JoshC. Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 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! --- 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! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 The dome is still an impressive building IMO and could be a really good area. I would like to see it given a major overhaul with a completely different colour scheme and removal of all the remaining Atlantis theming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 Burn it to the ground and build a mini CityWalk! With a little dock to take people on boats to the (new, permanent) hotel. Nick Hutson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordanluke2009 Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 If I remember correctly its a Grade 2 Listed building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pognoi Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 You remember incorrectly, the only listed building is the thorpe park farm house (probably why it still stands!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordanluke2009 Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 No it says somewhere in the history of thorpe park that the Mountbatten pavilion (the dome) is listed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted August 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 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 pognoi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 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. Josh3103 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted August 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 Decided to not be lazy and check English Heritage website on my laptop. Here's the map... Sorry for the poor quality, but it shows the Dome is definitely not listed, but some of buildings at the Farm are. Silly Wikipedia / mobile English Heritage site not saying that.. pognoi and Altitude 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 Maybe it is listed, but on a list of buildings that need to go? Cal, HermanTheGerman, paige and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pognoi Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 they'd be called 'de/listing' which are ones that are being judged as to whether or not they should be kept as important properties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 That's not what he meant Altitude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 I've no problems with the Dome and it doesn't look aged to me. It serves it's purpose very well IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Allgood Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 I think getting rid of the dome would be such a bad idea! Merry-go-girl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 To me, everything from the Dome to the entrance plaza just feels dated and in need of a bit of love. In my opinion the Dome just feels a little dark and gloomy, with no real character or atmosphere. I think the idea and purpose of the Dome is good, I just think it could be done a lot better! HermanTheGerman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 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. Doc and Merry-go-girl 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HermanTheGerman Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 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.* *Though I doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenVig Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 Where would they relocate the offices? Theres a few down there, including Cash Office, Staff Canteen, Security Room and Storage. I can't think of anywhere else they would go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 In the new brick built hotel? James Allgood 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 In the new brick built hotel? Who needs bricks when you can have shipping containers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 Who needs bricks when you can have shipping containers. ...which is why they're going to build a new, bigger one out of bricks? JoshuaA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 ...which is why they're going to build a new, bigger one out of bricks? Kerfuffle, pognoi and JoshuaA 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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