Waiting for a report?

[Bob]

Well with no reply from Bob in almost a week, you could well be right. The possibility of Bob being involved with Jimmy Godden has been raised before on the forum.

Vince.

The fundermental objective is to save Dreamland.We have to accept that it can never be what it was in the 1970's. In its current form Dreamland is just not finiancially viable. A fixed site fairground might make money for at most 10 weeks out of 52. The site is also to small and to close to residential property to be turned into a major them park. One has to find ways to may the site reasonably viable over 12 months of the year. One approach could be to put some of the rides undercover. Another concept that might work is to put a small shopping village on part of the site. Perhaps as well in Winter a part of the site could be used for Car boot sales etc. It could be set up to vary the mix as well so in Summer there could be more rides etc and in Winter more shoppping

[porf]

"Bob" - Why quote Vince and then ignore the question he raised? How about letting us know your interest in the campaign?

To respond to your comments about a Seaside park needing to be multi-purpose, this is not necessarily true - for example I don't see Southend's Adventure Island running boot fairs or building a shopping village.

Hmm, I can see why people are suspicious of your interest in the campaign - "Shopping village" sounds remarkably similar to the developers plans.

[jmace9]

Well with no reply from Bob in almost a week, you could well be right. The possibility of Bob being involved with Jimmy Godden has been raised before on the forum.

Vince.

The fundermental objective is to save Dreamland.We have to accept that it can never be what it was in the 1970's. In its current form Dreamland is just not finiancially viable. A fixed site fairground might make money for at most 10 weeks out of 52. The site is also to small and to close to residential property to be turned into a major them park. One has to find ways to may the site reasonably viable over 12 months of the year. One approach could be to put some of the rides undercover. Another concept that might work is to put a small shopping village on part of the site. Perhaps as well in Winter a part of the site could be used for Car boot sales etc. It could be set up to vary the mix as well so in Summer there could be more rides etc and in Winter more shoppping

Bob there is no need for shopping village or a car boot sale. I went down to southend at the weekend and adventure island was about half full i was also told the park will be open all winter. Now this must pay other wise they would not open. Margate does need investment and i feel things like xmas lights and investment in the run down shops and of course someone like adventure islands owner running dreamland would make margate the place it used to be. The main problem godden has had is he had one thing in his mind and that was (close the park and sell to property developers).

GET RID OF GODDEN AND ALL HIS ASSOCIATES AND MARGATE WILL BE SAFE !!!!

JOHN

[Stephen]

As a very regular watcher of this forum but rarely a poster I have to come on and comment about Bob. I cant really work out what purpose there is to his continuing arguments. This has all been said before by the owners / developers … well they would wouldn’t they. He is far too shy to admit who he is or who pays him and if they don’t he’s missing a great opportunity, he should get on the payroll.
His views aren’t that of Campaign members so why try and convince us unless the whole idea is for others, who may monitor this site, to be impressed. Harsh things have been said on here about the Council but I have more faith in them than to believe they will disregard the planning system, the outcomes of a public inquiry …. having been overcome by postings from Bob.

[dave771]

If I could just point out to Bob and others who may be interested, a park can succeed all year round under the correct management, Mr Godden had owned the Folkestone park for many years so if he knows that fun parks only make money 10 weeks out of 52 why the hell did he buy the Dreamland site? what was on this post I have now edited as they are my personal feelings about Mr Godden and not that of the campaigns, an amount based on the sites value was offered to Mr Godden but refused so why make remarks like form a company and buy it yourselves when an offer has already been made? As you know so much Bob tell us what Mr Godden would accept as a reasonable offer for the site?

[Bob]

Well with no reply from Bob in almost a week, you could well be right. The possibility of Bob being involved with Jimmy Godden has been raised before on the forum.

Vince.

The fundermental objective is to save Dreamland.We have to accept that it can never be what it was in the 1970's. In its current form Dreamland is just not finiancially viable. A fixed site fairground might make money for at most 10 weeks out of 52. The site is also to small and to close to residential property to be turned into a major them park. One has to find ways to may the site reasonably viable over 12 months of the year. One approach could be to put some of the rides undercover. Another concept that might work is to put a small shopping village on part of the site. Perhaps as well in Winter a part of the site could be used for Car boot sales etc. It could be set up to vary the mix as well so in Summer there could be more rides etc and in Winter more shoppping

Bob there is no need for shopping village or a car boot sale. I went down to southend at the weekend and adventure island was about half full i was also told the park will be open all winter. Now this must pay other wise they would not open. Margate does need investment and i feel things like xmas lights and investment in the run down shops and of course someone like adventure islands owner running dreamland would make margate the place it used to be. The main problem godden has had is he had one thing in his mind and that was (close the park and sell to property developers).

GET RID OF GODDEN AND ALL HIS ASSOCIATES AND MARGATE WILL BE SAFE !!!!

JOHN

GET RID OF GODDEN AND ALL HIS ASSOCIATES AND MARGATE WILL BE SAFE !!!!
[quote]

A somewhat naive response. In the end anything on the Dreamland site has to be financially viable. Adventure Island is a very much smaller site then Dreamland and far closer to a much larger catchment area then Dreamland. I fail to see what you would gain by your approach. Dreamland in it current form has seen falling attendence year on year for the past 30 years. What you have at present is a handfull of Supporters and I mean a handfull you can probably count them on two hands. Hardly enough to make a viable business of Dreamland.

If you believe that in its current form that Dreamland is a viable business put your money where your mouth is and form a company to buy and run the site.

You have to be realistic. You have to have a sound and viable business plan. I have seen nothing on this forum other then people dreaming of the past.

To Save Dreamland you have to have a viable approach and strategy. Thats something thats sadly lacking. Its all based on assuming someone will take on a lose making venture on a poor site with limited potential.

At present the site is more likely to be just left empty if it cannot be run on a viable basis. Just look at how few people went to Dreamland this year. It hardly says a lot for the Campaign that so few people visited it. On most days the attndences never went above 3 figures.

To be a Business it has to make a profit. No profit equals no Business equals no Dreamland. A harsh fact that most people here want to ignore or somehow dream it will be profitable. If there were money to be made people would be queuing upto buy it but there is no queue .

[vince69619]

The fact that Bob has acknowledged that he has been asked to answer the question of his motives, and just ducks the question with more negative proposals suggests to me that his motives for being on the board are not the same as the rest of us on here.

You will notice that I am not being abusive or in anyway personal (I have no idea who Bob is), all I am asking is...

Who is Bob and why is he here?

Vince.

[vince69619]

Ok, I am going to answer two points.

1) Dreamland is not a viable option in it's current state.
Hello, that might be because it's a parking lot with a Unique rollercoaster and nothing much else. No this isn't a viable park because there is almost nothing there, but selling to Mr Miller who spends millions on these things called rides and attractions turns this situation around.

The Dreamland Campaign is not responsible for the number of people attending a poor show of a travelling fair that refused to advertise and was closed as often as it was open. Funny enough people don't tend to go back again for a second wasted visit. This years opening was a put up job designed to show the park as not viable. Only the bare minimum was done to make the place appear open, when in fact as much as possible was done to make it unlikely that the place would be attended by the public.

2) Only 10 weeks in a year?
Well you had better let Mr Disney know about that, have you been to Disney in the winter? They make a big thing of this event called Christmas, it goes on for about 12 weeks in Disney Parks in the cold and rain. Now Dreamland may not have the pull of Disney right now, but a bit of imagination and advertising (there's a new idea, why didn't they do that this year, advertise, oh yes, because they wanted to show it wouldn't work).

Ok so I can do sarcasm when answering blinkered points of view that are quoted as the only possible facts.

Vince.
I have answered his stupid points - Nick hit the barred button on a Mr G supporter.

[Sarah]

Vince - our very own Jeremy Paxman. You keep on asking that same question until you get an answer mate!

And if there is no answer, maybe we should all leave Bob to talk to himself. He's got his dreams of shopping villages and car boot sales to keep him company through the long winter nights.

Sarah

[vince69619]

Hi Sarah,

Thanks, I think we have the answer, Bob's not on here as a supporter, so he must be a spy.

How busy is a car boot likely to be in the rain and cold? Unless under cover don't these occur in the summer in general?
The phrase 'not viable' would seem to apply just as much if not more. Sellers and buyers are under no contract to remain, at least theme park operatives are, so even if the riders thin out, there will be something for the punters to do.

Vince.

[Bob]

Ok, I am going to answer two points.

1) Dreamland is not a viable option in it's current state.
Hello, that might be because it's a parking lot with a Unique rollercoaster and nothing much else. No this isn't a viable park because there is almost nothing there, but selling to Mr Miller who spends millions on these things called rides and attractions turns this situation around.

The Dreamland Campaign is not responsible for the number of people attending a poor show of a travelling fair that refused to advertise and was closed as often as it was open. Funny enough people don't tend to go back again for a second wasted visit. This years opening was a put up job designed to show the park as not viable. Only the bare minimum was done to make the place appear open, when in fact as much as possible was done to make it unlikely that the place would be attended by the public.

2) Only 10 weeks in a year?
Well you had better let Mr Disney know about that, have you been to Disney in the winter? They make a big thing of this event called Christmas, it goes on for about 12 weeks in Disney Parks in the cold and rain. Now Dreamland may not have the pull of Disney right now, but a bit of imagination and advertising (there's a new idea, why didn't they do that this year, advertise, oh yes, because they wanted to show it wouldn't work).

Ok so I can do sarcasm when answering blinkered points of view that are quoted as the only possible facts.

Vince.
I have answered his stupid points - Nick hit the barred button on a Mr G supporter.

2) Only 10 weeks in a year?
Well you had better let Mr Disney know about that, have you been to Disney in the winter? They make a big thing of this event called Christmas, it goes on for about 12 weeks in Disney Parks in the cold and rain. Now Dreamland may not have the pull of Disney right now, but a bit of imagination and advertising (there's a new idea, why didn't they do that this year, advertise, oh yes, because they wanted to show it wouldn't work).

Not a good example. Disnyland Paris has made heavy losses ever since it has opened. Disny have tried to sell it a couple of times but had no takers. It remains under the threat of closure. So I am afraid it not a success story and that for a site that has had very heavy investment in it. It shows how difficult it is to make money from thee venture in a cold north european climate. For less money you can go to Disnyland in California and be guaranteed good weather. This is another reason why Disnyland Paris has not been a success.

[vince69619]

Same tactic again Bob, don't answer the question people want answered, answer something else.

Vince.

[porf]

Taxi for Bob !

[David Ellis]

What you have at present is a handfull of Supporters and I mean a handfull you can probably count them on two hands. Hardly enough to make a viable business of Dreamland.

You were obviously not at the Save Dreamland Convention then...two hands? We half-filled a theatre!

David.

[ricardobugsy]

I see that Philip Millers Adventure Island in Southend is open EVERY weekend throughout the winter (except Xmas weekend). Also all week
during half-term at the end of February. I have just checked on their website.

I believe that this conclusively proves that it is possible to make ANY park viable for much more than 10 weeks a year providing it is run well.