# Margate Dreamland - photo feature



## editor (Dec 1, 2009)

Abandoned since 2005, almost all of Margate's Dreamland amusement park has been swept away, with just the cinema and part of the Scenic Railway surviving.






















Check out my photo feature on Margate's Dreamland - and there's a happy ending too!


Loads more here: http://www.urban75.org/photos/kent/margate-dreamland-funfair.html


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## teuchter (Dec 1, 2009)

I walked past there in the summer and noticed some of the buildings you photographed, particularly the "Cosmo Buffet" one. It would be interesting if you could include some "as new" photos in your feature.

You describe this as horrendously ugly:






But I think it's quite cool.


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## editor (Dec 1, 2009)

teuchter said:


> You describe this as horrendously ugly:
> 
> But I think it's quite cool.


It is really horrible. It looks really shoddily built and I'd be surprised if its still around in ten years time.

I did a fair bit of searching for old postcard views to match up with these but couldn't find any.


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## clicker (Dec 1, 2009)

Many happy days spent in Dreamland, we'd get the all in rail ticket and go down from London, just a group of kids.....aged about 11/12......I remember it had a proper 'Rotor' I think it was called, the spinning ride where you stuck to the wall as the floor dropped down?? A bottle of Cresta and a cheese sarnie for the day and home by dark.


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## teuchter (Dec 1, 2009)

Have a look at this documentary about Dreamland, from the 50s. Not portraying it in the most sympathetic light.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7w9vw_o-dreamland_shortfilms


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## clicker (Dec 1, 2009)

Just watched the film........presumably it was directed by someone more comfortable with armchair horror....it was like 10 Rillington place goes on holiday. I loved the low level feet shots, shuffling along and that bloody automated laughing sailor boy is the stuff of recurring nightmares.


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## teuchter (Dec 1, 2009)

The cinema seems to be another victim of UK planning fail - 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7072713.stm

Build a big out-of-town shopping centre convenient for motorway access, and stand back and watch town nearby centres fall into decay.

- although it seems like there might be some hope for it yet: http://www.levittbernstein.co.uk/00,news,646,174,00.htm


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## teuchter (Dec 1, 2009)

clicker said:


> Just watched the film........presumably it was directed by someone more comfortable with armchair horror....it was like 10 Rillington place goes on holiday. I loved the low level feet shots, shuffling along and that bloody automated laughing sailor boy is the stuff of recurring nightmares.



It's a nice piece of filmmaking. 

It's always really noticeable how slowly-paced documentary films from that time (even from the 70s) are, compared to what we're used to now.


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## editor (Dec 1, 2009)

Dreamland has just got a hefty grant with the scenic railway being restored.
http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=297&storycode=3153411&c=1


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## clicker (Dec 1, 2009)

teuchter said:


> It's a nice piece of filmmaking.
> 
> It's always really noticeable how slowly-paced documentary films from that time (even from the 70s) are, compared to what we're used to now.



Yes you're right....it was slow paced now you mention it.....that added to the sense of macabre....the fox in the cage and the lioness (?) pacing up and down in confinement, and the kids faces - none of them smiled, they looked haunted, excellent people watching material.


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## behemoth (Dec 1, 2009)

The Scenic Railway was always uncomfortable rather than exciting, and Dreamland was a dirty boring dump.  But no doubt it was better than the redevelopment that will follow.  Has anyone been able to document what happened with mysterious fires at sites owned by one particular seaside property developer?  Now there's a story.


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## pootle (Dec 2, 2009)

Great pics! 

What is it about abandoned/derelict fairground types that makes it a bit creepy/eerie?  Anyone seen "Carnival of Souls"? One on my most favourite horror movies ever, and based in an old fairground!


I send lots of people to Margate to get autopsy training each year...maybe that's the link!


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## ska invita (Dec 2, 2009)

Is this the same as Ben Bon Brothers Amusement Park?


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## handyman121 (Dec 2, 2009)

clicker said:


> I remember it had a proper 'Rotor' I think it was called, the spinning ride where you stuck to the wall as the floor dropped down??



You mean this one.   Taken about 1980 I think. That's my mate trying to stand up ( He didn't manage it just landed on top of the chap next to him)


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## fogbat (Dec 2, 2009)

editor said:


>



I particularly like this one, with the contrast between the message, and the brick wall


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## editor (Dec 2, 2009)

I love that slogan!


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## Onket (Dec 2, 2009)

handyman121 said:


> You mean this one.   Taken about 1980 I think. That's my mate trying to stand up ( He didn't manage it just landed on top of the chap next to him)



Health & Safety!!


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## teuchter (Dec 2, 2009)

fogbat said:


> I particularly like this one, with the contrast between the message, and the brick wall



And the authoritative typeface.


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## clicker (Dec 2, 2009)

handyman121 said:


> You mean this one.   Taken about 1980 I think. That's my mate trying to stand up ( He didn't manage it just landed on top of the chap next to him)



My word...brilliant, I've just sent it to a friend who was one of the away day gang and we'd spend hours on that bloody ride....that'd never be allowed to operate now...I remember going on it with my arm in a plastercast from above the elbow and a sling...not an eyelid was batted!

Yes it was Ben Bon Brothers later....


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## editor (Dec 3, 2009)

handyman121 said:


> You mean this one.   Taken about 1980 I think. That's my mate trying to stand up ( He didn't manage it just landed on top of the chap next to him)


Great pic! Can I add this to the feature? Any more?


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## Lord Camomile (Dec 3, 2009)

*Dreamland Welcomes You*



fogbat said:


> I particularly like this one, with the contrast between the message, and the brick wall





editor said:


> I love that slogan!


 A mate of mine at uni who lived in the area named his EP after that slogan 

I also went to see a very cool (though a leeetle 'arty'  ) theatre piece on the site, where the audience rolled up in their cars and tuned into the actors' mics on their car radios.


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## kerb (Dec 3, 2009)

Good pics ed of what essentially is a sad demise. 

Never been there but from those pics I can imagine that place was bustling in it's day.


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## handyman121 (Dec 3, 2009)

"Great pic! Can I add this to the feature? Any more?"
Of course you can.  I'll have a look to see what else I can find.


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## Ralph Masters (Dec 3, 2009)

teuchter said:


> I walked past there in the summer and noticed some of the buildings you photographed, particularly the "Cosmo Buffet" one. It would be interesting if you could include some "as new" photos in your feature.
> 
> You describe this as horrendously ugly:
> 
> ...


It would be cooler it it had a sea view, unfortunately the architect thought otherwise


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## editor (Dec 3, 2009)

handyman121 said:


> "Great pic! Can I add this to the feature? Any more?"
> Of course you can.  I'll have a look to see what else I can find.


That's ace. Cheers!


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## Brixton Hatter (Dec 3, 2009)

I'm sure I read somewhere that it's going to be turned into a 'heritage theme park' - is that what the grant is for?


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## editor (Dec 3, 2009)

Brixton Hatter said:


> I'm sure I read somewhere that it's going to be turned into a 'heritage theme park' - is that what the grant is for?


Read the ruddy article! 



> However, there is a happy end to this story, with Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company now working with The Dreamland Trust to redevelop the site as the world's first amusement park of historic rides, with the centrepiece being a fully restored Scenic Railway.


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## clicker (Dec 3, 2009)

I've just remembered this great big tent thingymabob there too....you went inside through a slit in the plastic walls and once inside it was kind of like a huge bouncy castle, but closed in and with air being blown up really fast....probably another one that wouldnt pass a 'elf and safety bod nowadays...when you bounced you could really feel like you were flying...it had a roof, was fully enclosed, red and white outsides???


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## tbaldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

behemoth said:


> The Scenic Railway was always uncomfortable rather than exciting, and Dreamland was a dirty boring dump.  But no doubt it was better than the redevelopment that will follow.  Has anyone been able to document what happened with mysterious fires at sites owned by one particular seaside property developer?  Now there's a story.



True the kind of story that gets conveniently swept away by the news media. The kind of story that seems to be preety much ignored by everyone.


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## Ralph Masters (Dec 3, 2009)

I heard it was going to be a Tescos


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## tbaldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kol08/article/default.asp?article_id=39861

Article about suspicion that fire was started deliberately........no longer works suprise suprise.....


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## Bajie (Dec 3, 2009)

teuchter said:


> Have a look at this documentary about Dreamland, from the 50s. Not portraying it in the most sympathetic light.
> 
> http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7w9vw_o-dreamland_shortfilms



Wow that place looked a right barrel of laughs. No wonder it is closed down now.


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## editor (Dec 3, 2009)

tbaldwin said:


> True the kind of story that gets conveniently swept away by the news media. The kind of story that seems to be preety much ignored by everyone.


That'll because there's usually precious little hard evidence and the people concerned often have very good lawyers.


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## tim (Dec 3, 2009)

clicker said:


> Just watched the film........presumably it was directed by someone more comfortable with armchair horror....it was like 10 Rillington place goes on holiday. I loved the low level feet shots, shuffling along and that bloody automated laughing sailor boy is the stuff of recurring nightmares.



Directed by Lindsey Anderson who a decade or so later made "If".


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## clicker (Dec 3, 2009)

tim said:


> Directed by Lindsey Anderson who a decade or so later made "If".



Now that makes perfect sense.


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## rorymac (Dec 3, 2009)

Fantastic memories of Dreamland


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## tbaldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

editor said:


> That'll because there's usually precious little hard evidence and the people concerned often have very good lawyers.



True guess a lot of it must have get lost in a fire or six.


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## Sadken (Dec 4, 2009)

Great piece!  Very sad, cos I remember going there with my first proper girlfriend and having a great time.


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## editor (Jan 19, 2015)

It's apparently going to reopen this year!














> After the (perhaps unexpected) success of an eleven year ‘Save Dreamland’ campaign, the site is in the process of being rebuilt and is expected to reopen later this year. Fantastic news!


http://www.urban75.org/blog/margate-in-winter-dreamland-architecture-pub-and-beach-views/


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