Mr Tara Plumbing and I are rather fond of Art and we are lucky enough to have visited many great Art Galleries around the world, such as
www.guggenheim.org , www.centrepompidou.fr , in addition to those in London and Edinburgh.
I can not resist telling you I’ve seen loads of Pollocks:
www.moma.org/exhibitions/1998/pollock/website100/index.html
So you might imagine that I would be excited about the prospect of a new Art Gallery being built on our doorstep, in Margate.
Well, NO.
Much as we have happily parted with many pounds to look at Art, I think we have parted with far more money in the pursuit of thrilling fun fair rides. I have never planned a holiday specifically in order to visit an Art Gallery, whereas I’ve planned many weekends away around the Thrills of Alton Towers and Blackpool (even taken in Drayton Manor Park on route – roller coaster that you stand up on). Returning to the attractions time and time again, spending money in the local eating and sleeping establishments.
As for day trips, over the past 16 years I may have visited Chessington World of Adventure alone more times than I have visited all of London’s art galleries (not exactly sure of this).
Based on the huge unrepresentative sample which is my family – people do not travel far out of their way to visit an Art Gallery unless the area has a lot more to offer. People will travel to the back of beyond to go on unique roller coasters (do you know how hard it is to get to Alton Towers – there is nothing else there and it takes forever). What is more – people actually return to go on the same roller coasters year after year!
How many people, from outside of Thanet, do you estimate would make an annual pilgrimage to Margate to visit the Art Gallery?
So my point is a new Dreamland, if it was really good, could attract far more business and money to the local area than an Art Gallery. Thanet is easily accessible for day trips and weekends for most people in the South East. An amusement park which attracts mostly young people is the ideal compliment to the nightlife in the Margate.
Margate Dreamland and or Turner Contemporary are often discussed, it seems to me a lot of sensible comments were posted in response to this blog: http://birchington.blogspot.com/2007/10/turner-extraordinary.html#comments
I can not imagine why any one would travel many miles to visit an Art Gallery in Margate when London has so much to offer.
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