You've got till 3pm today to look at plans for Weymouth Eye

There is still time for Weymouth people to get to the Hotel Prince Regent to take a look at an exhibition about a huge rotating viewing tower that could be built by Weymouth Pavilion.

The exhibition closes at 3pm today (Saturday June 18) - so there's still time for you to get along and have your say about what you think. The tower will cost £3 million and be built and paid for by Merlin Entertainments - the people who run the Sea Life Park. It will stand 53 metres tall on steel piles drilled into the seabed, and offer visitors panoramic views of our fabulous coastline.

If it gets planning permission next month, it could be built in time for the 2012 Olympic Games. The planning permission will be temporary, for five years only, and will let Merlin rent the space from Weymouth and Portland Borough Council throughout that time. It would be open all year round and stand in the corner of the Ferry Terminal car park. 

Sea Life Manager Craig Dunkerley, who would also be in charge of the new visitor attraction if it gets built at the other end of the seafront, will be on hand to give you more information if you need it. He pointed out that Merlin are going to build this tower anyway - so if Weymouth says no, somewhere else will get the benefit. To people who say they like the idea of the tower, but would prefer something more iconic like the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, he points out that the Spinnaker Tower experienced years and years of delays and technical hitches, plus was part-funded by taxpayers. So come on Weymouth! Say yes to the Weymouth Eye! Don't let the Pavilion site be an eyesore forever!

There is also tea and coffee on offer for visitors as they browse round the exhibition. It has a nice simple layout, with easy to understand information panels and lots of space to walk around.