I Dream of Dreamland Event

[EAS]

I suspect that people will be possibly able to think that out for themselves, but sorry if anyone is confused.

Those who couldn't make it to the event should keep checking back to the News page this week, as we will be uploading the plans and drawings to the Heritage Amusement Park pages. In the meantime, here are some photographs of the event, courtesy of Justin Garvanovic of the European Coaster Club.

The new plans and pictures will of course, as it says, be added to the site as and when...

[JMT]

I'll second what Dave just said.

The plan currently shown on the website is the old concept version.
The plan that was shown at the event was the newer concept version that we created jointly with the architects at Levitt Bernstein.
We are finalizing the actual masterplan this week (it will be very close to the concept and feature all the secured rides).
As it is often the case with real technical plans, it will be quite sterile but, time permitting, I will try to produce a more user friendly version...

[EAS]

Some of us are quite happy reading real plans... it would be useful to see those too..

[Hairy Vince]

Sounds like I missed out on a great night there, fingers crossed the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight!

[Lou]

I have a few photos to put onto the site- can someone tell me how to do it - i know its probably very simple, but i have no idea!!!!

[porf]

Hi Lou,

There's a bit about it here : http://www.joylandbooks.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1716&highlight=photobucket

Essentially you need to already have them on a website and link to the address they are held at. You can't attach them directly from your computer to a post on the forum.

Suitable storaage sites include flickr, picasa, snapfish, photobucket, etc.

Drop me a PM or Email if you're still stuck. I have places I can store them if needed or can run through it better with you.

Cheers

[Nick]

All the drawings that were displayed at last Sunday's unveiling event are now on the website to view.

www.savedreamland.co.uk

And don't miss the News page which has been updated with lots of news.

[EAS]

Well, there's always one isn't there:

Nightmare

Dreamland Heritage plans, another big example of how Thanet wastes money, buying up rubbish from theme parks that have gone bust. Where do they think they are going to get the visitors from, apart from sentimentalists from the past, who won’t use it every day or every weekend. The young know what they can get elsewhere. The money could be used much better on something else. More planning incompetence, Thanet wins the award every time.
Adrian Ottley, Prospect Road, Birchington.

Now - remind me how much Thanet has spent on heritage rides exactly?



(It's all wonderful... )

[dave771]

Hi EAS, I was talking to Sarah about that letter this afternoon and a letter responding to that reader will be going to the Gazette to clear up a few incorrect points in his letter,

Dave

[Nick]

Yes, where do we start with that one?

Thanet wasting money: They haven't spent any money on these rides.

Buying up rubbish from theme parks that have gone bust: Which theme park was that then? Blackpool Pleasure Beach hasn't gone bust. Pleasureland and Ocean Beach have closed, but certainly did not go bust. They closed for redevelopment at a time (that does seem so long ago now) when seaside parks were closing pretty every few days due to their ridiculously inflated land values. Now that RBS has run away with its tale between its legs and HBOS is a distant memory, I don't think we will be seeing too many seaside parks close over the next couple of years.

Where will we get the visitors from: Well, from anybody who wants a great day out in the best seaside resort in southern England. And we will hopefully get a few people wanting to experience something they cannot experience anywhere else in the world.

More planning incompetence: I seem to remember that when the Council consulted the people of Thanet when they were compiling the Planning Brief for Dreamland, over 90% wanted the Scenic Railway kept and over 85% of people wanted an Amusement Park at Dreamland. Doing what the people want can hardly be called incompetence, can it?

[EAS]

The money could be used much better on something else.

Possibly he could tell us what... and what, exactly, he has done to try to provide that 'something else?



Ooh I hate it when people haven't any idea but are keen to spout about it anyhow.

(Mind it also irritated the hell out of me when Thanet asked that question about keeping the Scenic... PPG15 etc etc, a listed structure... thankfully those who responded must have known more of national planning policy than whoever designed that consultation?!)

The plans and drawing are so exciting... and the repair of the cinema frontage I hope will return it to what it looked like originally, with correct signage. It really is one of the great cinema buildings of the era,

http://home.btconnect.com/margatemuseum ... inemas.pdf

Dreamland Cinema, now an entertainment centre, was built in 1935 and designed by Iles, Leathart and Granger. It was the first example of an English cinema built in the style based on the Titania Palast of Berlin (1924) and used by Odeon from 1936. It is designed to an L-shaped plan and constructed of brick and faience panel walls over a steel frame. The front range includes a ground floor bar and first floor cafe whilst the L-wing originally comprised the cinema although it now houses cinema screens and a bingo. The first floor cafe partly retains the original small paned windows but also has later twentieth century windows. There is a cantilevered canopy above the ground floor and marble steps to the foyer. The interior entrance hall has a circular plan with a central octagonal oak pay desk. The ceiling has a stylised Greek key design and four reliefs's showing horses mounted by boys playing flutes. There are impressive stairways with bronze railings. The cinema foyers include a relief of a swimming girl, columned halls and curved light fittings. The auditorium has a proscenium arch and side panels decorated with gilt reliefs of Neptune and other Greek Gods. The original 1935 Compton Waterman theatre organ, was still in place in 1992.

http://pastscape.english-heritage.org.u ... id=1465136

I also love the modernist theme for the park buildings - I think it's the right era, really, which will sit well with the rides. Something faux 19th century wouldn't have done it.

http://www.seasidehistory.co.uk/architecture.html


(Can I get me mod gear out of the attic? Yoof culcha and all that... Mind I might have to lose a bit of weight in order for it all to fit now... )

[EAS]

A few cinema shots here:

http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gatew ... sourceID=3


http://willnicholls.fotopic.net/p41721066.html

Listing description in full:

http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gatew ... sourceID=5

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION
Dreamland Cinema is listed at Grade II* for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural: the cinema is an early example of the influence of German cinema design and sports both Expressionist and Art Deco influences. The tower is a particularly effective design, and was to prove influential on the design of Odeon cinemas.
* Decorative: the internal embellishment by Eric Aumonier and Laurence Bradshaw is of consistently high quality, and the overall decorative treatment, overseen by Walpole Champneys, is a very unusual essay in an Art Deco version of archaic Greek or Minoan style. This cinema retains notable bespoke sculpture, which is relatively unusual.
* Seaside context: Dreamland forms a very important part of Margate, one of Britain's oldest and most important seaside resorts. It is the most important addition to the town of the C20, and it brought a very successful Art Deco note to the Georgian and Victorian seafront.
* Group Value: Dreamland Cinema is closely linked with the listed and notable Scenic Railway. As such it forms part of a very significant entertainment complex, rivalled only by Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

[EAS]

More Dreamland:

http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gatew ... sourceID=2

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

All the new stuff on the main page is very exciting.
Squeaky wheel has gotten some grease after all. I can't imagine what it's taken locally to move the project this far. Amazing.
Thank you.

[Dorking]

I've been keeping a regular eye on the latest news on this site for the last few weeks - although there's a long way to go, it's clear that this is really going to happen.

Absolutely in love with the drawings and plans - it is going to be brilliant and I cannot wait.

Keep right on people