Dickens' World, theme park

Work is due to start on a state-of-the-art themed entertainment/visitor attraction based on the life, times and books of Charles Dickens - Britain's most famous storyteller - at the South East England Development Agency's (SEEDA's) flagship Chatham Maritime site.

Construction of the Dickens World entertainment attraction is expected to begin in the next two months and it is anticipated that the Odeon operated multiplex-cinemas, together with bars and restaurants will open in October 2006, followed by the opening of the Dickens World visitor attraction in April 2007.

SEEDA Project Manager, Elwyn Nicol, said: "We are delighted that Dickens World is coming to Chatham Maritime. We anticipate that visitors from all over the UK - and further afield - will want to visit this unique complex."

Edgar, the link doesn't work! Damnit!

There is a small artist's rendering of the park here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4414509.stm

Edgar--

Another item for my itinerary when my ship comes in.

Dickens probably would have adored being a theme park--and presenting dramatic readings on special Saturday nights.

Whut the dickens...!?

All those people will go there with great expectations. But it's likely that anyone named Oliver will find the whole concept somewhat twisted. On the other hand, any woman with the name of Carol will probably want to go there for Christmas.

Some more info on the architect's website as well.

OMG...not really! Surely not!

I can just see it now.

Scrooge's Haunted Nightmare.

Miss Haversham's Buffet.

Oliver's Orphanage.

Madame Defarge's Gallows & Guillotines.

Tiny Tim's Clubfoot Clubhouse.

Copperfield's Sweatshop.

And...The Tunnel of Unrequited Love.

And WAIT! Let me guess...you'll have to beg for admittance, right?
I'm sure they won't install outdoor lighting in the park. They'll have to keep it dark.

You'll have the best of times and the worst of times.







(This is NOT a good idea.)

I'm glad that Chatham docks are going to be put to good use again. I was there about five years ago, and the only thing that was open, was the place where they make ship's rope, using the original heath robinson style contraption of pulleys, twisty things and spinny things. You can see that I was a mechanical engineer in a previous life.
They also made ship's flags there, and had an order book for various Navies all over the world.

Alas, it was all moved somewhere else, and the dockyard became derelict, but we heard word at the time that it would be developed eventually, into a tourist attraction with a historical theme.....so, Dickens eh?

I only hope they do it properly, and show the real dark side of the man and his writings, as well as the positives. We will see........when it opens, I shall go and pay a visit and do an official A2K report. Totally factual, of course.

The twisty, spinny thing is at the bottom of THIS page.......


http://www.cycle-n-sleep.co.uk/rinfo/related/garden/historicdockyard.htm

Are you sure it is Dickens, not Disney? If it goes too comercial it will be a disgrace.

MA and Eva, you are wonderfully funny and clever.

Lord E, a factual report? Including Lady E's love life? Oh Good!

This means, you are opening a special account at HSBC for getting charitable donations; the bank account number, bank branch, etc. of that you will post shortly so that we can transfer the money as quickly as possible - if I interpret that correctly. :wink:

I already have an account for such worthy donations:-

The Royal Bank of Ellpus
Dollargrabbe Strasse
Lichtenstein

How could I forget - I'd photographed the entrance door a couple of months ago :

I bet the Old Curiosity Shop will be fun to shop in. It will be the best of times for us, for our wallets the worst of times.

Walter
The architect's website was slow loading. Will come back to have a look later.

Think of the cholesterol laden theme restaurants.

And Mme DeFarge's knitting shoppe.

Oliver Twist's Fish 'n Chip Shop

Madame LaFarge's Lingery Shop
A cake shop ala the old lady in Great Expectations.

Tiny Tim's Prosthetics Ltd.