The Dublin eye.

dubtom

Passing by Mr Crosby's new Dublin Eye today at the 02,nearly completed I see and a nice looking yoke too. But I'm wondering is it a tad out of the way to achieve it's potential. Far be it from me to second guess Crosby,he's a lot more savy buisness wise than I will ever be,but it seems to me that relying on his concert goers and the weekend market to make it pay might not work.
The 02 doesn't do everyday buisness and even though the Luas runs down there now the area isn't a hive of activity at the best of times. And,I've heard a price of €9 pp for a go mentioned, not sure if that's correct though.

Anyway,is it something you'd travel down for,do you think it would be better served up the liffey nearer town?
Personally I do, I think it would be a great draw for locals and tourists if nearer the city. Hopefully I'm wrong and it's a huge success.
What do you think?

ian_m

It's called 'The Wheel of Dublin' I believe. Slightly pricey at €8 per person for a thirteen minute spin. Personally I think it's a great idea. Location is is ok, and served by the Luas. I think most will have a go at least once after that I'm not sure. It hasn't been advertised or publicised enough in my opinion.

I do hope it is successful. Dublin needs more things for people to do.

Slunk

It is a bit out of the way alright. I thought the price was a bit high too when I seen it but looking at the London Eye I suppose its not too bad. £18.90 for a standard ticket, whichis about 23 euro I guess. It does revolve over 30 minutes but a big wheel is a big wheel in my eyes

martinr5232

Is this up and running yet ?

arybvtcw0eolkf

Passed by it this morning, actually I parked up to have a look at it.

Tbh, IMO its not that impressive at all.

humberklog

Funny location but I suppose Harry's the only one that'd take it apon himself. Needs it to boost up his market there too. Ah sure the fella generally has his head screwed on and I know my 7 year old is mad to get going on it.

Here's some pics taken on Wednesday gone. Excuse the rather gack quality...

The Hill Billy

ian_m wrote:

It hasn't been advertised or publicised enough in my opinion.

I live in Switzerland and I've seen loads about it over the past week or so.

dubtom

Well the .. seats or cubes or whatever their called were nearly all installed last evening, so it shouldn't be long now. I'll be interested to hear from those who have a go on what the view is like.

pert

Should be dead on. I was asking one of the lads working on it, he said it was the same one that was in Belfast. The Belfast one must have been doing alright business as it only left because it couldn't get planning permission again. Granted it was right bang in the centre of the town.

But the view of Dublin is so much better, and there's loads more to see. I'd gladly pay €9 to go on it.

gurramok

Despite my despise of developers, this one gets the thumbs up from me. Did you see it all lit up at night?

Its quite impressive and a welcome addition to the skyline.

Raedwald

Good Idea by Crosby, prob make himself a mint from it. Easily accessible by the Luas. Another good tourist spot and family attraction.

Only weakness is that I would consider it slightly out of the way really, and would of been better served further up the quays, like the london eye.

PaulieC

Raedwald wrote: »

Only weakness is that I would consider it slightly out of the way really

was on it earlier and it really is a bit too far down the quays. Good views of the aviva stadium and out to the sea, but feck all to see looking west, where you see the roof of the O2, a few derelict warehouses and the abandoned Anglo construction. Otherwise all you see if rooftops. Shame really

dubtom

I suspected as much. Pity really.

PaulieC

here's the view into town from the top

KTRIC

cambo_gueno wrote: »

here's the view into town from the top

What a sh!te view :rolleyes:

dubtom

KTRIC wrote: »

What a sh!te view :rolleyes:

+1

lilblackdress

There's a better view of the city from where i work!!

spider_pig

Adults € 9.00
Senior citizens/Students € 7.00
Children 4-16 € 6.50
Children 1-3 € 1.00
Infant under 1 Free
Family Ticket € 23.00

Private Capsule € 55.00
VIP Capsule € 75.00
VIP with champagne € 95.00

what a rip :pac:

Jesus Wept

Seems incredibly low.

MidlandsM

Fecking hell, thats a rubbish view........

John_Rambo

I doubt that's the only view.

zuutroy

private capsule eh...For someone wanting to join the 100ft high club?

spider_pig

zuutroy wrote: »

private capsule eh...For someone wanting to join the 100ft high club?

great place too go for a quick one lol totally out of sight :cool:

MidlandsM

VIP with champagne € 95.00 - WHAT?!?!?

You'd get a room in a nice hotel with a nicer view of Dublin and have some privicy with the other half for that kinda layout!

John_Rambo

Is someone forcing you to go on the wheel and buy champagne Midlandsm?

bruce wayne

I am stunned by this, that is a serously rubbish view, and very expensive (and I wont even get started on the price differences between the one in Belfast and this one).

I was on the one in Belfast and it was the same size (in fact as the Belfast one is now closed I suspect this is the exact same one) and although its not very big, it did give a great view of Belfast, as it was located right in the heart of the city beside city hall. This one is all the way down the end of the docks, with nothng but a great view of Harry's current building projects and some nice new office blocks.

Seriously though I doubt anyone would pay €95 for the vip with champers treatment, and to be honest if they do then they deserve what they get for their money. This might have worked if it was located more centrally - such as O'Connell street....but all the way down there I cant see it maing any money.

Pittens

The city view is not the issue. The view along the bay could be nice. Anybody get that?

Raedwald

Horrible view of the city, which is a real shame cause I think thats the view alot of people going to it would like to see.

The only redeeming feature of it is the view of the bay and Aviva Stadium but not what one really wants to see imo.

Pittens

I would pay to see the bay on a decent day. I think a lot of Dubliners will use this.

MidlandsM

John_Rambo wrote: »

Is someone forcing you to go on the wheel and buy champagne Midlandsm?

Thankfully no, but Am I not allowed to have a view here on an internet discussion forum?

John_Rambo

MidlandsM wrote: »

Thankfully no, but Am I not allowed to have a view here on an internet discussion forum?

Of course, but you are slating something that you haven't even tried! You saw a photo of a view where you might as well be looking through a toilet roll and you are horrified. You are nit picking the champers price, something that obviously doesn't float your boat (nor mine)... However, it might be an idea for a guy asking a girl or guy to get married or vice verca, or a romantic treat. Nine Euro for a spin isn't exactly a rip off, the price of two pints. Have a go, see what it is really like, not what you think it's like.

I somehow doubt you will try it anyway.

MidlandsM

John_Rambo wrote: »

Of course, but you are slating something that you haven't even tried! You saw a photo of a view where you might as well be looking through a toilet roll and you are horrified. You are nit picking the champers price, something that obviously doesn't float your boat (nor mine)... However, it might be an idea for a guy asking a girl or guy to get married or vice verca, or a romantic treat. Nine Euro for a spin isn't exactly a rip off, the price of two pints. Have a go, see what it is really like, not what you think it's like.

I somehow doubt you will try it anyway.

...but you know nothing about me or my likes, so you're assumptions are flawed. How you call the €90 cost as nit picking is beyond me?
When posting here, attack the post, not the poster.

John_Rambo

MidlandsM wrote: »

...but you know nothing about me or my likes, so you're assumptions are flawed.

I say, did your monocle fall in to your brandy?

MidlandsM wrote: »

How you call the €90 cost as nit picking is beyond me?

Well, you picked the most expensive price you could find when researching the Dublin Eye and had a small on line tantrum!

Try it and get back to us, you may even like it!

_blank_

OK folks, put the handbags down

John_Rambo

John Rambo







with a handbag?

It's a manbag.

AsianDub

Id really like to see this take off.
Trouble is that I just dont think we have a skyline for it.
We're not that type of City IMO

Grid.

Move along ........ nothin' to see here!:pac:

ian_m

Any alternative locations that might work better? What might it look like in the middle of O'Connel Street? Phoenix park? Top of Grafton St?

ballsymchugh

AsianDub wrote: »

Id really like to see this take off.
Trouble is that I just dont think we have a skyline for it.
We're not that type of City IMO

if it took off and flew over town for a bit then i'd have a go!

i'd say outside the custom house would be a much better place. if only that feckin railway bridge wasn't there. if i had a spare billion i'd pay for the railway tunnel to be built under the liffey just to get that bridge out of the way.

scudzilla

In work tonight, took some pics of Landsdowne, shame not to take some of this too.

loyatemu

ian_m wrote: »

Any alternative locations that might work better? What might it look like in the middle of O'Connel Street? Phoenix park? Top of Grafton St?

on the quays near the new Bridge and Conference centre would seem an obvious location - close enough to see the city centre, but in amongst modern buildings.

humberklog

Better location's a bit of a moot point as it's not public owned.
Harry's hoop sits Harry's land.

Degsy

humberklog wrote: »

Better location's a bit of a moot point as it's not public owned.
Harry's hoop sits Harry's land.

Sounds like another overpriced vanity project..maybe somebody,somewhere will realise that giving the odd bit of value for money mightnt be a bad idea in the longterm rather than going for a quick gouge.

I hope the City Council sets up a rival Dublin Eye with better views for half the entry fee..if i had the money i'd do it myself.:pac:

spurious

Is the empty Royal Dublin site big enough to take one?

delta_bravo

The Smithfield Chimney Tower is a bit higher than that I would say. Its only a gimmick from Crosbie

Degsy

delta_bravo wrote: »

The Smithfield Chimney Tower is a bit higher than that I would say. Its only a gimmick from Crosbie

A moneymaking gimmick at that.

humberklog

Degsy wrote: »

A moneymaking gimmick at that.

Indeed let's hope so.

Most things are gimmicks without the sum of their parts. The wheel, in itself, is a gimmick but the larger thinking by Harry is that it could be a good draw for people to come down to that end of town.

He needs people down that end of town. His market has caught some interest yet it is still a tough place to draw in a crowd. There is no natural foot fall for this enterprise to succeed so he has to create one. For each stall holder that hands him over rent know this and are paying that rent in a trust of faith that he will create a crowd. The big wheel is a big punt.

What annoys me (without having been on it) is the pricing system. It's a big enough mental leap in going all they way down there without having to think about the price of a couple of adults, a couple of kids and a couple of infants. Jayzuz...charge a fiver a head. Toddlers free (toddler being something that doesn't quite look a kid and not exactly a baby either, 3ish).

Fiver a head would draw the crowd which in turn would create footfall and result in revenue so the marketers can make a bit.

View? Doesn't look great from pics. But if it was a fiver a pop I wouldn't care about view. I'd just like being up in a big wheel.

gurramok

The place was deserted last night at about 8pm. Probably about 20 people on the wheel and about 7 sitting down on the benches eating over-expensive food from Eddie Rockets and drinking pricy cuppa's from the vending stalls.

sundaypapers

Michael O'Doherty's take on it:

http://www.herald.ie/opinion/michael-odoherty-the-wheel-truth-about-that-view-2281244.html

Bad news for you, guys -- I live nearby, about 150ft up the tallest apartment block in Dublin, and have the same view for free that Wheel customers will have to stump up €9 for. And it's no great shakes ...

Dancor

Bad news for you, guys -- I live nearby, about 150ft up the tallest apartment block in Dublin, and have the same view for free

More like a 30 odd year mortgage.

Trappers Son

Dancor wrote: »

More like a 30 odd year mortgage.

Ahh yes, but ya cant have a wash in the wheel!

In all seriousness, that image on page one doesnt do it any justice! Its a miserable day with grey clounds with ongoing construction!