Jim Douglas Jr

[Bob]

Can you please explain what experience you have personally in running a park such as this, because you see Phillip Miller who IS sucessfully running just such a park in the UK wants to put his money into Dreamland because HE says he can run it at a profit.

If all you have to base your opinion on is the words of Bob, then I am afraid you are being manipulated into thinking the way you are.

Please bear in mind that Bob has not had the decency to tell us who he is, so his statements cannot be backed up. And when we ask him to support his statements he never does. This is a man that keeps trying to say that there will be a tax burden on the people of Thanet if Dreamland is kept as a theme park, when in fact the park has no connection with the council beyond any planning permission that the current owners seek, so Dreamland is not going to be a burden on the tax payers.

The only reason the current owners are trying to say that the park is not viable is because the land goes up in value if it can be used for another purpose. They are trying to make lots of money and don't care if they ruin Margate's future viability.

Do you realise that in joining this forum you have agreed to be counted as a Supporter of the campaign.

If you want some respect on this forum, confirm Bob's true identity.

Vince.

This is untrue. The value of the land will make no difference as to whether Dreamland is viable or not. Profitability is if the Revenues exceed the Outgoings. The land will be an asset in the books

[AJ]

But are you surprised it may have been loosing money Bob in its current state of decline?

In you 'honest' opinion do you think the park has been well managed for the past 5/6 years?

Has 'Dreamland' been well marketed and how?

Was the park well invested in?

Please explain some answers to these questions and not just avoid them as you usually do.

[Sarah]

How do you feel about your friend James telling us of your conversations concerning the Scenic Bob?

I'd have a word in his shell-like if I were you; he's making you look even dafter than usual. Which is quite an accomplishment.

Sarah

[DaveD]

Bob:
The Inspector found no evidence that Dreamland was viable. He made personal coments that he thought it was viable. This is very different to evidence that it is viable. In fact the Inspector had acess to the books for Dreamland that clearly should it was loosing money. He chose not to comment on that though.

I'm sure the Inspector took into consideration the current state of the Theme Park and the purposeful decline in recent years through lack of investment and poor management through all the research that was avaliable to him.

It wouldn't have been rocket science to draw his own conclusions about the profitability of the park at a time when the owner had the good sense to keep it well maintained.

Crikey, sitting here at my works PC with Cold Coffee and a Digestive, contemplating going home to watch Jimmy Carr's 100 Greatest Spanners or whatever, i'm surprised at the level of controversy being metered out on the Sabbath.


Dave D

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

James/Bob,

Could I gently refer you to THIS?

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

I'm new here and already sick of hearing this.

Bob, everyone's quite aware that Dreamland needs some serious upgrades to be viable. it seems like you've missed that point somewhere.

It's unattractive and offers nothing a traveling fair doesn't.

There's no reason that with the grounds restored to green and the right mix of fun, food, and entertainment in place, Dreamland should't be the star of Thanet.

Until you get this through your apparently freakishly thick scull, there's no more point in arguing with you.
NOBODY here expects or wants Dreamland to remain open as it is. However, it does need to remian open if the changes and upgrades have any hope of coming to light.

[dave771]

As someone who attended the inquiry and has gone through every piece of evidence, from all parties, which JG was not one of them ! I can assure you that the inspector had no access to any figures for the park and that JG and friends did not officially enter any figures or evidence to the inquiry, so again Bob the words talking out of ones arse spring to mind again ! Personally I have no concerns with your or your friends comments on here as they amount to nothing every time.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

I picture Bob endlessly cruising porn sites when he's not here being whiny. Probably unkempt and with crumbs slopped all over himself and his keyboard, which he only leaves long enough to get more food.

Turn the computer off and go get some sunshine, Bob.

[AJ]

Jim, its March and we're in the UK, its freezing and there isn't a lot of sunshine yet!

[Susan]

Just to clarify once and for all for Bob's sake.

The, then, owners of Dreamland did not submit the books or indeed pther evidence to the Public Enquiry, until the matter was actually being dealt with. A letter was sent from a consultant acting for the owners which was not detailed. After discussion, in public, as part of the proceedings it was agreed that the Campaign would submit their observations on the letter, this was duly done, from memory I think we agreed to do it within 14 days. The letter did not contain any detailed information but generalities and comments.

The owners did not appear at the enquiry, they did not challenge the evidence of the Campaign nor did they submit any evidence, other than a letter.

In case Bob should have any doubts about whether I actually know what I am talking about I refer him to other parts of this site and he will note I did the advocacy on the day, Nick was there as our expert witness and Dave collard gave evidence about the Scenic Railway. Other members were also present to support us. Noticeably absent was any representation from Dreamland management.

Part of my function was to make the agreement about the letter.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Thank you for that, Susan.

That's helpful to the rest of us, too.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Just in case anyone cares what I might actually look like....
One of my other hobbies is jukeboxes. This is my 1971 Seeburg Firestar on location.

[DaveD]

Hi Jim,

Have to echo my chum Hairy Vince's sentiments when I say your postings make a great deal of sense and are always good reading.

I saw all the Herbie films growing up and loved them; would the Lindsay Lohan outing crush all my childhood memories in one hit?


Dave D

[Sarah]

I was about to apologise for going seriously off topic, but as this was originally a thread about Jim maybe I'm not after all...

I have a few abiding memories of childhood holidays to Thanet (I haven't always lived here). Dreamland, the Grotto and St Mildreds Bay are the ones that crop up most freqently in conversation, but just as resonant for me was the 'Herbie Beetle', as my childhood self called it, that used to be parked up (possibly atop a pile of abandoned cars in a breakers yard - my memory is slightly hazy) on the Manston road. I made my grandad drive past it on numerous occasions, just to catch a glimpse of the fabled Herbie. I honestly believed that this was the real deal, right here in Thanet, and no holiday was complete without a drive-by visit to Herbie.

But then, at about the same time (1979-ish), I was equally convinced that I had spotted Jim Rockford moonlighting as a window cleaner in Erith.

Sarah

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

I actually was invited to the world premier of Herbie Fully Loaded last year as were several of us from LoveBugFans.com
Everyone was really nice, including Miss Lohan.
The movie is cute and the writers and director relly did their homework. It's just chapeter 5 of Herbie being Herbie. I was prepared for the worst, but actually enjoyed it.

Last weekend in April, I've been invited to accompany original Disney Herbie #2 (from "The Love Bug", 1969) to a car show in Florida. I'll be stationed with the car all day to answer questions. It's a childhood dream come true.

This is indicitive of my devotion to something once I get involved. I have over 16,000 posts and am an administrator on the Herbie message board.

There is a near perfect Herbie replica in Ramsgate.

Thanks so much for the kind words.
I really want to see Dreamland not only saved, but restored.
I will personally make responsible parties lives a living nightmare if anything happens to the Scenic Railway.