Nightcap acquires the Brighton i360 viewing tower

Hospitality operator Nightcap has acquired the 162 metre Brighton i360 Tower.

 

Nightcap has taken over the remaining 115-year lease of the seafront tower, which closed late last year after being plagued with financial problems.

 

The acquisition has been completed free of debt and any historic liabilities, allowing a fresh start for the venue after Nightcap’s significant capital investment.

 

Brighton & Hove City Council released the £51m debt last month to secure a sale of the building and avoid the “attraction decaying on the seafront and impacting the surrounding businesses”.

 

The popular attraction is iconic to the Brighton landscape and welcomes more than 250,000 annual visitors.

 

The site includes more than 20,000 sq ft of hospitality trading space including multiple bars, events spaces, cafes and entertainment areas. In addition, it has 75 metre of beach frontage, a beach bar, terrace, rooftop and beach operating space.

 

Sarah Willingham, founder and CEO of Nightcap, said: “We couldn’t be happier to welcome the i360 to the Nightcap family and delighted that Brighton & Hove City Council has paved the way for us to keep this iconic landmark open. We look forward to working with them to make the West Pier part of Brighton a thriving hub for residents and visitors alike.

 

“We pass the i360 every day and were as disappointed as everyone else when it went into administration and no buyer was found,” said Willingham, who is a Brighton local. “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.”

 

“We are delighted to start the new year by adding such a fantastic venue to the Nightcap group. As we continue to grow, our priority remains creating memorable venues where people want to come together, have fun, laugh, celebrate and make lasting memories.”

 

Peter Kyle, MP for Hove and Portslade, added: “Looking to the future I now see a fantastic seafront in our City. It is book-ended by the amazing Sea Lanes in Kemptown and the new Hove Beach Park and now at its centre will be this. The choice for the council was clear - let the i360 rust and become another derelict West Pier or to encourage enterprise and get something special in this central location. I’m over-the-moon they chose the latter and look forward to working with Nightcap."

 

The i360 acquisition expands Nightcap’s portfolio to 46 venues including the Cocktail Club and Dirty Martini brands.

 

Last February it announced it was acquiring the Piano Works venues in London’s Farringdon and Covent Garden for £200,000.

 

In May 2024, Nightcap abandoned its bid to acquire rival bar chain Revolution despite having “invested significant time and resources” into a potential merger.