Former Dreamland CEO Eddie Kemsley returns to head up amusement park team

Eddie Kemsley at the 2015 Dreamland opening Photo Frank Leppard

Former Dreamland CEO Eddie Kemsley has returned to head up the Margate amusement park once more.

Eddie originally took up her role at Dreamland in 2013 and oversaw the first reopening of the park in 2015.

But in May 2016 – less than a year after that opening – operator Sands Heritage fell into administration.

The company first suffered financial difficulty at the end of 2015 when it entered a voluntary debt plan after being hit with a net loss of £5 million and owing bills of £2,893,128.

2015 opening Photo Frank Leppard

It emerged that Sands Heritage Ltd owed an estimated £8.34 million to creditors and had a total deficit of some £14 million.

Eddie left Dreamland that year to take up a post at Kidzania in London. She has now resigned that role and is back in post at the Margate park.

Dreamland came out of administration in October 2017 following  a £25million investment programme from company Arrowgrass.

How the hotel could look

Last year Margate Estates, which is the name of the current  parent company for Dreamland, organised events to provide residents with an update on its £50 million investment in the park and its plans for a seafront lifestyle hotel.

A Dreamland spokesperson said: “The Board of Sands Heritage Limited is pleased to announce that it has appointed Edwina Kemsley to the role of Chief Executive Officer effective immediately.

“Eddie knows the business having previously been the CEO when the site first opened in June 2015 and rejoins following two years as CEO of Kidzania in London.

“This is an exciting time to be rejoining the company and we wish Eddie every success.”