Sea Change Grant Application

The Save Dreamland Campaign was launched by Joyland Books in January 2003 and is now supported by several thousand people. This is the place to discuss all aspects of saving Margate's famous amusement park and its iconic , Grade II listed Scenic Railway, Britain's oldest roller coaster.

Moderators: dave771, porf, Sarah

Postby Vince, Charlie and Sam » 21 May 2009, 17:37

sullee wrote:[ They opened a new art centre in West Bromwich just after i moved to this area and it hasnt taken a penny since it was opened.


Exactly what will happen with the Turner Centre, and yet again Margate will become a laughing stock. What on earth is this "attract a better class of visitor" nonsense all about?

The whole thing has been a fiasco from the word "go", and a huge waste of money. They were going to build it in the sea for years and they spent £11,000,000 before discovering that building it in the sea wasn't a very good idea, something my ten-year-old children could have told them for nothing.

The Turner Centre is going to become the most enormous embarrassment imaginable.
User avatar
Vince, Charlie and Sam
 
Posts: 922
Joined: 25 Aug 2003, 12:56
Location: Ramsgate.

Postby EAS » 21 May 2009, 21:19

Well, I would visit the Turner, I do visit galleries, I travel to see exhibitions I think are worth it. Indeed I visited Edinburgh last week to see - a Turner exhibition. I often travel hundreds of miles to see important exhibitions and collections. I know I'm not alone in that. I do think that a number of attractions together will be better in the long term for Margate. And love it or hate it, it is by an internationally known architect.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sec ... 139723&c=1


Let's not think either that the new Dreamland will be a tacky low rent affair, it won't. It's going to be a quality attraction, to appeal to a wide range of people.

Let's also recall that when the Turner was first considered (and it's other people's long term dream project) Dreamland was still running, under private ownership, and the Dreamland Heritage Park is a bit of a late arrival on the Margate scene, brought about by a set of circumstances which were not easy to forsee. The cash spent on the Turner couldn't simply be handed over to the owners of Dreamland.
Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: Rule 76. Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.
User avatar
EAS
 
Posts: 1886
Joined: 18 Sep 2006, 09:09
Location: North

Postby EAS » 21 May 2009, 22:03

PS I don't think the Turner will be remotely like Alsop's The Public in West Brom, which many thought a mistake from the outset. The Turner will be a gallery, with changing exhibitions, as far as I am aware. If it can get the exhibitions right, it will attract visitors.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3115788

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3133492

There's a history of the Turner here:

http://www.ihbc.org.uk/context_archive/ ... _Page1.htm

OK now out of date (written in 2003) as far as the building goes, but as can be seen, it's been in the planning for a long time.

Regeneration means different things to different people. Increasingly it must address quality of life issues. I believe that culturally led regeneration can and does work. But there are no quick fixes and it has to be part of a total package for an area. The Turner Centre on its own cannot change attitudes, create new opportunities and reinvent a place. We have to work together with many different partners to provide a package that is right for Margate and East Kent.
Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: Rule 76. Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies.
User avatar
EAS
 
Posts: 1886
Joined: 18 Sep 2006, 09:09
Location: North

Postby Cheryl » 22 May 2009, 13:05

When we were last in Margate in February,we went into the Droit House and had a little chat with a member of staff. She said they are hoping to have an original Turner on display at all times. There was a model of what the site will look like on completion, it includes a cafe/restaurant with panoramic sea views, that alone will be worth a visit.

My girls have got involved with art projects there and have really enjoyed themselves, so it's not all bad. I hope that it will be successful, it's a case of 'wait and see' I suppose. Anyway, I wish it luck!
Cheryl
Cheryl
 
Posts: 210
Joined: 04 Jul 2003, 13:04
Location: Birmingham

Previous

Return to Save Dreamland Campaign Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 38 guests

cron