Joyland Books

I have been working in Margate over the past week and I parked my car in the Dreamland car park on Saturday morning. I took the opportunity to wander around the site a little and I could not believe my eyes - talk about self induced urban decay. It is really shocking! Rubbish everywhere; bits of rides lying about; a half full trailer for a lorry with the doors open; ticket booths with the doors flapping about; electric wires and cables strewn all over the place; in short - a disaster area!

How can a site that was that successful relatively recently be allowed to disentegrate at this rate. I vividly remember travelling from Pontypridd on a mystery trip by train in the 1970s. We had no idea where we were going and we ended up in Margate. (God knows how long it took!) Dreamland stuck in my memory ever since. Since I moved to SE London six years ago I have been back each year and observed its strangulation. It really is a sad pathetic sight now and one wonders whether there is any way out of this. I bloody hope that there is and the work done by the campaign is both impressive and inspiring. Please please may all their fantastic work bear fruit in the best way possible.

I also think that the Scenic R. should be put under armed guard. Strange things seem to happen to certain structures in Margate! Once that is gone there is considerably less hope.

If Godden is allowed to rip the guts out of a town's culture and heritage he wants shooting. Exactly how much money does he need anyway? The kind of asset stripping that is clearly gone on here in order to maximise profit out of land sale is scandalous and perverse.

I'll stop ranting now and just thank the campaign organisers and supporters for really getting under Godden's skin and keeping the park and its potential in the spotlight.

LONG MAY IT CONTINUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome Trevor,

May I just say that your sentiments re Dreamland's present condition are unfortunately the views of most on this Campaign. We can only "keep the faith" and hope that Thanet District Council see the light before it is too late for Thanet's continued tourism hopes. Without Dreamland the future for Margate surely looks very bleak, not to mention less inspiring to future generations of fun seekers, and of course, the young-at-heart like me!

By the year's end hopefully we will have a positive outcome on our Margate Local Plan Appeal we had in June this year and Dreamland's regeneration can begin with avengence. I'm not sure if you are aware but there is no lack of prospective new park operators waiting in the wings if continued tourism use status is rightly enforced on the Dreamland site.

I hope you can play a valued part in this Campaign Trevor, and a warm welcome aboard. Hope to meet you at the Scenic on a future ride.

Martin

Hi there,
I was also shocked at the state of Dreamland when I went to the nite in September.
All we can hope for is that Thanet District Council see sense and take control of the situation and make sure that Dreamland is back on track regardless of those who are trying to sell the site for personal gain.
I think I probably speak for most members when I say we can see past what Dreamland has become and see what Dreamland can be.........our main worry at the moment is an 'accidental' fire........
Anyway I'm behind Dreamland all the way...I believe we will have Dreamland up and running again, as said on an earlier post if I had the money I would buy it.....and make it the best for everyone.
Glad you've joined us
Lou