Margate Masterplan!!!

[Lou]

Margate Masterplan!!!! Are we involved in this? This appears to be where we need to get moving - The Council are talking about the regeneration of Margate - Obviously we cannot sit here and do nothing, this is crucial, were is everyone? are we chasing up those who are interested in getting Dreamland up and running?
The following needs to be responded too, otherwise the futher for Dreamland is bleak...............
Leader of Thanet Council, Cllr. Richard Nicholson, said: “The most important thing is to get input from local people and organisations into the emerging masterplan and this will be a major part of the commission for this project. There are large development opportunities in Margate at present which, if developed in the right way, could create an exciting new future for the town.

[porf]

Hi Lou,

Nick added an item about this to the "Latest News" page today, not sure if you've seen it yet.

The council site has an online questionaire to complete with Question 5 being concerned with the scenic railway. The questionaire is linked to from Nick's item.

I'm also going to add a comment on the questionaire regarding the feasability of the scenic being moved. The council seem to be ignoring the fact that it's not really feasible.

Definately something we can and should all be completing and it should only take a couple of minutes.

[David Ellis]

I have just completed the questionaire. I think the question regarding the Scenic Railway is written in a away that suggests that Dreamland will be redeveloped.
I have added to my submission that, based on the success of last year, that Dreamland has proven to be a viable business proposition, and should be run under a new owner with the Scenic Railway at its heart.

David.

[Nick]

A members update will be going out over the next couple of days with more details on the Masterplan.

It appears from the way the questionnaire and the masterplan are worded that it has already been decided that Dreamland is to be redeveloped and that nobody's views therefore matter. Question 5 is unacceptably "loaded", and we will be writing to the Council on behalf of the Campaign to tell them that.

The main question that the consultants should have considered is whether having a major amusement park is good or bad for Margate as a seaside resort. If it was found to be good for Margate (which of course it is), they should have then considered whether it is a realistic proposition or just a pipe dream. If they had looked into that, they would have seen that it was most definitely realistic as established operators arer lining up to buy the park and invest millions of pounds in it. We have met with them. As it stands, this masterplan will result in Margate getting a few extra houses, a car park and a "public space". How many visitors will that draw to the town?

The Masterplan is, at first glance, seriously flawed. Question 5, which of course we all must answer, is extremely poorly worded, and does suggest that our opinions don't matter.

Sarah and I will be taking this up with the council.

Nick

[Cheryl]

My parents have just returned to Birmingham armed with the questionnaires which have been filled out and posted. I have also completed the on-line version.

My mom did say she felt very concerned regarding Dreamland and the way the questionnaire is written. Particularly as she was speaking with 'a lady' who is connected with various committees at the council. This lady confirmed that Dreamland will close it is a 'done deal, money talks' I believe were the words used. Very worrying indeed. The fight goes on!

[coasternutter]

I too have done my on line questionarie. I said that I thought that the question was loaded and assumed that Dreamland did not exist.
I went on to explain that the council were guilty of letting a thriving business, that brought Millions of visitors to Thanet,be allowed to be run down and its assets sold off over a number of years.
That they should have done something to stop that happening and by neglecting to do so had brought themselves and the people of Thanet into the mess that they now find themselves. No redevelopment should even be considered for the area. They must face facts and realise that they are responsible for messing up and that the only way to win back the support of the people of Thanet is by backing the sale of Dreamland as a going concern as a theme park.

[Graeme]

Couple of questions for Nick, please. They are probably naive, but I'd honestly like to know the answers to them!

1) Is Thanet District Council aware there are amusement park operators (two?) willing to take on the site? I know their identities are confidential, but have you named them to the Council?

2) Have these companies contacted the Council themselves, stating they want to takeover the Dreamland site? I don't see how the Council can ignore this!

[Nick]

I can confirm that the Council is aware of the serious operator interest. In fact, both operators have (separately) met with senior Council representatives and confirmed their interest to the Council in person. We know this because we set the meetings up and have attended several meetings with the council and with the operators ourselves! Both operators have already invested a significant amount of time and money on this (as have some members of this campaign), and I know that they feel disappointed that the Masterplan not only ignores their interest, it actually states that the park would not be viable and completely dismisses the continuation of an amusement park!

We await the outcome of this public 'consultation' with interest (I place consultation in inverted commas, because I do think the questionnaire is something of a sham!)...

Nick

[Ian]

On line questionnaire filled in and a postal one is in the post as we speak! Getting loads of friends to put their post code on the online one so that we can get our opinion across!

Ian

[Neil]

Does anyone know how many people have writen to Thanet District Council supporting Dreamland? I'm also wondering wether they've commented about the ammount of signictures in the Scenic Railway guest book.

[Graeme]

Thanks Nick. I ended up putting this:

I strongly feel the Scenic Railway must remain in its current location and Dreamland must remain an amusement park. There are...companies interested in acquiring the site...and I feel they should be given a chance to provide Margate with a tourist attraction, even if the current owner does not wish to do so. As a resident of Essex, Dreamland is the only reason I have ever visited Margate, and the only reason I would in the future. Promotion of Dreamland in Essex has been non-existent throughout the 1990s and 2000s, therefore people wouldn't even realise it existed. I echo the Save Dreamland Campaign's assertion that the amusement park is currently capable of attracting 700,000 visitors and 1.5 million when properly invested-in and advertised, which is more than enough for a seaside amusement park of this type.

If only someone had saved the Steel Stella. Hopefully, the Scenic Railway won't become an asset the people of Margate will look back on and wish they still had.

[porterm]

Dear all,

I have just posted the following on the final comments section of TDC's Master Plan public response;

"I am very concerned that there appears to be no real emphasis to retain the historic Dreamland amusement park and its internationally important Grade II listed Scenic Railway attraction. The Council must surely be fully aware of potential willing new operators that are keen to totally transform the park into a first class 21st century tourist attraction, with heavy investment. This would include annual re-investments in further new amusement park attractions. The park has proven itself to attract more than sufficient visitors, even in its former run-down state for the 2003 season.

I am a member of the Save Dreamland Campaign, and partook in last September's "Roaring 20's Night" we co-organised to raise critical funds for our cherished Scenic Railway. Many of us have devoted considerable manhours to publicise the fight for Dreamland's continued existence. We are all highly emotionally involved in this Campaign and will not rest until a secure future is found for this world-renowned attraction. The park is the only sizeable amusement park in the whole county of Kent. I believe it would be criminal to lose such a facility for future generations. As Tesco might say "once it's gone, it's gone". I sincerely hope this will not have to be the defining legacy for future generations to reflect on.

I am committed to this Campaign, and as such will be attending the Informal Hearing of the Thanet Local Plan on June 30, 2004".

(Just thought I'd let everyone know, having just met the deadline!)

Martin

[coasternutter]

[quote="Graeme Cassidy"]
Promotion of Dreamland in Essex has been non-existent throughout the 1990s and 2000s, therefore people wouldn't even realise it existed. I echo the Save Dreamland Campaign's assertion that the amusement park is currently capable of attracting 700,000 visitors and 1.5 million when properly invested-in and advertised, which is more than enough for a seaside amusement park of this type.

I live in Herne Bay(20 miles from Margate and a little further from Folkestone) and up to a couple of years ago there were leaflets available for Dreamland and the Rotunda at my local Tourist Information. But nothing for the last 2 years.
However Peter Pans Playground now Adventure Island in Southend had leaflets available then and still have today, and their attendemce still continues to go up.
I feel that says a lot about the parks respective owners

[porf]

Well I have another gripe about the masterplan questionaire

I started with a well constructed argument similar to those above. I had typed it up earlier in a text editor ready to paste in. The online questionaire form however stated that there was a maximum of 600 characters, leaving me spending quite a while cutting down from around 1800 characters to 600.

I now see others have put in excess of 600 characters in. I do hope the council will not be truncating their replies, and am annoyed that I had to make mine resemble a "txt msg" to fit it in (losing several good points in the process).

[Graeme]

Herne Bay is great! I loved it when I went there in 2002. There was a machine that you put coins in and animatronic television characters sprung to life from behind doors. I also liked the interesting walk-through pavilion. A very nice resort.

We did used to get the Bembom Bros leaflets up here in Essex, in the 1980s, which was what alerted me to the presence of the place and made me go! Nothing throughout the 90s though. It was only in 2001 that I was reminded of Margate, via the internet. The trouble is, I'd never have known what rides were there if I didn't read and post on coaster enthusiast boards. New rides and theming, and advertising and promotion is needed!