It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 7:01 am


Dr Who Experience is closing

if it's about Cardiff.. Sport, Entertainment, Transportation, Business, Development Projects, Leisure, Eating, Drinking, Nightlife, Shopping, Train Spotting! etc.. then we want it here!
  • Author
  • Message
Offline

Cardiff

  • Posts: 457
  • Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 7:48 am

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostMon Apr 17, 2017 3:29 pm

The building was always temporary, i think we all hoped if it was successful enough they would house it somewhere more permanent in the city, maybe the Cory building or red brick one next door combined with a Roald Dahl museum.
Offline

Peiriannydd

  • Posts: 614
  • Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostMon Apr 17, 2017 4:16 pm

Cardiff wrote:The building was always temporary, i think we all hoped if it was successful enough they would house it somewhere more permanent in the city, maybe the Cory building or red brick one next door combined with a Roald Dahl museum.


I know the building was temporary, but given it's success (I'm assuming it's been a financial success) I don't understand why a replacement venue is not being discussed.

According to the BBC, it's the council who are calling time on the 5-year lease:
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-11- ... -next-year

I think it would be disgusting if this ends up being re-opened in another city.
Offline

Simon__200

  • Posts: 301
  • Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 7:07 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostMon Apr 17, 2017 7:19 pm

I'm not sure the council are calling in that lease. From talking to some contacts, I believe that BBC Worldwide are not interested in extending the lease, but kudos to them in making the council look like the villains. I can't imagine that the council wouldn't be intereted in extending the deal if they have no other plans for that piece of land, but who knows?

I guess it's possible that they'll relocate somewhere else. The current building isn't very practicable as a long term venue. It's cold in winter and really hot in the summer.
Offline

Peiriannydd

  • Posts: 614
  • Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostMon Apr 17, 2017 8:27 pm

I'm not sure how much scope the Council have given that they themselves are leasing the land from the Welsh Government and so we're talking about a sub-lease here.

If you can believe anything in this "article" from WalesOnline, it's interesting how everyone wants to keep this so quiet:
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... g-12604406

Supposedly, a BBC email stated:
“We are asked to treat this information as confidential as we are about to enter a formal HR process with regards our staff in Cardiff. Could I ask that Cardiff Council also treat this as confidential until we have reached the appropriate point in our HR procedure and we have all agreed the form of words to be used in the public domain.”

Despite a couple of references to discussions about relocating the exhibition, the reference to HR procedures suggests to me that the BBC are intent on holding a consultation period over redundancies and don't want to indicate that the decision has already been determined.
Offline

Simon__200

  • Posts: 301
  • Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 7:07 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostThu Apr 20, 2017 9:29 am

Yes, that's exactly what it looks like, though unbelievable that headline on the Walesonline article your posted gets it completely back to front in trying to make out that it's the council who are trying to keep things secret. They are either terrible journalists, or have some anti-council agenda (or both!).

It's difficulty to know if the operation of looking for a new venue is serious (I hope it is!), or merely part of the box-ticking compulsory consultation HR process.
Offline

Cen

  • Posts: 527
  • Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostThu Apr 20, 2017 9:39 am

It really would be a massive shame to see this unlikely tourist hot-spot completely erased. I would like to see a relocation to a more permanent building. I wonder what the potential for a BBC studios "theme park" is at Porth Teigr, which could also include the globally famous Sherlock. They clearly aren't progressing as planned with the office and residential schemes, and that land is just sitting there begging to be used. The Eastern Bay Link road will surely give this area a boost.
Offline

Peiriannydd

  • Posts: 614
  • Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostThu Apr 20, 2017 5:46 pm

You have to wonder if the BBC just wants to relocate it to an English city with the view of making more revenue. Unless it's a commerical failure or there is some sort of liability that we don't know about, what reason is there for closing it down without a replacement venue in the city?
Offline
User avatar

Kyle

  • Posts: 963
  • Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 2:24 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostThu Apr 20, 2017 6:14 pm

Peiriannydd wrote:You have to wonder if the BBC just wants to relocate it to an English city with the view of making more revenue. Unless it's a commerical failure or there is some sort of liability that we don't know about, what reason is there for closing it down without a replacement venue in the city?


Wasn't it in London previously anyway and just here temporarily before returning?

I'm sure I read that somewhere a few years ago before it arrived.
Offline

Peiriannydd

  • Posts: 614
  • Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostThu Apr 20, 2017 6:40 pm

Kyle wrote:
Peiriannydd wrote:You have to wonder if the BBC just wants to relocate it to an English city with the view of making more revenue. Unless it's a commerical failure or there is some sort of liability that we don't know about, what reason is there for closing it down without a replacement venue in the city?


Wasn't it in London previously anyway and just here temporarily before returning?

I'm sure I read that somewhere a few years ago before it arrived.


Yes it was in London, but I don't recall relocation to Cardiff being a temporary one. Given that it's made in Cardiff it makes sense to have it down here, but hey, the BBC will do what they want.

If only I could get around paying my licence fee!
Offline

Simon__200

  • Posts: 301
  • Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 7:07 pm

Re: Dr Who Experience is closing

PostFri Apr 21, 2017 8:41 am

There you go again, making all sensible sober comments, then bringing up the TV licence, out of the blue, as if it's connected to this in some way(!).
PreviousNext

Return to Cardiff Wales Map forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 66 guests

cron