Dome under threat again?

[WillowTheWhisp]

Lancaster council is under pressure to save money so as not to increase council tax too much. (Would this have something to do with failed Icelandic investments?) One possibility is to close the Dome earlier than anticipated.

I love the Dome and will be sorry to see it eventually go anyway but hoped it would last as long as possible. I have this naive little dream that it will be superceded by the newly refurbished Winter Gardens.

[accykeef]

I would have thought that properly managed, the Dome should be a profitable enterprise although if the council are involved it's no surprise that it makes a loss. Having said that, there is not much profit in the entertainment industry at the moment.
We have never actually been in the Dome but have passed it many times. We have planned to go to several events there but other things have always turned up and stopped us going. Morecambe needs some good quality entertainment venues and the Winter Gardens is one which would be very popular. I am not sure about their plan to make it a verastile venue by making the auditorium floor level and think that they should just concentrate on creating a theatre.

[trevnhil]

I agree that it will be a shame if and when the dome disappears. I know it has been there for a while, and I do not know what condition it is in. I know the council will be strapped for cash, due to all sorts of reasons. But if they are thinking of closing it down early to save money, then are we to assume that they have allocated an amount of money to demolish it.
I wonder how much that would cost.

I seem to remember a few months ago that there was an outcry at the cost of 'grassing over' a piece of land. The price for that was many many thousands of pounds.

I hope they look at it carefully. It would be a shame to just be left with the Platform.

Regards. Trev..

[WillowTheWhisp]

The Dome seems in pretty good nick to me and the acoustics in there always seem better than other places like the Platform. I also agree that it will be a crying shame to have a flat floor in the Winter Gardens in order for it to be a multi purpose venue but it seems to be more or less a foregone conclusion now. A real shame because I don't think it will be ideal as anything then.

I presume the cost of demolishing the Dome is incorporated in the cost of redeveloping the area which is a long-term project so it's going to happen eventually anyway but I still think it shouldn't. Why get rid of something which actually works? And if it isn't making a decent profit maybe that has something to do with publicity or the lack of it for the events and concerts which take place there. I have spoken to people in the past and told them of things we've been to see and they have said "Oh if only I'd known........"

[trevnhil]

VISITOR HEADLINES,,,, DOME TO CLOSE.

It seems that they have made the decision to CLOSE the dome.

www.thevisitor.co.uk/morecambe-news/Dome-to-close-next-year.4775231.jp

Sorry folks........... Trev..

[WillowTheWhisp]

In January, the council agreed to keep the venue open for at least four years, but the need to make huge budget cuts in the current tough economic climate caused the decision to be reviewed.

So much for promises.

Councillor Blamire says it's not a wonderful building. True, it may leave a lot to be desired architecturally but the interior is brilliant for concerts. It does exactly what it is meant to do.

[trevnhil]

I know that I can hardly claim to have my finger on the pulse of what goes on in Morecambe. But if they are trying to attract people, this seems to be the last thing to do. I do wonder if 'people power' can reverse this decision.
They say that cuts will be made in Lancaster, well I wonder what buildings will be scrapped there.??

I wouldn't hold your breath.

Trev..

[accykeef]

I suggest they could save more money by closing Lancaster Town Hall and holding their meetings in the Dome. That would solve two problems, they would save a fortune and they would be forced do something about the traffic situation, between Lancaster and Morecambe, because it would affect them directly.

AccyKeef for President of the Republic of Morecambia

[WillowTheWhisp]

I'll second your motion.

I heard on the radio this morning that 'people' have been kicking up a stink. Anybody have any idea who these 'people' are?

[accykeef]

I walked past this morning and there were 2 cyclists there, it could have been them I suppose - they were in Lycra.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Mass protest Morecambe style? ;D

[trevnhil]

I never seem to hear of much protesting going on in Morecambe!! Now Lancaster does attract them I know.

Regards. Trev..

[gnasher]

We do have a venue (The Winter Gardens) that will be ready but not for three years, that is, if we get Government money.

It's kicked off on the football forum.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Oooh must nip over and have a look.

[trevnhil]

Here is a little more news about the council cuts, and the Dome in particular. I could have used cut and paste, but it is a long article so here is the link.. www.thevisitor.co.uk/morecambe-news/Cuts-nothing-to-do-with.4797345.jp

One particular sentence that interested me was this from the middle of the article.

"The Dome is due to be demolished anyway in a few years when the central promenade development takes place. We could spend half a million pounds on it over the next few years and have nothing to show for it."

WHEN it takes place..... not IF ??

Does this mean that the council have given the 'go ahead' or 'the nod' to Urban Splash??

Regards. Trev..