On 12 Aug 2014 at 1:46pm barney wrote:
Where do you think they are talking about? Western end of Lewes?
On 12 Aug 2014 at 2:29pm Wind up wrote:
This must be a joke , right
On 12 Aug 2014 at 3:19pm Earl of Lewes wrote:
How can they hope to compete with the stunning realism of the dinosaurs at Paradise Park?
On 12 Aug 2014 at 5:09pm T. Rex wrote:
Where would it be sited?
I am not aware of any serious free "space" in the Western end of town at present, unless they change the use what is currently farmland, or extend/modify use of somewhere like the Kingston Garden Centre site or of Springbarn Farm opposite?
Or will this enterprise be squeezed into the Canon O-Donnell site... barely room to swing a cat there, let alone a full size Diplodocus?
Are we looking at a serious "all day attraction" theme park (on the scale of a Disney park, Alton Towers or Chessington etc), or something smaller along the lines of the already mentioned Paradise Park?
Whichever it is planned to be will need it's own parking, as the Western end of town is full to capacity every day (unless the project is misguided enough to think everyone will use public transport). And can you imagine the added traffic trying to join the queues for the A27 when the park closes at 5pm every evening?
While (as a local resdent) I understand the Mantell link between Lewes and Dinosaurs, I'm not sure many people apart from locals would naturally link the two and thus expect to find a Dinosaur attraction here - unlike say the link between Dinosaurs and the Dorset "Jurassic Coast" area... sorry, it just doesn't seem a "natural" fit for Lewes.
As for bringing people into the, largely residential, Western end of Town, apart from this new attraction what else is there for them to do at that end of town - Anne of Cleeves just about qualifies perhaps, or a walk up on the Downs, but there's not much else to part them from their cash once you hit Western Road and ver few empty shops that can be turned into yet more bloomin' coffee shops! I guess the Black Horse (and Swan)PH might benefit?
A mor logical tourist attraction might be a "Battle of Lewes Interpretation Centre" where kids could dress up/play as knights etc while older visitors could see the battle played out on multimedia technology, and see how it fits into English history etc. Or why not a "Museum of Bonfire" with a display of costumes, Society memorabilia, films of 'The 5th' and slideshows etc - at least visitors toLewes might expect to find either of those things here.
Not trying to put a new idea down fr the sake of it, but I cannot see an obvous location, and I'm not sure 'dinosaurs' is the right approach- though I know they have always fasciated kids, and Lewes is perhaps a little light on things for young families to do...
I'll watch the idea andwait to see how it progresses...and yes I may well contact them with my thoughts, just in case the don't read the Forum ;-).
On 12 Aug 2014 at 5:47pm trooper wrote:
"T-REX" Excellent post, total agreement all the way.
On 12 Aug 2014 at 5:57pm Piltdown Man wrote:
Now`t wrong with a bit of Public Paleontology
On 12 Aug 2014 at 8:27pm edtheplumber wrote:
Perhaps, that is Sudbuds plan to make St. Annes' community centre appear, "uneconomical." So that it can be levelled and turned into housing in 2018?
Maybe I am just a cynic.
On 12 Aug 2014 at 8:46pm edtheplumber wrote:
Sorry forgot to add, we do NOT need a Bonfire museum to make everyone visiting Lewes for the other 364 days of the year feel they mis-timed their trip; And make Lewes seem like a one trick pony.
If we want more visitors to the West of Lewes all we need to do is make the town council parking available to the public, and make the town hall employees use public transport (until they sort out the park and ride scheme that was promised as part of the parking scheme.)
The foot traffic would make businesses viable and there would be loads more coffee shops at this end of town!
On 12 Aug 2014 at 9:18pm the Old Mayor wrote:
Not very specific is it ?
On 12 Aug 2014 at 11:07pm Tracy Triceratops wrote:
It's a brilliant idea!!!
On 13 Aug 2014 at 12:55am Sue Budd wrote:
But we are building a dinosaur centre at St Annes ! How dare they! Either that, or we are mining for gold or Uranium or planting oil palms or something. I`m not terribly sure as no one has told me me what to say yet!