Mechanical Memories Magazine

Dreamland
MARGATE
S~ve Preamlaoc;t Upd~te May 2011
Thanet pistrict rouncjl ?Jld th\! Dreamland Trust are working iq partnership to crellt(i c\
uµique visitor attraqti9n fpr Marg1}ty, wpi<;:h will se<;:ure the town's regeneration anq
boost the loyal ~conomy: Th\! new Dre?IDland will pe the world ' s first aµius\!ment P¥k
of thril\ing hjstpric ridys with cl?ssiq siqes,hows, vintage cafes, restauraqts, special
eyeµts anp g¥qens. Millioqs of po~ds qaye afready been invested by the coupc;il,
Departmept for Cµlture, Meµia anµ ~pon !lild the f-{yritage Lottery Fuqd to bring thfo
project to fr\lition.
•
Afler: S\!veq:11 years pf nygotiatjon with the P\Yllers of Preqmlaµd proviµg unfyujtful,
a Com~ulsory Rurchase Order is due to be serv\!d by Thaµet pistrict Council on the
Drearµlanµ site. The coupcil agreeµ in May 20 \ 0 tjlat it would ~tart compujsory
pµr<;:h11si:: procee~ing~ on the ~ite, 'if terms were not agreed for tµe traqsfer of the freeholq
of the cinema bµilding qn~ la11d. At the tirpe, this pad been qgm:d in princip\e by th~
lqndowners, the Marg~te ToWJ1 Centre Rygeneq1tion Company. Tqe laµd ..yoµld then be
gjvyn by th~ CP1.f11Ci! to the Dreilll1lan9 Trµst qn a Jong le~e for q peppt:;rc;om rent, Siqc~
tqen, th~ counpil haq he!µ 9etaile,d pegqtiatioqs wjth the lanqowners, but it h~d not beeq
ppssible to qgrey an /iCCept;ible posjtipn to tp.e cpunqil. A-s a result, the ~ouqcil ' s Cabinet
agrye~ on Tjmrsµay 78 A.pril to launcp. <;:ornpulsory purchase proc;eydjngs.
• This is a tum of (,!V\!nts that tqe Dreamlqnd Trµst woulp pave preferred not to see,
Our. preferenc;e h?S always been to impl\!ment this proje.ct iµ p¥tµerspip with the
lqndowners, but for a n~b\!r of reason~ this )VqS not pqss,ible, With aJI the te<;:hµi<;:al
work n~w cpmplete aqd a subs,taµtjal pilft of the fundjng in pl?ce, the llcquisitipn of the
site by th\! ~quncil wjll allow the Trust to cprµmepce work <
;m the implementation of
what 1s 11 ker project for the regeneration pfMarg~te.
Drearµlanµ will be tqe p\ac;e to visit over the Nj:ay Banl< Hpliday perio9 wjtq the
welpom~ return pfC;irter's Steam Fair from Satµrday 78 th May to Supday 5 th June ~0\ 1,
Bac.k by. popujar derµanq, farter 's Sti:arn Fair: has extynde!f thyir Margfit(i appearan~e tq
nµi~ thrillinJ µays to coµi<;:iqe with the Ace ~afe Marg11te Myltdowp pn Bank Jioliday
Moµday. 30 M~y, 2011. La~t ye11r the farnily-rµn vintage fqnfair attra<;:ted thousqnds of
v\!ry happy visitor~ to the Preamlaµd sjte who dejighteq in the traditional thrilling pqes
and' tile glje~t appe;irf1Dce of the a\Hirpe dllfedi::vil pli:issic Wall of Deqth.
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