'Take a flying jump': hotels fume over bungee

Two top Cape Town hotels’ worst nightmare is about to descend on them – from a dizzying height.

Last week the City of Cape Town approved a 50m bungee-jumping tower at the V&A Waterfront despite objections from the nearby Cape Grace and Victoria & Alfred hotels.

They said jumpers’ screams would be unbearable for their guests and the structure would be unsightly.

Cape Grace managing director Sandy Pollard said the tower – across the water in the Clock Tower Precinct – would threaten the hotel’s business. Their “extremely discerning and particular” guests “would be subjected to constant screaming and noise pollution”.

Andy Nold, general manager of the V&A Waterfront Hotel,: “We already have the buskers and general piazza noise to contend with … ”

But the city council approved the proposal after the operators – who also run the 216m Bloukrans Bridge bungee at Tsitsikamma on the Garden Route – said only one in 20 jumpers screams, and “when they do it’s not a loud scream as they almost lose their voice”.

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