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Nightcap acquires Brighton’s i360 tower

Bar operator Nightcap has acquired Brighton landmark the i360 out of administration in a deal which includes the 162 metre tall observation tower and 75m of beach frontage.

Having opened in 2016, the i360 filed for administration in November of last year, with “escalating costs, bad summer weather and the cost-of-living crisis” blamed for its £51 million debt.

Nightcap, the operator behind bars including The Cocktail Club and Dirty Martini, will be taking over the remaining 115-year lease of the i360, as Brighton and Hove City Council released its debt.

“We pass the i360 every day and were as disappointed as everyone else when it went into administration and no buyer was found,” commented Nightcap CEO and founder Sarah Willingham. “The impact of its closure would have been catastrophic to our local businesses and a blemish on this important part of the Brighton seafront. We hope we will get the support of our tight knit local community as we embark on this new chapter for the i360.”

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As well as i360’s height and proximity to the beach, the acquisition also comes with 20,000 square feet (1,858 square metres) of hospitality trading space, including bars, cafes, events spaces and terraces. Between 2016 and 2023, the attraction averaged 268,429 visitors per annum.

“We think this is the best option for the city – giving a fresh start for the attraction, and helping to ensure this important stretch of seafront can thrive,” said Jacob Taylor, deputy leader of Brighton and Hove City Council.

Nightcap, which with this acquisition now has 46 venues across the UK, has been on something of a roll of late, snapping up The Piano Works last year and instigating an administrative reshuffle.

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