Report - Dreamland Cinema, May 2010

After successfully covering a number of explores in our area, myself, Fortknox0 and Frosty decided to have a drive in the hope something new would pop up. On our travels we came across Dreamland cinema, this had been disused for years now and we had never looked into it. Night after night we returned to reccy the site paying attention to a large amount of cameras pointing at various possible entrances. Finally we had found a way in. Upon returning we found that the entrance we had previously found wasn’t do-able. By this point I had given up all hope. We had seen security on a number of occasions and had to scarper and the place was sealed tight. Fortknox0 and frosty were determined to get in and get photos of a place we all knew so well as children when it was open.
After a couple more nights of reccy from the Knox and frosty I get a text…
We’ve done it…come and have a look

They had done it, I couldn’t believe it. Giving me and maniac a shout they returned to get some better photos and let us have a look round.
What a place, it is in mint condition and there was just so much to see. For a cinema this place was vast.

Some information on Dreamland Cinema:

In 2003, Godden announced that Dreamland would close and the land become a retail and commercial site. Public opinion supported continued use of the Dreamland site as an amusement park, along with a government report in 2004. As a result, Dreamland was sold to Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company in 2005 for £20m. A number of local residents have formed the Save Dreamland Campaign. The campaign proposes to turn Dreamland into a Heritage Amusement Park consisting of a number of vintage rides and attractions from other British amusement parks. Some rides have already been obtained by Save Dreamland and are currently in storage.
Although it was initially announced that Dreamland would close in November 2003, it did indeed operate during 2004 and 2005. Dreamland was closed to the public in 2005 and all of the rides apart from the Scenic Railway were removed from the site. The Scenic Railway had been granted Grade-II listed status in 2002 and could not be moved or dismantled.
Part of the Scenic Railway was destroyed by fire after an arson attack on April 7 2008. About 25% of the structure, the station and storage sheds were destroyed along with the trains and had to be removed as irreparable. The physical security of the site was upgraded and the surviving structure surveyed. Some of the surviving machinery and chassis from the cars was salvaged and stored on site.
On April 25 2008 the Dreamland Cinema had its Listed building status increased from Grade II (buildings of special architectural or historic interest) to Grade II* (particularly significant buildings of more than local interest). The Cinema no longer operates, however, as it was closed due the opening of a new multiplex cinema at Westwood Cross in 2007. Its features include a Compton theatre organ.



On with the photos:

Screen 1





Screen 2



Projector room





Foyer







Bingo Club and COMPTON





All in all, one hell of an explore. Was good to meet rooks and speed on the return visit and was good to get a chance to see the place before someone decides what to do with it

Love that organ i saw knox's pics on fb and he had mentioned he was going to the cinema i assumed he'd found a way under the granville..was pleasantly suporised to see what you guys did..good work lads

cheers mate, this one defo werent easy and alot of time and effort went into trying to crack it and some big fails on different nights lol. Place is sealed tight now and security appear to be based inside the building

Obscurity wrote:

cheers mate, this one defo werent easy and alot of time and effort went into trying to crack it and some big fails on different nights lol. Place is sealed tight now and security appear to be based inside the building

Nice u got it donw while you could..and as allways good work ..clever buggers aint yer

Spot on lads !!!that place is tighter than,(well you know what)!The organ,in perfect condition awesome piece... Thanks a lot for view. Good Work !!!! (the fun lovin criminal)

good pics,love the compton organ,have you got eny more pics,im a bit of a pipe organ fan,this organ as been there since 1937,its got about 1500 pipe,the biggist 16foot,the pipe chambers would of made a nice pic,but its nice to know the organ is going to be restored.

morph40 wrote:

good pics,love the compton organ,have you got eny more pics,im a bit of a pipe organ fan,this organ as been there since 1937,its got about 1500 pipe,the biggist 16foot,the pipe chambers would of made a nice pic,but its nice to know the organ is going to be restored.

A lot has happened in side this site im afraid mate,the organs been removed and put into storage,reason there wasnt a uge amount of pics from what the lads told me was because it was so hard to photograph in situ under the stage!

thanks for the info,i know thay are going to restor it,well i hopr so,a organ like thet would cost at least £300.000,to restor,so hope to see it playing soon.