The Biggest Big Wheel

Back in 1982, whilst waiting to start at college, I relocated from the North East to the North West and got myself a bar job in Morecambe in Lancashire. The bar was called The Casino and it was situated on the front of Morecambe's fairground. The bar was very popular with both tourists and fairground staff alike and I had a really enjoyable summer living and working in one of my most favourite places in the world. 

In 1980, the owners of the theme park, who also owned Blackpool's Pleasure Beach, had the most magnificent attraction installed. A 150 foot ferris wheel, the biggest big wheel in Europe, which could be seen for miles around, was introduced to help with the park's dwindling numbers of visitors and Morecambe's dwindling reputation. It was magnificent and people came from far and wide to appreciate it. Imagine being able to ride on the biggest big wheel in Europe, right there in Morecambe. 

I remember visiting the park for my interview, a few weeks before I moved. I have some great photos from that day. I remember going on that ride and how spectacular it was. People flocked to pay their money (it wasn't cheap to ride it) and soar above Morecambe and to witness the spectacular views of Morecambe Bay, the Central Pier and, over in the distance , The Lake District. Just breath-taking. 

What an asset. The biggest big wheel in Europe, attracting much needed visitors, with much needed revenue, to the area. But people complained. People who lived in the houses nearest to the park complained that the people on the ride were able to see inside their houses. ( You could actually see more by just walking past the houses from the street). But people complained. Not in our back yard. People complained so much that the Thompson family, who owned the park,  and who had installed the big wheel (biggest in Europe) had it taken down and shipped it off to (if my memory serves me correctly) San Francisco.

I take from this a number of things: when we aren't being appreciated for who we are and what we are capable of, we have the choice to move on. Equally, no matter how fabulous we are, there will always be someone who doesn't think that we are. Dita Von Teese famously said ' you can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world but there is still going to be someone who hates peaches'. 

Find your tribe. Be confident in yourself and your abilities. Make choices and changes. Move on.