Jimmy Godden (entrepreneur)

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Jimmy Godden (died 2012) was one of the most high-profile businessmen in Kent, [1] [2] [3] England prior to his death from cancer. He was famous for his involvement in a range of high-profile venues and projects including Dreamland Margate, the Rotunda Amusement Park in Folkestone, and Ramsgate Pleasure Park. [4]

Contents

Personal life

Godden was born in Folkestone, Kent. [2] He was married twice and had three sons. [4]

He started a career as a builder, prior to marrying into a family heavily involved in Folkestone Rotunda. [5]

Business interests

His business interests were primarily in the entertainment sector, [4] owning a large number of businesses including amusement arcades across the South of England under his JG Amusements brand. [1] [5]

He was the owner of the Folkestone Rotunda amusement park which was a high-profile entertainment site on the seafront, [6] prior to Godden closing the park and selling it for redevelopment. [7]

Godden purchased the Feathers Funfair in Dymchurch in 1992. [8]

The listed 18th century Ark cafe in Folkestone was pulled down by Godden after claims of hurricane damage, against the wishes of local conservationists. [9]

In 1995, Godden purchased Dreamland Margate from the Bembom family. [10] [11] After his purchase of the park, Godden was able to secure European and regional grant aid to assist in an initial £3m redevelopment. [12] However, during Godden's tenure many of the rides were sold off, including the big wheel which had dominated the Margate skyline for two decades which was dismantled and sold to a park in Mexico, [13] and the looping swingboat Mary Rose. [14]

A number of Godden's assets were lost or badly damaged in fires, some of which were though to be arson. This included the listed Scenic Railway at Dreamland which was damaged in an arson attack on 7 April 2008. [15] [16] as well as fire destroying his Pleasurama fun park in Ramsgate, [17] [18] and the Mr G arcade on Margate seafront in front of his Dreamland park, leaving a space between buildings known by locals as "Godden's Gap". [19]

Failed projects

Godden was involved in a number of projects which failed to materialise. In the mid-1990s Godden's Chamelion Group proposed a major leisure complex on the derelict Ramsgate Hoverport with 250 holiday apartments, an indoor ski slope, swimming pool, and other amenities, which was proposed to be part-funded with European Union development grants, and developed by Jimmy Godden who owned Dreamland Margate [20] [21] the scheme led to the demolition of the old terminal, but negotiations broke down with Thanet District Council in 1996. [22]

At his Pleasurama park on Ramsgate seafront, on the site of the former Ramsgate Harbour railway station, Godden had permission for the development of a shopping centre, but it was destroyed by fire before this could be brought to fruition, and was compulsory purchased by Thanet District Council. [17]

Criminal conviction

Godden plead guilty to bribery of a councillor on Thanet District Council in March 1991, and was given a six-month suspended jail term, as well as a £25k fine. [23]

Kidnap

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. [24] [25] Property worth £100,000 was taken and Godden's insurance company offered a £10,000 reward for information leasing to the conviction of the gang. [26]

Membership

Godden was chairman of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Amusements (BALPPA) from 2000 to 2002. [27]

Death

He died from cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in March 2012. [27] [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Boyle, Danny (28 March 2012). "Entrepreneur Jimmy Godden dies". Kent Online.
  2. 1 2 "Controversial amusement park boss Jimmy Godden passes away". Your Thanet. 31 March 2012.
  3. ↑ "Thanet Entrepreneur Jimmy Godden dies". ITV News. 28 March 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 Castle, Vicky (2 August 2019). "Jimmy Godden was the Rotunda and Dreamland tycoon who made his mark in east Kent". Kent Live.
  5. 1 2 "Workaholic who built an amusement empire". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 22 March 1991.
  6. ↑ Hudson, Nick (10 September 1998). "Diamonds are forever". Folkestone Herald.
  7. ↑ Chessum, Victoria (11 August 2019). "Unseen footage takes you inside Jimmy Godden's Rotunda in height of its 90s popularity". Kent Live.
  8. ↑ "Marks Bros funfair has a new owner". Kent Evening Post. 6 May 1992.
  9. ↑ "Harbour shops plan 'will give new life to seafront'". Folkestone Herald. 22 July 1993.
  10. ↑ "Jobs Dream Comes True". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 29 December 1995.
  11. ↑ "The dream's alive again at Margate". Kent Evening Post. 4 July 1996.
  12. ↑ Gardner, Darran (13 July 2003). "Fairground attraction; Darran Gardner takes a white-knuckle ride with Henk Bembom". The Sunday Herald. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. ↑ "Godden Era". The Dreamland Heritage Trust.
  15. ↑ "Dreamland rollercoaster blaze 'probably started deliberately'". Kent Messenger. 11 April 2008.
  16. ↑ "Fire rips through rollercoaster". BBC News. 7 April 2008.
  17. 1 2 "6 Thanet sites that have gone up in flames". Isle of Thanet News. 15 March 2018.
  18. ↑ "Hope for fire-hit site". Kent Evening Post. 5 June 1998.
  19. ↑ "Unlucky Jim". Private Eye. No. 1208. 18 April 2008.
  20. ↑ "Work starts on £40m bay dream". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 25 August 1995.
  21. ↑ "Holiday giant advises on scheme for hoverport site". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 7 October 1994.
  22. ↑ "Skids go under ski scheme". Kent Evening Post. 24 July 1996.
  23. ↑ "Shame of Millionaire Seafront Leisure King". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 22 March 1991.
  24. ↑ "Father and son in gun kidnap". Kent Evening Post. 16 December 1991.
  25. ↑ "Gang kidnaps Arcade Mr Big". Thanet Times. 17 December 1991.
  26. ↑ "Big reward in kidnap hunt". Isle of Thanet Gazette. 24 January 1992.
  27. 1 2 "British park figures pass away". Park World. 23 October 2014.
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