What happened to the fair I remember? / Hello!

[Kellie]

Hello, My name is kellie

I'm 21 years old, and I live in Nottingham.
I have been watching these pages with interest and I am very pleased that there are people fighting for the fair I remember from my childhood.

As a child myself and my little sister (three years younger) lived in Gillingham in kent. My mother and father are divorced and at the time my father was in the navy. During his holidays my dad would come and pick us up, Margate was a local seaside town that was easy to reach by train and we would come and stay at one of the hotels for a weekend.

I remember my excitement the first time I ever came to Margate during the Bem Bom/ early Godden years, I could see a massive big wheel, as I came out of Margate train station!!

We went to the park the next day, and my sister Lucy and I were so happy, there was lots to see and do, We went on the heatwave ride (A giant reddy/orange planet with swings on{?}) We went on the scenic railway over and over again, and sat at the top of the big wheel with the wind blowing our hair wildly feeling on top of the world!
We stayed all day in the park, trying out all the rides again and again before we finally went back to our hotel.

A few years later we returned, I was older but still excited about going back there and seeing my big wheel, and heatwave ride.
I was so upset when I saw what had become of the park when we got there I nearly cried. It was free entry and you now had to buy tokens to go on the rides, but where were the rides??
Apart from the precious scenic railway all the others had been taken away... We were left with a few like The enterprise, and the feeble apple caterpillar rollercoaster thing.
The rest of the park looked like a giant car park.


I think I must have gone round about the 1998 time looking at the wonderful photo section you have here...what a change!

I think what you are doing is fantastic, I cannot believe that Margate ceases to attract as many visitors. I really hope that the dreamland site is kept and looked after. Mr Webb seems to be doing quite a good job, and at least it is open this year.
I get the impression that the greedy council are looking to use the site as either a new road and/or some new housing...

I have been living in Nottingham for some time now, and have recently had my own little daughter Kaisha. My husband and I were looking forward to bringing her back to margate, (along with her proud grandad!!!) for lots of fun in the coming years. I hope she gets to see Dreamland as I remember it....if not better.

Well done, and if I can help in any way please let me know!
Kellie
kelliemanic@hotmail.com

[Hairy Vince]

Hello Kellie!

So many people have memories like yours, and concerns that the future of Margate is just one big Tescos (which is why this campaign exists, to stop that happening!)

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Keep reading and get involved!

[Neil]

Keep reading and get involved!

The Jim has spoken (sorry that's not meant to be offensive, just my dry humour)
Seriously though that just about sums it all up. Proably the most efficient way to campaign if you have limited time is to 'join' (if you have not already done so) as then you get added to a mailing list where about once a month (sometimes more or sometimes less depending on what's going on) you should get an email telling you about how to help in things like consultations, objections to planning applications....it's a mixed bag really.

If you subscribe/have subscribed to this mailing list you get the main things, but ofcourse the ammount you can do to help is practically unlimited and there are often suggestions on the forum.
p.s. Should have said this earlier, welcome to the forum Kellie