Urgent call to save Britain's oldest rollercoaster

The culture secretary is being urged to intervene and save Britain's oldest rollercoaster from closure.

Dreamland Margate announced on Tuesday the Grade II* listed wooden ride was no longer viable saying it wanted to "reimagine the rollercoaster's purpose" and was asking the public for ideas.

Helen Whitehead, deputy leader of Thanet District Council (TDC), has written to Lisa Nandy insisting the ride is of "international importance" and of historical and cultural significance.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been approached for a response.

Even though the Kent seaside attraction has been out of action since developing a structural fault in 2024, TDC says the rollercoaster is an "intrinsic" part of the Dreamland amusement park.

"While the council was informed of the decision in advance, councillors have asked to see more details of the issues as this is a matter of such local importance," a council spokesperson said.

The wooden ride first opened in 1920 and, according to Historic England, suffered fires in 1949 and 1957.

A restoration of the Grade II* listed rollercoaster was completed in 2015 as part of an £18m investment in the park, which had spent a decade closed to the public.

In 2008, while the park was closed, the Scenic Railway was severely damaged in an arson attack.

Restoration work included replacing all the wooden parts of the rollercoaster.

As a listed structure any alterations or change of use would require both planning permission and listed building consent, including consultation from Historic England.

Whitehead said, to her understanding, there was no requirement for listed structures "to be in operation", but just "simply maintained".

"I would argue both operation and maintenance are equally significant for structures such as the Scenic Railway," she said, adding the operation of a listed structure was "integral" to its heritage function and relevance.

Whitehead said: "We are being advised by Dreamland the health and safety executive has specified the track needs to be inspected daily to remain in use."

"If Dreamland isn't proposing any change of use or to the structure, the council has no role," TDC said.

Margate residents have shared their thoughts on the closure of the historic rollercoaster.

Jane Bishop, owner of the Walpole Bay Hotel in the town, said it was "sad" that Margate's "important artefact" could no longer be enjoyed by visitors.

"At Walpole we spend our lives preserving the past for the education and enjoyment for the next generations and reminiscence for those of us who lived it," she added.

Resident Jamie Tolley told the BBC: "I've only lived here for two years but I've been coming up here since I was a kid.

"It's good for attracting people down here. You need these certain things to make the place viable for people to come to."

The ride was "part of Margate and Thanet" but was also "part of the whole country", Tolley added.

Nicholas Chamberlain, also a local resident, said: "I think it's shocking and it's a big loss for Margate, to be honest.

"Since it got rebuilt it has brought people in from all over the world.

"It should be kept running, it should be maintained as promised and it should be kept as part of the local community, and as a rollercoaster - not anything else."

Dreamland has been approached for comment.

The theme park said on Tuesday that an "extensive process of consultations and inspections" were carried out but it was "concluded that, after 100+ years, the ride has come to the end of its current life".

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