Manchester's Big Wheel will be removed from Exchange Square this spring – but there are question marks over if and where it will return.

The 190ft landmark attraction will be closed in April to make way for a giant screen and public viewing area for the London Olympics.

The 365-tonne attraction could be moved to Edinburgh for the summer while plans are made to return it to Manchester – but a new home has yet to be found.

Council bosses hope to transform the area around Exchange Square as part of a redevelopment of the The Triangle shopping centre – meaning the wheel could not return to its home of six years.

The wheel, which attracts between 300,000 and 500,000 tourists a year, is due to take its last passengers on Sunday, April 15.

Great City Attractions, which owns the wheel, is keen to move it to Piccadilly Gardens – but council chiefs say that may not be feasible and the company is looking at other possible locations.

John Lowery, operations manager for Great City Attractions, said: "Our Manchester attraction has been a big success, but unfortunately Manchester council have informed us they require the area for part of their Olympic events. The wheel will only be here until the end of Easter to give the last remaining people a final opportunity to ride above Manchester’s skyline."

The Exchange Square plans would include a new Metrolink stop as part of the extension along Cross Street to Victoria station.

They will also mean changes to the layout of the area – including the steps and water feature – to help attract more shoppers to The Triangle.

The revamp would take up to three years if planning permission is granted.

Manchester Wheel to be axed in April

The wheel was installed temporarily at Christmas 2004 and removed. It appeared again in 2006 and became a permanent fixture the following year after a campaign by the M.E.N.

We pushed for the wheel to be a permanent attraction after 90 per cent of people who took part in a phone poll and 62pc of those who responded to an online vote said it was ‘very important’ to keep the wheel.

Coun Pat Karney, the town hall’s city centre spokesman, said: "I will be meeting with the operators to go through all other options for the wheel in the city centre."

He denied the council wanted to lose the wheel and added: "We get a monthly rent from the attraction, and most cities in Europe have a big wheel so I’ll do my best to find a new location that suits all parties.

"The problem is the shortage of public spaces in the city centre. I’m prepared to talk with the operators about all locations, although Piccadilly Gardens would not be my first choice. It’s one of the more difficult locations because we use it for so many different events each year," he said.

Tweet