Published Friday 25 April 2025 at 15:01
The wheels are in motion to bring a giant, 50 metre observation wheel to Blackburn town centre… with the first rides being just a week away!
The huge ferris wheel – similar in height to 11 stacked double decker buses and the largest transportable wheel in the UK – will arrive in Cathedral Square early next week.
And riders will be able to enjoy panoramic views right across the town and beyond for five weeks – from Saturday, May 3rd, right up until Sunday, June 8th, taking in both May Bank Holidays, VE Day commemorations and half-term too.
It follows the huge success of a similar wheel in Darwen at the beginning of the year with residents and visitors flocking to enjoy a birds-eye view of the town on the popular attraction operated by The Giant Wheel Company.
Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Deputy Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and Executive Member for Growth and Development, said:
It’s fantastic that we’ll soon be welcoming a 50-metre observation wheel to Blackburn town centre – what a spectacle it’ll be!
The Giant Wheel Company kindly offered a similar wheel to Darwen, and it proved to be hugely popular, so we jumped at the chance of now having a wheel in Blackburn town centre.
The views from the top will be incredible – especially over Blackburn Cathedral – and there’s so much to be enjoying in the town centre too, everything from a spot of shopping, visits to the likes of our popular Museum and The Making Rooms and lots of places to eat and drink.
With the two Bank Holidays, VE Day commemorations and the May half-term also coming up too, it’s the perfect time to come and enjoy the wheel and explore what the town centre has to offer, making a day or night of it.
The huge wheel that’ll arrive in Blackburn – opposite Blackburn Railway Station, close to the Cathedral and outside its Checks and Greys Café and The Firepit restaurant – is the largest wheel that The Giant Wheel Company owns.
It’s been a popular attraction at the Trafford Centre, with the company also supplying wheels for the likes of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Isle of Wight Festival too.
There are 36 gondolas available on the 50m wheel, each with space for six people with an adapted gondola with wheelchair access too.
Due to it being bigger than the Darwen wheel, tickets to ride the giant wheel will cost £8 for a standard ticket, £6 for a child measuring under 1.4m and there’s a discounted family ticket – for two adults and two children – costing £23.
To link with the anniversary of VE Day and to recognise the efforts of our service personnel past and present, The Giant Wheel Company is also offering free rides to all serving Armed Forces personnel and veterans too. Please just show your ID at the ticket office.
As well as the wheel, organisers are also hoping to bring bungee trampolines too.
Evan de Koning from The Giant Wheel Company added:
Being a North West-based company, we are super proud to be able to present our flagship attraction in Blackburn.
With fully enclosed gondolas, this is the largest transportable observation wheel in the UK.
The giant wheel will be open 12noon to 10pm Sunday to Friday and 11am to 10pm on Saturdays.
For a full guide to what’s on in Blackburn town centre, places to visit and a rundown of the best places to eat and drink, be sure to check out the new Discover Blackburn website now.
There’s also lots of inspiration for family days out, date nights and visits with friends on the Discover Blackburn Facebook, Insta and TikTok. Give them a follow to make sure you don’t miss out.
And look out for a handy half-term activity guide coming soon!