Dreamland Margate is one of the UK’s most ambitious and high-profile cultural regeneration projects of the 21st century. Originally opened in 1870 and rebranded as Dreamland in 1920, the amusement park became a national treasure through the mid-20th century, with its heyday drawing millions of visitors each year. By the early 2000s, however, the park had fallen into decline and finally closed its gates in 2005.
HemingwayDesign joined the project in 2011, brought on by The Dreamland Trust to help develop a new vision for Dreamland – one that would honour its rich heritage while securing its future relevance. Our role spanned brand strategy, public realm design, spatial planning, interior design, signage, graphic identity, merchandise, and programming consultation.
This was delivered alongside a team of consultants including Guy Holloway Architects, Ray Hole Architects and M&C Saatchi amongst others.
The result is a pleasure park like no other: nostalgic yet forward-thinking, design-led yet accessible, and deeply rooted in the social and cultural fabric of Margate
Reawakening a Seaside Icon
Dreamland’s second life is the result of a community-led campaign, major public funding, and collaboration across public, private and creative sectors. Following a suspected arson attack in 2008 that destroyed much of the Scenic Railway, Thanet District Council compulsorily purchased the site and, together with The Dreamland Trust, secured over £18 million in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other partners.
The vision was clear: to create the world’s first amusement park of historic rides, classic sideshows and evocative spaces – a place where entertainment and heritage would coexist. This new Dreamland would appeal not only to families, but also to the culturally curious, design lovers, and anyone seeking a day out with substance and style.
With the total project budget for the whole Phase 1 development (including 17 rides, the refurbishment of buildings, landscaping and marketing spend) equaling the cost of one new blockbuster ride at Alton Towers, thrift and up-cycling were essential – not just conceptually but practically. There was no other way of delivering this project.
Design with a Story
Our design process was deeply collaborative, shaped by workshops with Margate residents and creative community, and informed by the town’s own layered history. We approached the park as a series of immersive environments – each one telling a story about seaside culture, British identity, and joyful irreverence.
Up-cycling was a core design principle, driven both by budget and by ethos. Salvaged rides, fairground signage, and repurposed materials were sourced from across the UK. Scenic Railway timbers became park furniture and merchandise. Iconic rides were reinterpreted with wit and flair: teacups painted like Wedgwood pottery telling the story of British youth subcultures; a caterpillar ride scored by a John Shuttleworth organ medley of reimagined pop songs.
We oversaw the entire visual identity. The tone of voice was designed to be cheeky, homespun, and gently subversive – true to Margate’s character and history. Branding, signage and staff uniforms followed suit, using a candy-coloured palette inspired by seaside rock, with slogans riffing on classic fairground lingo.This creative approach was recognised internationally. Dreamland was nominated for a Beazley Designs of the Year Award, with an installation at the newly reopened Design Museum, and won in the Brand & Identity category at the Design Week Awards 2016.
“A design, which manages to reconcile the past and the future of the park, while not forgetting its sunny, seaside outlook.“
Design Week Awards 2016
A Cultural Anchor in a Changing Town
Dreamland’s reopening in 2015 came at a time of growing cultural momentum in Margate. The town had been gathering creative energy through the arrival of Turner Contemporary, the growth of independent businesses, and a new generation of artists and entrepreneurs drawn by affordability and possibility.
Dreamland helped cement that shift. No longer just a theme park, it became a flexible public venue capable of hosting live music, weddings, vintage markets, and major festivals. It is a space for performance, spectacle, memory and invention—a place as suited to a punk gig as it is to a roller disco.
Ten years on, Dreamland continues to play an active role in Margate’s story. It stands not only as a successful regeneration model but also as a bold example of how design can revive the spirit of a place without flattening its identity.
“Dreamland walks the tightrope between work of art and funfair. An amusement park genuinely unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
— Zoe Williams, The Guardian
“Mixture of ramshackle and hip is the perfect reflection of Margate itself, which is undergoing an intoxicating cultural revival.”
— Tom Jonze, The Guardian
