opened to the public. Since then we have welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests and won nine fantastic awards. As we celebrate the wonderful achievements of the past year we would like to thank you, our customers, for your support.”
After the event, he added: “It has been wonderful to celebrate the achievements of the year with our customers and to hear about their experiences on British Airways i360. There is a lovely atmosphere here today and we are all looking forward to another successful year ahead.”
Naming sponsor British Airways sent its congratulations. Sean Doyle, Director of Networks and Alliances, said: “British Airways i360 has quickly established itself as a great British landmark and a must-visit for overseas visitors travelling to the UK so we’re incredibly proud to be their headline sponsor. Brighton is home to thousands of our customers and colleagues and every year we bring more people to the UK than any other airline so we’re thrilled this natural partnership has got off to such a flying start.”
British Airways i360 was part-funded by a loan from the Public Works Loan Board, via Brighton & Hove City Council. The council earns more than £1m a year profit from the arrangement and is investing that money into regenerating the seafront.
Warren Morgan, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “British Airways i360 is a great attraction for the seafront and we congratulate all involved on their first year of operation. This innovative venture has been drawing much local attention and gaining interest much further afield. In the city it’s been great to see all school children given free tickets for a visit up the tower. And the council’s tourism team, Visit Brighton, report there has been great international interest in the i360 with visitors from around the globe coming to see the city from up high. Happy anniversary i360.”
A VisitBrighton spokesperson said:“Since British Airways i360 opened in 2016 we have seen an increase in the levels of press coverage internationally as the attraction has helped raise awareness of the city overseas and has got people talking about Brighton & Hove. We’ve loved working with the team during their first year and look forward to many more to come! Happy Birthday from everyone at VisitBrighton.”
Funding for the project also came from Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership. Jonathan Sharrock, Chief Executive said: "Coast to Capital is one of the key funding partners for the British Airways i360, contributing £4 million through our Growing Places Fund, and we are delighted with its success one year on. It is a fantastic visitor attraction for Brighton & Hove and provides huge benefits to the local economy. The attraction is going from strength to strength and we are excited about what the future holds for this innovative business."
*According to those questioned for the Visit Brighton’s Visitor Survey 2016
ENDS
Images (please credit British Airways i360):
For further media information please contact Emily Bamber, PR Manager at British Airways i360
/ 01273 448363
Information for editors
About British Airways i360
British Airways i360 is conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects, creators of the London Eye.
With an overall height of 162m, and a glass observation pod that glides up from ground level to 138m above Brighton beach, British Airways i360 is the world’s tallest moving observation tower and the world’s first vertical cable car. Visitors enjoy unprecedented unfolding views across Brighton and Hove, the South Downs and the beautiful Sussex coast. ‘Flights’ carry up to 200 passengers and depart every 30 minutes. While on board, guests can enjoy a drink at the Nyetimber Sky Bar which serves a range of drinks from Sussex including Nyetimber, an award-winning sparkling wine.
At the base of the tower is the British Airways i360 beach building which houses a stylish new restaurant, West Beach Bar & Kitchen, with sea views and a large terrace. Dishes feature ingredients sourced from the local area. The beach building also has flexible beachside events spaces which can be hired for private functions and can accommodate between 10 and 1,000 people. British Airways i360 is licensed for weddings and couples carry marry in the pod, saying ‘I do’ at 138m above Sussex.
British Airways i360 has worked with the West Pier Trust to reconstruct two of the original West Pier tollbooths using Victorian building techniques. The reconstructed buildings now grace the entrance to British Airways i360, and house the West Pier Tea Room and the British Airways i360 ticket office.
The British Airways i360 shop stocks gifts and souvenirs, many of which have been created by local Brighton artists.
British Airways i360 is owned and operated by Brighton i360 Ltd.
Website: BritishAirwaysi360.com
Twitter:@BA_i360
Instagram:@BA_i360
Facebook:BritishAirwaysi360
Pinterest:@BA_i360
Hashtag:#bai360
About Marks Barfield Architects
David Marks and Julia Barfield are the architect-entrepreneurs behind the creation of Brighton i360. They founded the company in 2005 and are its majority shareholders. Previously they performed a similar role creating the London Eye where they remained shareholders and directors until 2006. Together with a tight-knit group of extraordinary individuals, trusted consultants and companies, many of whom worked with David and Julia at the London Eye, they secured the planning permission, partners, land and funding for British Airways i360. Marks Barfield Architects is one of the UK’s most versatile and innovative architecture practices, established in 1989. David chairs the British Airways i360 board.
MarksBarfield.com
@marksbarfield
About British Airways
British Airways is one of the world’s leading global premium airlines and the UK’s largest international scheduled airline, carrying approximately 35 million passengers worldwide annually, on around 800 daily flights. The airline employs around 40,000 people, the vast majority of these at its sites throughout the UK, and has an annual turnover of £8.5 billion. It employs 2,500 people in Sussex, several hundred of them in Brighton.
British Airways is the naming rights sponsor of British Airways i360. The attraction is owned and operated by Brighton i360 Ltd.
Ba.com
@british_airways