Jimmy Godden (entrepreneur)
Jimmy Godden | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Godden December 1945 Folkestone, Kent, England |
| Died | 27 March 2012 (aged 66) Royal Marsden Hospital, London |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Involvement in amusement parks in Kent |
| Children | 3 |
Jimmy Godden (December 1945 – 27 March 2012) was a businessman from Kent.[1][2][3] He was involved in a range of venues and projects including Dreamland Margate, the Rotunda Amusement Park in Folkestone and Ramsgate Pleasure Park.[4]
Early life
Godden was born in Folkestone, Kent.[2] He started a career as a builder, prior to marrying into a family involved in Folkestone Rotunda.[5]
Career
In 1990, Godden purchased Folkestone Rotunda amusement park,[6] a prominent seafront attraction, prior to its closure.[7]
In March 1991, Godden pleaded guilty to bribing a councillor on Thanet District Council, receiving a six-month suspended prison sentence and a £25,000 fine.[8]
In 1992, Godden purchased the Feathers Funfair in Dymchurch.[9]
In 1993, Godden demolished the Grade II listed 18th-century Ark Café in Folkestone, citing hurricane damage, despite opposition from local conservationists.[10]
In 1995, Godden acquired Dreamland Margate from the Bembom family.[11][12] During his tenure, the Ferris wheel[13] and the looping swingboat Mary Rose[14] were removed.
Failed projects
Godden was involved in several proposed developments that were not completed. In the mid-1990s, his Chamelion Group proposed a major leisure complex on the derelict Ramsgate Hoverport, including 250 holiday apartments, an indoor ski slope, a swimming pool, and other amenities, with funding expected in part from European Union development grants.[15][16] The proposal led to the demolition of the existing terminal building, but negotiations with Thanet District Council broke down in 1996.[17]
At the Pleasurama site on Ramsgate seafront, located on the former Ramsgate Harbour railway station, Godden had obtained permission to develop a shopping centre. However, the site was destroyed by fire before the development could proceed and was subsequently compulsorily purchased by Thanet District Council.[18]
Several of Godden's properties were damaged or destroyed by fires, some of which were suspected to be deliberate. These included the listed Scenic Railway at Dreamland, which was damaged in an arson attack on 7 April 2008,[19][20] the Pleasurama fun park in Ramsgate,[18][21] and the Mr G arcade on Margate seafront. The latter site remained vacant and became locally known as "Godden's Gap".[22]
Personal life
He was married twice and had three sons.[4]
Godden and one of his sons were kidnapped by men in balaclavas in December 1991, with the aim of extracting a ransom. The kidnapping was abandoned when a police patrol happened upon the kidnap in progress, and the kidnappers fled.[23][24] Property worth £100,000 was taken and Godden's insurance company offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the gang.[25]
He died from cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in March 2012.[26][1]
References
- 1 2 Boyle, Danny (28 March 2012). "Entrepreneur Jimmy Godden dies". Kent Online.
- 1 2 "Controversial amusement park boss Jimmy Godden passes away". Your Thanet. 31 March 2012.
- ↑ "Thanet Entrepreneur Jimmy Godden dies". ITV News. 28 March 2012.
- 1 2 Castle, Vicky (2 August 2019). "Jimmy Godden was the Rotunda and Dreamland tycoon who made his mark in east Kent". Kent Live.
- ↑ "Workaholic who built an amusement empire". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 22 March 1991.
- ↑ Hudson, Nick (10 September 1998). "Diamonds are forever". Folkestone Herald.
- ↑ Chessum, Victoria (11 August 2019). "Unseen footage takes you inside Jimmy Godden's Rotunda in height of its 90s popularity". Kent Live.
- ↑ "Shame of Millionaire Seafront Leisure King". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 22 March 1991.
- ↑ "Marks Bros funfair has a new owner". Kent Evening Post. 6 May 1992.
- ↑ "Harbour shops plan 'will give new life to seafront'". Folkestone Herald. 22 July 1993.
- ↑ "Jobs Dream Comes True". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 29 December 1995.
- ↑ "The dream's alive again at Margate". Kent Evening Post. 4 July 1996.
- ↑ Gold, Mary (8 February 2003). "Death of a seaside dream". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ↑ "Godden Era". The Dreamland Heritage Trust.
- ↑ "Work starts on £40m bay dream". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 25 August 1995.
- ↑ "Holiday giant advises on scheme for hoverport site". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 7 October 1994.
- ↑ "Skids go under ski scheme". Kent Evening Post. 24 July 1996.
- 1 2 "6 Thanet sites that have gone up in flames". Isle of Thanet News. 15 March 2018.
- ↑ "Dreamland rollercoaster blaze 'probably started deliberately'". Kent Messenger. 11 April 2008. Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ↑ "Fire rips through rollercoaster". BBC News. 7 April 2008.
- ↑ "Hope for fire-hit site". Kent Evening Post. 5 June 1998.
- ↑ "Unlucky Jim". Private Eye. No. 1208. 18 April 2008.
- ↑ "Father and son in gun kidnap". Kent Evening Post. 16 December 1991.
- ↑ "Gang kidnaps Arcade Mr Big". Thanet Times. 17 December 1991.
- ↑ "Big reward in kidnap hunt". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 24 January 1992.
- ↑ "British park figures pass away". Park World. 23 October 2014.