Will a new i360 sponsorship deal see Brighton attraction become McDonald’s restaurant?

A NEW i360 sponsorship deal may be in preparation after British Airways announced that it will end its support to the visitor attraction.

The 530 foot long structure, based in Brighton, is seeking a new sponsor after it was announced that the airline will no longer support the attraction after the naming rights expire in November this year.

It comes as the tower continues to fail to meet visitor goals as it posted a loss of more than £ 5 million in the year ending June 2020.

A total of 195,754 people visited the i360 – half of the projected target of 390,000.

After the announcement, the public quickly shared their cheerful suggestions for new sponsors for the tower.

According to Random Art International, there is no better option than McDonald’s.

The Brighton-based contemporary art group shared a model of the i360 with sponsorship from the well-known burger chain.

Model of the i360 sponsored by McDonalds. Photo credit: CC BY-SA 4.0 / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike / Random Art / Archi Ram / Mark – 2022

“A well-known burger chain has already started talks with the i360 company and the Brighton Council is hoping to convert the building and buildings into a fast food restaurant serving Whopper in the converted capsule,” they joked.

“Of course, that only works if the approval of the planning and the protected area can be obtained.

“Brighton Environmental Health has announced that they will allow the capsule to rotate, but with a speed limit of three revolutions per hour.

“Not exactly fast food, but at least a reasonable rotation speed to prevent digestive disorders.”

Announcing the split, Ian Hart, Brighton i360 Chief Operating Officer said: “Since the Brighton i360 opened in August 2016, we have enjoyed a really successful partnership with British Airways.

“The globally recognized brand BA has helped catapult the Brighton i360 onto the international stage from the start.

“Due to this positive relationship, British Airways extended the original sponsorship term of five years by a further 15 months in August 2021.

“We have now agreed the completion date of November 3, 2022.

“We look forward to the next chapter for the Brighton i360 and what a new sponsor could have in store for us as one of Brighton’s top tourist attractions.”

Last month, a report to City Councils revealed that the i360 is expected to miss another £ 1.5 million repayment to Brighton and Hove City Councils by the end of next month.

A report to city councils said officials were trying to complete a loan restructuring, which would mean a revised payment schedule.

Hamish McVey, British Airways’ Head of Brand and Marketing, added, “We are proud to have been the first sponsor of the i360 and look forward to it continuing its role as a major tourist attraction on the south coast for years to come will.” .”