What Would You Put In The Dome?
Further to my previous post (the one about the Estate Agent trying to make living next to the Dome sound exciting) I have been thinking about why most of us just don't go to the Dome on a regular basis (or even at all), and what would make us go.
I mean - not all of us want to go to a stadium gig every night - but there are other things there. Its problem seems to be in that it does everything you can already get in Greenwich, just not as well. There's a cinema - with one giant and a whole bunch of teeny screens - we have the Picturehouse. There's a dodgy nightclub - we have Olivers. There are infinite so-so restaurants - we have plenty of so-so eateries ourselves (and one or two really good ones.) There's an exhibition space - we have several of those already too. BTW has anyone been to the British Music Experience yet?
I was wondering last week why there isn't a microbrewery or even somewhere that serves proper beer there, after the Phantom Webmaster's miserable experience. Apparently the fact that the Dome spends large amounts of time effectively empty when the rents are so bloomin' high and the problems of it being a purely drinking place rather than somewhere to eat too put a spanner in the works - but if the place was to become more appealing during the day, maybe it would be viable after all.
Maybe AEG are making so much cash from the big-hitters they don't need to have the place working to capacity the rest of the time, but surely they could start looking at the 'dead' space and time there. There's still loads of room to be filled, especially round the back. But what with?
My choice would be a bowling alley (I LOVE bowling but only ever manage to get to the Bloomsbury Lanes about once a year) but I'm sure there are other things that would bring more of us over there more often. An actual destination restaurant rather than stadium tat (with the honorable exception of Gaucho) perhaps? A decent exhibition in the 'Bubble?' Or even that dreaded fallback - retail?
What would make you visit? Or should we just decide that it's not really for the likes of us and let it carry on sparkling to itself across the water? I guess its failure to appeal to locals is good news for the town centre... :-)
BTW - do you ever play the same game as me where you come out of North Greenwich Tube and work out what gig is on from the type of people that are heading towards the O2?
I mean - not all of us want to go to a stadium gig every night - but there are other things there. Its problem seems to be in that it does everything you can already get in Greenwich, just not as well. There's a cinema - with one giant and a whole bunch of teeny screens - we have the Picturehouse. There's a dodgy nightclub - we have Olivers. There are infinite so-so restaurants - we have plenty of so-so eateries ourselves (and one or two really good ones.) There's an exhibition space - we have several of those already too. BTW has anyone been to the British Music Experience yet?
I was wondering last week why there isn't a microbrewery or even somewhere that serves proper beer there, after the Phantom Webmaster's miserable experience. Apparently the fact that the Dome spends large amounts of time effectively empty when the rents are so bloomin' high and the problems of it being a purely drinking place rather than somewhere to eat too put a spanner in the works - but if the place was to become more appealing during the day, maybe it would be viable after all.
Maybe AEG are making so much cash from the big-hitters they don't need to have the place working to capacity the rest of the time, but surely they could start looking at the 'dead' space and time there. There's still loads of room to be filled, especially round the back. But what with?
My choice would be a bowling alley (I LOVE bowling but only ever manage to get to the Bloomsbury Lanes about once a year) but I'm sure there are other things that would bring more of us over there more often. An actual destination restaurant rather than stadium tat (with the honorable exception of Gaucho) perhaps? A decent exhibition in the 'Bubble?' Or even that dreaded fallback - retail?
What would make you visit? Or should we just decide that it's not really for the likes of us and let it carry on sparkling to itself across the water? I guess its failure to appeal to locals is good news for the town centre... :-)
BTW - do you ever play the same game as me where you come out of North Greenwich Tube and work out what gig is on from the type of people that are heading towards the O2?
Labels: Debates
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
10:01
25 Comments:
The problem with the Dome, for me, is the all-enveloping mournful grey light that permeates through the tarpaulin roof. It seems to drain the soul, don't you think? It's like a permanent winter. That and the proliferation of FTW theme bars, the all prevailing Kent chav and that lingering essence of New Labour about the whole place. Hey, why not pull it down and put something nice in its place?
I confess I rather like the space - I just wish there was more in it that I wanted to visit.
I've always thought the Dome was a wonderful looking building, and I particularly like that it seems to change colours with the light, like a chalk cliff carved into shape. There is something magical about it as the sun is setting on a cloudless day, as it rainbows through the colours before the lights come up and fix it for the night.
But what I don't like about it is the corporate feeling of the place, which is largely down to the fact that ever single restaurant is part of a chain, including the fairly over-rated Gaucho.
I understand why it's that way - the large chains can make certain financial guarantees that the individual, mom and pop stores can't offer - but it means that there will always be a generic feel to the place.
Look at the centre of Greenwich - as much as people might give the Hospital administrators a hard time, the fact that they haven't allowed a string of chain retail stores in does give the place an individual feel, and differentiates it from most town High Streets.
And I certainly wouldnt put retail there. I recall reading that AEG made this decision to avoid the 'hoody' brigade that frequents Bluewater etc...
The whole place does just feel fake. The perfect example fo this being the trees; once real, pressure treated, varnished and fake leaves stuck on the branches. Always reminds me of a great Radiohead song!
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Some insider knowledge from me.
The room round the back you refer to has all been planned for. Another club/music venue has been scheduled to be built/opened for a while. It is called 'Phase 2' of the development of 'Entertainment Avenue' (the official name for the row of crap bars, clubs and restaurants).
The fact is, the establishments in the Dome (and hence AEG)already make enough money from nights when there are big shows on to avoid having to provide anything of quality. A neat little trick they use is printing on most tickets that you must enter the actual arena by the farthest gate (H, if I remember correctly). This ensures that there is always a heavy flow of traffic past all the restaurants to ensure they pack out.
The clubs (Inc, Matter and occasionally Indigo2) make shedloads at the weekends and are always busy. Nicholas is correct in his statement that there will not be any retail spaces made available in the foreseeable future.
The cinema makes a good turnover from local youths.
The O2 is mostly a grim place and I can't ever see it becoming interesting or attractive to visit for most Greenwichites any time soon. From the trees, to the lighting to the ugly facades it is just a bit too American and a bit too tacky to compete with Greenwich town center. As you say, this may be a good thing for us.
Oh, I also play the "guess the band" game, makes waiting for the 188 much more fun. Cheers!
One other thing. Did anyone else see the small article in the Metro a month back about the O2 being bought from AEG by Trinity College Cambridge? I think the price was around 23 million.
Maybe AEG aren't doing too well. I imagine they lost out and some big bucks after the death of MJ.
I had a wander around on Monday afternoon and it was empty and depressing.
Without anything individual or compelling, it is unlikely ever to be a destination for any locals to want to visit.
Once the employment district up there takes shape, and you have a few thousand people up there regularly looking for somewhere to eat/drink, things may change. But at present it's just flat.
it strikes me as very generic and overpriced. All a bit boil in the bag, but to answer the actual question, they could have a proper fresh food market there like they do in all respectable French towns, even a fish market perhaps; and while we're on a French theme, why not a games area with the likes of boules, skittles, pictch & putt!!
Actually, I think the thing it's crying out for most is a casino.
Not some shabby down-at-heel bingo hall, but a real glitzy place for the beautiful people
Hmmm. I've even thought of a name for such a place. They could call it a SuperCasino :)
I'm puzzled. Why are we still referring to it as the Dome when it's been the O2 for a couple of years? Is it the "it'll always be the Dome to me" argument - usually put forward by those who hated the building, and it's name, when it first went up or is there some other principle involved that I'm unaware of?
Because one is the original name, and the other is another example of naff corporate-ism. As Alan Partridge once said, "They've rebadged it, you fool!" (Not you, Wolfe). Does anyone know, or care, where Labatt's Apollo is?
Wolfe - I call it the Dome because that was what it was called when we all paid for it and I am just too old/lazy/indifferent to start calling it something else just becuase it's sponsored now. I still call Marathon bars Marathons (not Snickers). And I quite liked it when it was the Dome, and I still love the building itself.
@Wolfe
AEG would hire you any day. You are told clearly on induction that if you call the O2, the Dome you can face disicplinary action.
Pedro - I know that Labatt's Apollo is really Hammersmith Odeon, but I do not care
All purpose sports stadium. Sorts out the olympic problem good and proper. Or an Eden project-esque garden.
All fine points - thank you. Wow, Greenwichite..AEG are harsh...
It's the 'Dome' in the same way as that cricket ground in Vauxhall is the 'Oval'. How will Wolfe refer to it if it becomes not the '02' but the 'Kentucky Fried Chicken'?
BTW I still have prefer to think of the people who serve me in ASDA as staff and not my 'colleagues'.
The Surrey Quays bowling alley is barely further away from central Greenwich than the Dome is, so I can't really see the point of a bowling alley either..
They're holding a big Christmas funfair, German market, Santa's grotto event soon
I like the sound of that - but as usual - that's the first I've heard of it - thanks Tim. I'll definitely go, and report back...
Yeek! Twenty Quid! Each!
http://www.theo2.co.uk/event/christmas-fair-20091121.html
Oh - ok, I just found another website that claims it's free to enter - just twenty quid if you want to go on the rides, which I guess is fair enough
http://www.christmasfairattheo2.co.uk/
They had the Christmas market/fair/grotto/rides last year as well. The 20 quid is only if you want unlimited rides. You can also pay by the ride. Otherwise the fair is free.
As a resident of Greenwich Millenium Village, I have to say I love living near the dome. It's convenient for Starbucks & restaurants. The cinema crowd is a lot less dodgy (and less hoody) than you get over at the Odeon by Sainsbury's. It's a nice open space out front of the dome, and the fountains are great for little kids in the summer. The whole place is very family-friendly and open (not to mention vehicle traffic-free). And the inside space is used for a steady rotation of activities from a giant sand pit to skating rinks etc. I've lived in other areas of Greenwich before, and personally prefer living near the dome as opposed to anywhere else.
I absolutely love The Dome and am proud that it is a local attraction. It is an interesting diversion when doing the Thames walk. I went inside it a couple of weeks ago for the first time since the Millennium and yes, it was grey and empty and miserable. However, I walked past the British Music Experience and as a consequence am going en famille tomorrow. I will report back Phantom.
By the way, an American 50's themed bowling alley would be super dooper and I support the suggestion for it as a proper sports venue - as opposed to fancy gymnastics...
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