Folkestone
Scenes from an abandoned funfair.
Photos and report by Mike Slocombe, July 2006

FOLKESTONE FUNFAIR

Once boasting a swimming pool, a boating pool, an amusement park, a ferry and a wide selection of fairground rides, Folkestone's beachfront was a bustling place up to the 1960s.

Recent years have seen all the amusements swept away, with the swimming pool being filled in and the barren open space being used by the Folkestone Sunday market.


Looking east towards the harbour from near the sight of the now demolished Folkestone Rotunda.

We had what purported to be a 'Ploughman's Lunch' in the cafe in the foreground (white building) and it was spectacularly awful.

Instead of the expected man-size chunk of bread, we had two wafer thin slices of white bread smeared with cheapo margarine, some inedible beetroot accompanied by tasteless cheese and some tomatoes that tasted like they were grown in a laboratory.


To some local protest, the large Rotunda amusement park was sold off by its owner, Jimmy 'King of the Seafront Arcades' Godden in 2003 and subsequently demolished.

Here's what's left of the entrance.




The empty space where the circular amusement park stood.


Remains of the amusement park interior.


Looking back from the centre of the rotunda to the remains of the entrance.


Looking across the old floor of the rotunda towards the rollercoaster and the Dome.


Walking past the site of the funfair.



ROLLERCOASTER VIEWS

Now quietly rotting away and awaiting its inevitable demolition, the wooden roller coaster was, apparently, still operating until comparatively recently. It rather reminded me of the Coney Island roller coaster.

Here's some views of what's left:


Crumbling entrance.




View from the beach.






Roller coaster car stuck half way up a climb.








Exit sign.



THE DOME AND BOATING POOL


The boating pool has long since vanished, but the 'Boating House Public House and Restaurant' - with its individually boarded up windows - remains in situ.


Entrance to the 'Leisure Dome Family Amusements.'




Second Dome entrance.