Welcome to Dreamland
I went for a quick visit to Margate at the weekend, my first in two years. I saw the finished Turner gallery for the first time, and took a turn along the beach, before picking up the daily local newspaper. On the cover was a story about Wayne Hemingway, who had been in the town outlining his ideas for the reopening of Dreamland.
Dreamland was a Coney Island-inspired funfair opened in the 1870s. Although it closed some years ago, the Grade II Listed wooden rollercoaster, built in 1912, still stands, albeit damaged by a recent fire. This is an image from the 1980s, taken from the big wheel.
The site is now subject to a CPO (legality of which is being tested in court currently I think) by Thanet Council, and the plan is to restore the rollercoaster and add new rides for a grand reopening. This site, with lots more details about the project, also has fabulous details on the old rides, including the Haunted Swing, which even I don’t think sounds very scary.
Anyway, I’m so pleased that it seems the ‘new Dreamland’ scheme may finally get off the ground. It’s great that Wayne’s involved, and the local response to his down-to-earth presentation seemed, so the Thanet Gazette said, very positive. It can be very hard to get local support for development projects in any town, especially one with the economic problems of Margate, so the idea that the town is behind this scheme is exciting.
Not for the first time I find myself keeping my fingers crossed for Margate, that the town is able to make the most of a golden opportunity. I look forward to having my own photo taken on a stuffed tiger there soon.
I used to live in margate and it would be great to see dreamland open again. I think a lot of locals thought the turner centre was a bad idea, but it did help to rejuvenate the old town (did you go to the cupcake shop? Amazing!). the rest of the town is really struggling and a new dreamland would not only give the seafront a real lift, but create some new much needed jobs.
Hi Grace, I myself am from Penzance, at the very far end of Cornwall. I was about 15 when the Tate St Ives was built, and remember well the opposition from locals, but it has, over time, transformed the town’s economic fortunes. I hope both Turner and Dreamland can do the same for lovely Margate x
I am very excited about this!