Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre and Museum, Lifton, Devon CLOSED DURING 2021 SEASON

Details

Accessibility

Details prior to 2021 Disability Toilet and Baby Changing Facilities. https://www.dinglesfhc.co.uk/visit/disabled-access/

"A museum map is available on entry to the Museum from the reception desk. The Map provides information about the location of ramps, eating areas, toilets and fire exits, as well as showing specific exhibit areas. Museum staff are also on hand to give advice and assistance. There are no stairs within the museum complex; all areas can be accessed by ramps where appropriate. Seating is provided throughout for the use of visitors. All areas can be accessed by ramps where appropriate.

Lighting

Lighting levels may vary in different parts of the buildings. To help plan your visit, further information can be obtained by phoning the information line on 01566 783425 (during museum opening hours).

Wheelchairs

There are currently no wheelchairs available on site, but visitors are welcome to bring their own. All areas of the museum buildings can be accessed by wheelchair.

Comments and Suggestions

We welcome suggestions and comments about your visit. They will help us to improve our services and will contribute to our staff’s awareness of particular needs. To record your suggestions and comments please complete one of our feedback leaflets, available at the Reception Desk.

Toilets

Accessible toilets are available in the main building.

Induction Loops

An induction loop is located at the main reception desk.

Assistance Dogs

Whilst we regret that dogs are not able to accompany visitors inside the buildings, guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome throughout the Museum. Water bowls for guide dogs are available on request

Parking

There are designated parking spaces available for use by disabled visitors; please follow the signs on site.

Places to eat

The ‘Carousel Cafe’  located next to reception and their servery in the working fairground building (only open during weekends and busy periods) has with movable seating and staff will be happy to assist on request."

Brief description

Details prior to 2021 "Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre is a working fairground museum situated in Lifton, Devon.

The fairground is home to the Fairground Heritage Trust, a charity which aims to preserve the history of the fairground, including rides, equipment, photography and memorabilia.

Originally known as Dingles Steam Village, the attraction was renamed the Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre for the 2007 season following a new extension in Spring 2006.

In addition to an artefact museum, the attraction includes a working fairground. All of the rides and stalls operate on a token system.

The fairground collection includes rides such as the Joy Wheel, Edwards Dodgems, Edwards’ Super Sonic Skid, Edwards’ Super Chariot Racer, Rodeo Switchback, Brett's Ghost Train, Tuby’s Gallopers, Edwards’ Golden Gallopers and a Moon Rocket." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingles_Fairground_Heritage_Centre

"CLOSED DURING 2021 SEASON and New building:

The new building has been cut into a hillside resulting in an estimated 120,000 cubic metres of material having to been excavated, including the shaping of the batters. The new building has two components: a main museum gallery building and a lean-to annex. The former, the same size as our current Fairground Gallery, is practically finished, with exhibits in position. The second part is the annex to the front, which will house the café, shop, reception, and toilets. This has just a roof, no concrete base, and no services installed.

As it is not complete, we have not agreed on a lease and are in a vulnerable situation. The cost of completing this work could run to well in excess of £150,000. Our Landlord has been working on completing the building throughout the Corona Virus restrictions but for various reasons, is now unable to finish the works, additionally, the whole site at Milford Farm is now up for sale.

We do have a perfectly secure lease on the working Fairground Gallery building.

Landlords Support:

We must place on record, our thanks to our Landlord.

Whilst we are frustrated with the timing of current events, he has over the last 15 years supported the Trust with very significant investment in the site, and crucially when we moved to Devon in 2006, provided support worth well into six figures, just to move our collection out of storage and on display.

Sadly circumstances have changed and he feels he must move on. As part of this sale we will also be losing almost all our storage, much of which has been provided for little or no cost since our arrival.

Before the recent announcement of the sale, we were working towards opening in July, this would have included bringing in temporary infrastructure at great cost to bridge the gap in missing facilities. However until the future of the site is more clear, and our position regarding the lease is secured, we are unable to invest further funds on the site. As such all work has ceased. This doesn’t mean that we intend to close. Trustees and volunteers continue to work tirelessly on site, clearing the old storage and sorting out our vast collection. Our highly talented curatorial team continues to work on graphics and display.

The Future:

Productive talks have taken place between our Landlord and Chairman, both have a framework to agree a new lease ahead of the sale that will secure the Trusts future and provide us with an opportunity to buy the site in due course.

When those talks have concluded and an agreement has been reached, we will concentrate our efforts on opening the Fairground Gallery for October Half Term for Halloween and hopefully for a Christmas Wonderland. We have a number of funding applications in preparation, these will be submitted as soon as the site is secured, but we need all the help we can get – hence we’ve set up a Just Giving page.

Dispersal sale of non-core collection (Items not on display) to raise essential funds:

Finally, we are conducting a review of Trust Collections. Much of what the Trust owns, has never been displayed and is unlikely to ever be so.

The collection began to be curated in a very much, ad hoc fashion from the mid-80s.To this end, the Trustees have agreed that following the Curatorial Collection Review (offering where possible, exhibits to other accredited organisations) we will be holding an auction to rationalise the collection in the autumn. This will include artwork, packing trucks, transport, and other associated items. A further announcement on this auction will be made later in the year. Our core collection – the rides, and artifacts on display, will of course, not be affected by this. (Brooklands and Rodeo Switchback remain part of the collection)

I would like to thank all volunteers, trustees, and interested parties for their ongoing help support and assistance.

In addition, my thanks to our neighbour Peter Knight, (Knight Excavation Services) as without his support in lending us valuable machinery we would struggle immensely.

We will reopen, stronger and with both buildings fit for purpose, we very much look forward to welcoming everyone back for a Grand Opening in spring 2022 and apologise sincerely for the disappointment caused this year.

Adam Brown, Chairman, The Fairground Heritage Trust  https://www.justgiving.com/fairground-heritage "

Address

Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre

Milford

Lifton

PL16 0AT

Email

Phone

01566 783425

Website

https://www.fairground-heritage.org.uk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingles_Fairground_Heritage_Centre

Directions

"Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre is just one mile from the A30 in West Devon, 35 miles west of Exeter, and 7 miles east of Launceston. Watch out for the brown signs on the A30 and minor roads around the area."

Opening Times

Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change

CLOSED DURING 2021 SEASON

Transport

For further travel information please see: www.traveline.info

Or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33
(Calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)

Amenities

CLOSED DURING 2021 SEASON

Details prior to 2021 

The Carousel Cafe serves homemade meals using fresh, local ingredients. We also have picnic tables outside for those who have brought their own food.

https://www.dinglesfhc.co.uk/visit/eating-and-drinking/

Shop  https://www.dinglesfhc.co.uk/shop/