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The Dome


JoshC.

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Conversation about the Dome and what people would like to see done with it in the future always seems to crop up now and again in loads of threads, so thought I'd set up all for itself..

 

It's quite obvious that the Dome itself is quite dated these days (not surprising given it was built almost 40 years ago!), and the décor inside feels quite old and worn itself.  So what do you think the park should do with the Dome now?  Should they knock down the upper half and just replace it with a welcoming plaza area?  Completely rework the indoors and bring it up to speed with the modern Thorpe Park?  Replace it with a new building entirely?  What should be in the Dome too - shops and restaurants?  A Sealife centre?  Discuss away!

 

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For me personally, I'd love to see it given a 21st century update on the inside.  Things like Fin's and the stage are good pieces by themselves, and tie in nicely with the Shark Hotel of course, but they feel a bit out of place with the ageing surroundings.  It'd be great if they could just do up the whole inside, continue with the Shark / island theme they've got going in there and just make everything work.  Keep using it for the MoS nights, keep it with just having shops and restaurants, but just give it a more welcoming and modern feel!


(PS:  This thread is set up in a purely speculative sense; I know of no plans for anything to happen to the Dome any time soon!  :P )

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A quick look on the English Heritage website (which is very mobile-unfriendly) suggests that no buildings at Thorpe are listed. The only farmhouse that you mention toofy is for a 'Thorpe Park' in Essex apparently.

A much friendly mobile source, Wikipedia, suggests also that there's no Grade II listed buildings at Thorpe: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Grade_II_listed_buildings_in_Surrey

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when I did my VIP lift walk, I was told the dome www here to stay for the forseable future as it's such a central building and is helpful for the park for a number of events etc.

Whilst that's not set in stone, I can't see the Dome going anytime soon (unless major fire) due to its prominent size and location, not to mention it'll cost millions just to remove potentially (let alone Merlin (merlin=$ :))).

Although it is looking dated in most areas, I think a major overhaul could work very well, strip down the theming with updated shark stuff, change the surroundings, rebar use the floor, repair the walls and make the outside cleaner snd repainted.

One thing I've always thought is how much the dome looks like a smaller O2 arena so maybe they could look in to styling that a similar way.

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I always find jokes are harder to land on the internet. Saying that, my jokes never land anyway.

 

In all seriousness though, as much as I would love to see that old building crumble, I can't imagine they will. I can see them continue to hire Scruffy Dog to (hopefully) make the entire thing look a bit nicer. I do like Scruffy Dog's work, however I personally can't stand the style of Fin's and the Shark Hotel. To me it feels dated even though it's brand new...

 

Perhaps I just don't like the colours. 

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They have been talking about relocating the offices in the lower dome, and turn it into a year round entertainment complex, with bowling lanes ect. Great for the onsite hotels, and could be available during the winter months too.

However knowing Merlin, I doubt it. It would be a huge investment, on something I doubt they see is required.

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The park do really want to work on The Dome. It has been a project they want to do for a while, but it's not an attraction so goes on the infrastructure list. And as it still serves a purpose and isn't falling down it never gets very high up that list. And definitely never gets a large budget to overhaul it. 

 

It would be nice to see it updated. Keep The Dome, it's iconic. It's in the background of old park photos, it's historic. But internally yeah I'd like to see some work done (or just continue with the small stuff like they've done with Fins and work the rest in).

 

Problem with starting over is just how useful it is as a park basis. Control is based in there. Staff canteen, the offices of which even Vallis resides in, first aid etc all would need moving about. I'd say leave the bottom floor as it is for staff and park facilities (okay freshen it up) and just work on the top making it more modern. Then, when the real hotel is built have stuff over there for guests to do and utilise the what will be free space opened up by the removal of Shark into a complex maybe with water busses docking there. 

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I'm fine with a strip and overhaul inside but the building itself is such a part of the park's history it would be a tragedy to demolish it. I think if they improve it's use in the park certain people would see it less as an object for disdain. Like Burnt Stub Mansion in Chessington, putting a quasi haunted house in there was perfect, the Dome just needs a creative mind. 

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They have been talking about relocating the offices in the lower dome, and turn it into a year round entertainment complex, with bowling lanes ect. Great for the onsite hotels, and could be available during the winter months too.

However knowing Merlin, I doubt it. It would be a huge investment, on something I doubt they see is required.

I've always thought this is exactly what needs to happen. It would A - give the dome a purpose and B -  actually give the place some resort-esque qualities.

 

In fact, I'm sure I've posted this exact idea somewhere else before. Perhaps they copied me.*  :ph34r:

 

*Though I doubt it.

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