Welcome

[Nick]

Welcome to the Save Dreamland Campaign Forum. Feel free to post any comments or questions about the campaign here. What do you think of the news that Dreamland is to close with the loss of the Scenic Railway roller coaster? Do you support this campaign? Do you have any questions? Post them here.

Nick

[Fraser]

Nick, could you fill us in on what having listed status does to the chances of the Scenic Railway remaining.
It would be a sin if Margate council allowed this beauty to be demolished. Surely they have the law against them now?

[Nick]

All that listed building status does is makes it a criminal offence to alter or demolish the ride without first getting listed building consent. If the ride is demolsihed without this consent, the owner receives a hefty fine and/or prison sentence. Listed building consent is given by the local authority (in this case Thanet District Council), but they have to inform English Heritage, who can object. English Heritage can also ask the Secretary of State to 'call-in' the application to take the decision out of the council's hands if they feel that certain procedures have not happened, or if they feel that the merits of the structure need to be considered further at an inquiry. In this case, we are talking about a completely unique structure, so there is a high chance that this will happen, if the council gives in too easily to the developers. I am talking to the key people locally, regionally and nationally. We have a lot of support at the 'professional' level, but we do have a few ill-informed elected members still to deal with.

It might be necessary to call-in this application, as the council seems to have overlooked a number of key stages in the process, most notably the requirement for the owner to advertise the freehold of the site on the open market at a reasonable price (i.e. one that doesn't reflect the additional development value that would have been paid by Stadium). They haven't done this. The Council seems to be moving straight to a consultation on new uses for the site. There are a number of other helpful provisions within listed building legislation and policy which will be helpful to those who want to see the ride and the park remain for the benefit of Margate and its visitors.

I will be monitoring progress very closely and informing all campaign members of any relevant news and when to write letters, etc. We have influential people 'on the ground' in Margate lobbying decision-makers on behalf of the campaign as well. I am very happy with the way the campaign has gone so far as we seem to have got our message through to a number of key people. We intend to keep the pressure on!

If anybody has any other questions, please feel free to ask.

[Gary]

Firstly, congratulations Nick on the new-look forums..Joyland Books appears to be going from strength to strength!
I like many others have been following the Dreamland debacle very closely since Nick gave an interview in March 2002 to Bits of the Beach and I can only echo the sentiments of many by saying how appalled I am at the situation.
..It is the way in which the Thanet council have acted in all this that has appalled me more than anything else.
Businessmen do business and make money..Usually by planning in advance..Someone has stood by and allowed the situation to get to the stage it already has knowing what was on the cards..Why?..What's in it for them?
The way the council has curled up with cat like unconciousness and opened an eye in surprise only when someboy has prodded them is amateurish in the extreme. This is in marked contrast to the way both Sarah and yourself Nick have responded and led from the front.
News today that Roger LLoyd Pack ("Trigger" from Only Fools and Horses) has joined the campaign can only enhance the chances of success... But of course success also relies on EVERYONE with an interest in preserving Dreamland to write to Thanet Council.
I know I am only repeating what has already been said but by repeating ourselves over and over I really do believe some middle ground will be found.

http://themagiceye.shorturl.com

[darren]

i think it is a shame that it has to go it has been there for ages

[noddy]

While it is encouraging to see people taking an interest in the future of Dreamland, I do feel that there are other far-reaching consequences that the loss of the park will bring about. For example, we all know that the Scenic Railway is a listed structure and deserves special consideration, but Margate stands to lose so much more. Jobs are at stake, Margate's primary tourist attraction will no longet be there to bring in tourist money, so vital to a community that still relies so heavily on it's summer trading. Thanet cannot continue to be paraded as Kent's "Leisure Coast". Jimmy Godden has already put pay to Ramsgate's Pleasurama, as with him now closing Dreamland, he has ultimately ended the tourist trade for Thanet single-handedly. The loss of such a well established tourist attraction as Dreamland will effectively be the last nail in the coffin of Thanet as a tourist-friendly place.

Noddy
www.undergroundkent.co.uk

[Hairy Vince]

It's 3 years since this posting...amazing how views just don't change about Mr G?!?!
PS Noddy - We love ya!

[Scotchie]

Fancy seeing you on here Noddy ! You talk sense - I spent many-a-day in Pleasurama (usually on the way to a certain tunnel) and at Dreamland, and I'm sure the youth of today is missing out by having neither site open any more.

I think I mentioned before, it wasn't that long ago that we used to drive out of Thanet in the summer to see queues of cars all the way up the old Thanet Way to Herne Bay. People would come back here, expecially if such thing as the massive Big Wheel was there again (why did they sell that )

[Neil]

OK, here's some questions
There has been talk of running another Dreamland Convention this summer, are these plans still alive?
How much money has the campaign raised and how is it to be used?
Cheers