Llandudno's Ferris wheel to be taken to city Christmas market before Easter return

The £1million wheel, which has been custom-made, was assembled in late August and proved a hit with residents, attracting thousands of people to the North Shore towards the end of the summer tourist season.

Pier owner Adam Williams commissioned Italian manufacturer Lamborghini to design the traditional structure, which has 18 gondolas each carrying six people, in what he described as “a new era for the pier”.

It enabled visitors to enjoy 360-degree views of the town and its coastline and make the Pier a night-time attraction.

Llandudno Ferris wheel.

However, the Ferris wheel's final night of the season was during the fireworks display on North Shore on Sunday night.

As the cold weather comes in and fewer people visit the promenade, the wheel has been disassembled and will be taken to Sheffield's Christmas market until January.

And will be on show just as The Pier is broadcast on international mainstream TV in the New Year, which Mr Williams said he hopes the structure will bring more tourists to Llandudno.

"It will be a billboard for Llandudno, right in middle of busy Christmas market," said Mr Williams.

"We're trying to pump North Wales and Llandudno so that people in Yorkshire who would normally go to Skegness will come here instead.

"Even if we can get 10 per cent of people at the market to come, that is a lot of people

"Hopefully the TV show will correspond with people seeing the wheel and they will get booking down at this end."

The wheel is expected to return to the Pier before Easter next year.

Adam Williams, owner of Llandudno Pier.

The Pier owner said the off-peak season has had more footfall than previous years, which is likely due to the TV coverage and popularity of the Ferris wheel.

"It has been busier this time of the year than previous years, so we're hoping to keep that rolling," he said.

"We want to spread the shoulder of the seasons a bit more, to keep staff on and keep the economy going."

The final episode of The Pier was aired on ITV Wales on Monday night. The series has helped to raise the profile of the Pier, featuring interviews with Mr Williams and business owners, issues around the impact of the pandemic, and the importance of new attractions such as the Ferris wheel to maintain income at the Pier.

Llandudno residents took to Facebook to share their thoughts on the series.

One said: “I've loved every minute of it ...meeting all the lovely people of Llandudno and seeing all the work that goes on behind the scenes to make Llandudno such a great place to visit.”

Another said: “Thoroughly enjoyed the series a great insight into the pier. It was interesting to learn about the history of showmen, which is an important part of the history of North Wales.”

A third said: “It has been excellent and good to let people know how much work goes into keeping it safe for us all.”