Joyland Books

by **Sarah** » 12 Apr 2006, 22:10

Well, the local Visitor Information Centres are now saying that Dreamland will not be open for Easter, which I guess just confirms what we have suspected for a while.

Let's hope George will be ready for May Day.

Sarah

by **cliffc** » 13 Apr 2006, 08:32

Sarah wrote:Well, the local Visitor Information Centres are now saying that Dreamland will not be open for Easter, which I guess just confirms what we have suspected for a while.

Let's hope George will be ready for May Day.

Sarah

Hi Sarah

Yes it confirms what we all suspected thay are going to not open for the 1st major weekend of the holiday season and then probely claim that the whole thing is not viable to attempt to prove there point, I bet you wont find any other seaside Amusement park or theme park that is not open this weekend, or for that matter any other attraction at any seaside resort, looks like another easter weekend with next to no visitors for Margate as thay will have nothing to do, I bet the people of Southend are rubbing there hands together at this news as it will mean more visitors for there town over the weekend.
This is another example of why Dreamland needs an opereator who beleves dreamland can make a profit and will run it in such away as it can make a profit, and as a striange side effect will actually bring those strainge things that the TDC dont seem to want in the town Visitors.

Cliff C

by **Nick** » 13 Apr 2006, 08:52

I was at Adventure Island yesterday, which was doing a roaring trade. All rides were operating and the place looked fantastic. It is a shame that Margate can't boast a similar attraction for this Easter.

by **cliffc** » 13 Apr 2006, 14:58

Nick wrote:I was at Adventure Island yesterday, which was doing a roaring trade. All rides were operating and the place looked fantastic. It is a shame that Margate can't boast a similar attraction for this Easter.

Hi Nick

And i fear while the current owners are in charge of Dreamland and the current administration is in charge of the TDC, Margate wont have such an attraction, it would seem the TDC seem to have an allergy to visitors to the town, or thay dont seem to see a need for such things in a seaside town ( well thay seem to be doing every thing to make sure thay dont come). or if thay do beleve in visitors thay dont seem to think that thay want attractions to entertain them once thay have arrived (unless the TDC think shopping is all visitors want to do), Lets hope the forthcoming local elections sees a change in the current ruleing party to one that beleves in the town surveing as a seaside town with vistors

CLiff c

by **David Ellis** » 13 Apr 2006, 20:36

The forthcoming elections are not really THAT forthcoming, more like fifthcoming (bad joke!)...they are in May 2007 (Thanet elect all their councillors every four years, not in thirds, as is commonplace in many other authorities.

Next spring may be too late to influence the future.

David.

by **ricardobugsy** » 14 Apr 2006, 07:02

How can they say Dreamland is not viable when it doesn't even open at Easter - the busiest weekend of the year.

How many years is that in a row - at least three!

by **Tony P** » 14 Apr 2006, 11:11

George's current run of advertisements in World's Fair has now changed to 'ground to let May-September'

I can't believe things couldn't be ready for Easter. There was plenty of time when George decided to 'run' the site. As we all know it doesn't take that long to set up a traveling fair. There needs to be more momentum in actually believing in making the site work.....so far no sign of that!

By the way there is another advert in this week World's Fair from.....Harry Ayres - his drop tower (at dreamland last year) is up for sale (£250K)..... any rich people out there feel like donating it to Dreamland?

Oh well I'm off to see relatives in Clacton.... I'm sure the Pier is ready for Easter!

by **porterm** » 14 Apr 2006, 12:39

Tony, I completely agree with your sentiments there. I think the present situation only really serves to reinforce what I think most of us here already know regarding the real reason to delay Dreamland's traditional Easter opening. (It doesn't really take much of an IQ!)

Also, in the run-up to Easter, London's Choice FM ran a couple of weeks promoting London's upcoming funfairs all across London. They gave away selected fair wristbands as prizes to their breakfast show callers on a themed competition. Quite imaginative I thought for my current favourite station. (I was almost tempted to call in!)

Another missed opportunity for Margate sadly. I guess the Big Wheel will be its solitary attraction over the Easter period (assuming they bother to run that). I sincerely hope that these events are logged by the local Council when they cast their judgement at the season end this year.

Martin

by **Bob** » 14 Apr 2006, 14:11

Tony P wrote:George's current run of advertisements in World's Fair has now changed to 'ground to let May-September'

I can't believe things couldn't be ready for Easter. There was plenty of time when George decided to 'run' the site. As we all know it doesn't take that long to set up a traveling fair. There needs to be more momentum in actually believing in making the site work.....so far no sign of that!

By the way there is another advert in this week World's Fair from.....Harry Ayres - his drop tower (at dreamland last year) is up for sale (£250K)..... any rich people out there feel like donating it to Dreamland?

Oh well I'm off to see relatives in Clacton.... I'm sure the Pier is ready for Easter!

George has tried extremely hard to let pitches on the site. There is next to no interest. The recurring statement being made is there is no demand in Margate for a fairground.

At this stage it is looking very unlikely that Dreamland will open in May.

by AJ » 14 Apr 2006, 14:31

Bob you are BORING!!!!

by **Sarah** » 14 Apr 2006, 16:15

You'll find little demand in Margate for a half-baked travelling fair, with surly staff and erratic opening hours (as we experienced last season). I don't think there'd be much demand for one of these anywhere though. Harry Ayres' tenure was bound to do some damage, although I hope it hasn't wiped out all the good work and goodwill of the Wallis family, whose fair worked well enough for them to want to return. They simply made the mistake of saying so in public.

We have had quite a busy Good Friday at the Grotto; three times as busy as last year, but then Easter was ridiculously early in 2005. There are tourists in the town, I can vouch for that.

Of course I hope that George can pull it together and open in May. I have offered mine and the Campaign's help. I have offered to meet up with George and Kevin Lodge (you doubtless know about that Bob) to help to generate publicity and visitors. The offer's still there.

Sarah

by **David Ellis** » 14 Apr 2006, 16:29

Bob wrote:The recurring statement being made is there is no demand in Margate for a fairground.

This is true - the demand is, of course, for a properly-run amusement park with some major investment - something that Phillip Miller would gladly buy-in to.

If only the council would change it's Local Plan as the Inspector recommended, and the site was made available to purchase at the proper price for amusement park land.

Sadly, with the council apparently committed to allowing the site to be developed, the future of Margate looks bleak!

David.

by **Vince, Charlie and Sam** » 14 Apr 2006, 17:12

Bob wrote:George has tried extremely hard to let pitches on the site. There is next to no interest.

How do you know?

by **Nick** » 14 Apr 2006, 18:58

Bob wrote:
George has tried extremely hard to let pitches on the site. There is next to no interest. The recurring statement being made is there is no demand in Margate for a fairground.

That is not what I hear - as I understand it, there are other reasons for there being no travelling fair on Dreamland this Easter.

However, sadly I see few people getting excited over a temporary fairground in Margate. When you look at what is happening over in Southend - a truly fantastic visitor attraction, run to the same standards as a major American theme park (I was there on Wednesday and I am not exaggerating) - a travelling fair of the sort that can be seen in any town up and down the country just ain't going to turn Margate around. It would be nice to see it open, as that would hopefully mean the Scenic Railway runs, but that is not what this campaign is about.

by **Vince, Charlie and Sam** » 14 Apr 2006, 19:08

Bob wrote: The recurring statement being made is there is no demand in Margate for a fairground.

In 1976 in Woolwich, where I lived at the time, there was no demand for a restaurant which opened in the evening selling foreign food. But somehow, McDonalds managed to make a fist of it.

There's a good profit to be made running Dreamland as an amusement park. The fact that the profit might be greater building casinos or houses is neither here nor there.

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