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Godden Rejects Dreamland Bid: Top theme park owner is willing to invest £10m

Jimmy Godden has turned down a bid for Dreamland from the owner of one of England's top theme parks.

Philip Miller runs Adventure Island in Southend and says he is prepared to invest at least £10 million on rides and other attractions to transform Margate's run-down fun park.

But Mr Godden said Mr Miller's offer was based on a valuation that was "ridiculously low".

"I have known Philip Miller for a number of years," he said. "We have had discussions for more than a year. The valuation he has got is absolutely ridiculously low. I have got valuations that are five times that amount."

Mr Godden said he is not in discussions with Adventure Island or any other amusement park operators. "We are in negotiations with various parties for the land rather than for an amusement park," he said. "The time of change has come for this kind of seaside site. It is a sad world we live in, but it is a fact of life."

Adventure Island attracts one-and-a-half million visitors a year and Mr Miller is convinced he can attract the same numbers to Dreamland.

"I have far from given up," he said. "Jimmy's got his idea of what it's worth. He has been a top-notch businessman for a number of years, who am I to cast aspersions on him? This is just business. Jimmy's got his product he wants to sell, I want to buy it. I see it as what I have to spend on it. It needs one hell of a lot of investment and marketing. You can't just walk in, plonk down a lot of rides and open up, it doesn't work like that. I have made him an offer based on the history of his accounts. He looks at it as a property site, I look at it as a derelict amusement park. As a derelict amusement park I have made him a good offer. It is up to him whether he takes it."

The father of seven used to come to Margate when he was a child.

"I like Margate, I always have done and still come here with my children. Dreamland was really one of the best places in the country in its heyday. I am quite happy to spend 10 or 12 million pounds there. If Jimmy says 'yes' I would have the deal done and sewn up in two weeks' time."

Mr Miller has been made an MBE and says he believes in working with local charities and groups.

"As a responsible businessman you should be part of the community," he said. "We have put lots of money into local charities, we are giving two free days for local charities which has already raised £9,000. We are looking at £100,000 fundraising for this kind of thing and if I come to Margate it would be no different."

Planning consultant and amusement park historian Nick Laister, who runs the Save Dreamland Campaign, said Mr Miller has approached him about the value of Dreamland.

"We gave him what we thought it would be worth based on the local planning policy, for example if the Masterplan goes through that included commercial leisure uses. Because of its location it doesn't score high land values and the Masterplan says 'no retail' and the local plan says 'no retail'."

The Save Dreamland Campaign would support any bid by Mr Miller.

"I work within the amusement park industry and I know Philip Miller is one of the highest-regarded operators in the country," Mr Laister said. "Five or six years ago Adventure Island was similar to Dreamland. They invested several million pounds, doubled the size of it and doubled visitor numbers.
The Save Dreamland Campaign think it is the best thing that could happen to Margate."