The Dome emerging as jewel in Britain’s millennium crown

loading...

The countdown is on!

“And nobody — but nobody — is planning a millennium celebration quite like the British,” said Jeffrey, the genial, know-it-all concierge at London’s Berkeley Hotel.

Abandoning his normal British reserve, he proceeded to enumerate some of the special year’s events, but the most spectacular happening is The Dome. “It’s simply fabulous,” he exclaimed.

The attractions begin with the Millennium Mile where, for the entire year, people will stroll along the South Bank of the Thames and see exciting developments that reveal how London is preparing for the 21st century. On this walk by the river, visitors will see the Royal Festival Hall, now part of the world’s largest art complex, exhibits, displays, outdoor entertainment and the London Aquarium.

Even now, the Royal National Theatre is presenting free performances in Theatre Square. And wait until the world sees the British Airways London Eye, a massive illuminated Ferris wheel offering panoramic views for over 30 miles. The 450-foot-high Eye will be the largest observation wheel in the world, radiating stunning arcs of light. It is located in front of Jubilee Gardens, overhanging the river, and officially opens Jan. 1, 2000. Now being constructed, it rests on its side on the South Bank.

A new Tate Gallery of Modern Art, opening in May 2000, will be a permanent structure, situated just beside the Thames and linked to St. Paul’s Cathedral by the Millennium Bridge, the first new bridge to be built in central London since 1894. Nearby, the Globe Theater has been rebuilt to display the history of the world-famous theater renowned for its performances from Shakespeare’s days. A giant IMAX Cinema almost completed will be the largest screen in England.

Just opened in July, Vinopolis is a multimedia museum of wine designed to introduce people to the world of wine — in an entertaining way. In the formerly run-down section of Southwark, in a cavernous Victorian-era warehouse, a modern building has been designed. The $15 admission fee includes tasting five vintage wines. A CD audio guide helps direct visitors through 21 rooms. In the Italian Room, visitors climb onto motor scooter seats and press buttons for televised images of Italy’s wine regions, just like that seen by someone riding along a road in that region.

Star of the experience

After that recital, Jeffrey’s voice rose 10 decibels as he dramatically said, “But the star of the Millennium Experience will undoubtedly be The Dome, the largest fabric structure in the world, which stands like a gigantic spaceship in the village of Greenwich, just down the Thames River from London. And though it officially opens January 1, 2000, folks are already streaming to Greenwich just to get a glimpse of this creation.”

Londoners and tourists are taking the Underground, or Tube, to Embankment Pier to board the one-hour cruise down the Thames to Greenwich. A guide offers a commentary as the boat passes under Waterloo Bridge, Charing Cross Bridge, London Bridge, Traitor’s Gate at the Tower of London, the pub where Will Shakespeare ate before each Globe performance, and other landmarks.

On the horizon looms The Dome, bristling with antennas or “needles.” The needles are actually 12 328-foot masts that support the tentlike structure.

What a perfect location to erect this structure, for Greenwich, the “Home of Time” is home to the prime meridian, the invisible line that begins and ends the world’s time zones.

Greenwich was once the center of maritime activities in England, and two famous ships still reside there: the Cutty Sark, one of the last great clipper ships, and the smaller Gipsy Mother IV, which sailed around the world skippered by Sir Francis Chichester, the first person to accomplish that feat alone.

The site of The Dome at the 300-acre Greenwich Peninsula was once London’s largest derelict and polluted riverside area. Since The Dome construction began, redevelopment of the whole area has started with building of new homes and the Millennium Village announced in February 1998. This village will be managed by the government where there will be hotels, restaurants, shops and even a McDonald’s.

Counting down

The Royal Observatory requires a bit of a climb up a picturesque hill but it is well worth it. A millennium countdown clock shows how many seconds are left until midnight Dec. 31, and the views of London are glorious. Nearby, the National Maritime Museum displays Britain’s great sea exploits. Also in Greenwich is a 17th century royal villa built for Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I.

The Dome structure, which covers 20 acres, is made of two layers of teflon- coated fiberglass; it was completed in June 1998. Inside, construction workers are still building parts of the giant structure. In this huge enclosure will be an array of attractions and events.

“Visitors will participate, ride, interact and take away memories of a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Anne-Sophie Husse, who works at The Dome, and continues to be awed each day by the size of the project.

“This will be the largest concentration of exciting, high-quality visitor attractions ever brought together under one roof,” she said.

It will provide an international showcase for the best in new British style, design and architecture — exploring our lives, our world and the challenges of the next millennium. Up to 215 British towns will exhibit during the year on each of 50 days. A different foreign country will exhibit a full day during the year displaying the newest and most dramatic offerings from that country. More than 35,000 people are expected to visit The Dome each day.

Really big show

The feature attraction will be the Millennium Show, performed in the heart of The Dome, a breathtaking, live, multimedia performance, which will take place up to five times a day in the central arena before an audience of up to 12,000, Husse said. Around the central area will be 14 exhibition zones. There will also be cafes, restaurants and places to sit and watch the activities.

The Millennium Show will be performed throughout the year 2000 in the vast central area the size of Trafalgar Square. A live aerial and ground-based show will be a prime attraction. The Dome Ensemble Company will consist of up to 160 performers, divided into two casts. There will also be a training program for gymnasts, trampolinists, divers, dancers, circus performers, rock climbers and athletes to create a circus company to rival any in the world.

Alongside The Dome will be Skyscape — two 2,500-seat cinemas, one of them convertible into a 3,000-seat live performance venue. It will stage films, concerts and other live events.

While the Millennium Experience will last only through 2000, The Dome is a permanent structure expected to last at least 50 years. Several sources including Universal Studios, a football team and others, have expressed interest in taking it over in 2001.

The cost of The Dome has been estimated at 275 million pounds. The total budget for the Millennium Experience has been estimated at 758 million pounds. The budget is being met through a combination of sponsorship; income from ticket sales, licensed merchandise, media rights, on-site catering, retailing and other commercial opportunities; and a National Lottery grant.

Admission to The Dome is 20 pounds (approximately $34) per person; 57 pounds for two adults and children or one adult and four children. There are special prices, not yet published, for students.

New transportation services to Greenwich will offer a choice of reliable ways to get to The Dome. The Tube will have the Jubilee Line’s new North Greenwich Transport Interchange, the largest Underground station in Europe; it will deliver passengers alongside The Dome, taking just 13 minutes from central London.

Riverboats will run frequently from central London directly to the site’s pier. There will also be a shuttle boat linking the site to historic Greenwich. Local bus services are currently running to the North Greenwich Transport Interchange.

Car parks north and south of the Thames will allow visitors to park and ride by bus and public transport. Coaches will have 300 spaces at The Dome for groups. Taxi or hire cars can drop and collect passengers near The Dome. Millennium transit buses to and from nearby Charlton station will connect the Experience to the rail network by way of the Jubilee Line Extension.

Britain probably offers travelers more information and assistance than any other country. Before you go, contact the British Tourist Authority (551 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10176; 800-462-2748). They can send you maps, brochures, a London Planner and more. The London Tourist Board supplies free information on places to visit, entertainment, river trips, day trips and theater assistance. Their 24-hour Visitorcall number is 0839-123-456. Once in London, visit the main Tourist Information Centre in Victoria Station. There are also centers at Heathrow Airport at Selfridges, on Oxford Street, and at Waterloo International Terminal.

If you go

Where to stay in London:

Deluxe: The Savoy Group — Connaught, Berkeley, Claridge’s, Savoy — Dorchester, Park Lane, Mandarin Oriental, One Aldwych; Ritz. Moderate: Five Sumner Place, Sandringham, Dorset Square Hotel; Inexpensive: Lincoln House Hotel, Highfield Guest House, Ashlee House.

London Tourist Board, 0171-932-2020 charges a 5-pound fee to book an accommodation. Forte Hotels Reservations Line is 0345-404-040.

You can rent a flat at Dolphin Square Apartments, Palace Court Holiday Apartments, or through The Apartment Service 0181-944-1444.