Millennium Exhibition scaled down

Millennium Dome saved but savage cuts to rescue project

Greenwich, 13 January 1997

The Millennium Exhibition has had to make savage cuts to the project to make it financially viable.

It is said that scaled-down plans for the Millennium Exhibition were today put forward, as organisers made a desperate second bid for GBP200 million (US$ 300 million) of UK Lottery cash to help build it. Some GBP120 million (US$ 250 million) has been slashed from the scheme's cost, with dozens of attractions and buildings scrapped, after its original GBP700 million (US$ 1 billion plus) budget was rejected before Christmas.

Under the new plans, said to be being considered by the Millennium Commission, are attractions which were to have been built alongside the Millennium Dome have now been sacrificed. The Millennium Visitors Experience - a Disney World-type sight and sound presentation on the year 2000 and its celebrations - is the largest element said no longer to be included. Two smaller pavilions are also claimed to have been axed, as has an auditorium which was supposed to be built beside the dome.

Transport Links Impacted

Ferries carrying some of the millions of visitors along the Thames will have to cope without one of the piers on the site, and there will be no covered walkways to keep people dry.

The contents of the dome itself - which will house exhibitions on the theme of time - have stayed untouched under the new plans.

To make the ambitious scheme a reality organisers (Millennium Central) have just days to convince the Millennium Commission, which hands out UK Lottery cash, and the Labour Party that the new GBP580 million (US$ 900 million) budget is viable. Those close to the scheme are said to be confident that the new figures, which include contingency plans in case costs rise, are likely to be approved. High-level meetings are said to have been held over the weekend with both the Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine and Heritage Secretary Virginia Bottomley, who are both on the Millennium Commission, to discuss the cut-down plans.

It is said that on Wednesday there is a key meeting between Jenny Page, (presently head of the Millennium Commission) meets shadow heritage secretary Jack Cunningham (Labour). The Labour Party is presently in Opposition to the present Conservative Government. A General Election has to be called before the summer. The Labour Party are riding high in the Opinion Polls. Cunningham has so far refused to promise that the dome will go ahead should Labour come to power at the General Election this spring. If Mr. Cunningham finally agrees after seeing the new figures then an announcement is expected to be made on the dome's future by the end of the week.

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