25 years of London Eye in pictures as landmark celebrates two and a half decades on Southbank

In honour of 25 years of the London Eye, here’s a look back at its time on the city’s Southbank.

2025 is set to be a momentous year in London as some of its most iconic landmarks including the London Eye celebrate milestone anniversaries.

This year will mark 25 years of the famous wheel structure on London’s southbank having first been put up in 1999.

Then known as the Millennium Wheel, the landmark opened to the public in March 2000 and has been spinning at the same spot ever since.

While it was initially given a five-year lease, it obtained permanent planning permission in 2003. However this decision did not secure its future on the south bank.

A condition of the planning permission was that an assessment of the wheel's effect on the area had to be submitted within 20 years. The landmark's owner, London Eye Management Services Ltd, which is part of Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd, submitted details for approval of its permanent retention to Lambeth Council in July 2023.

In May, Lambeth Council voted to keep the wheel attraction as its planning committee voted unanimously for the structure to stay put.

Having long hosted the city’s annual New Year’s fireworks, this year’s took a moment to honour 25 years of the London Eye.

To celebrate two and a half decades of the London Eye, here’s some photos of the beloved landmark over the years:

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