Dome 'lacks wow factor', say MPs

The exhibition provides no 'wow' factor, say MPs

MPs have launched a stinging report into the Millennium Dome's content, management and government ministers responsible.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport failed to question over-optimistic and fluctuating visitor forecasts, according to a select committee.

There is no single element to make the visitor gasp in astonishment - to provide the 'wow' factor that was originally sought

Select committee report

There was no clear line of responsibility, and the Dome's content was condemned as "rarely inspiring".

But Minister for the Dome Lord Falconer rejected the claims, saying "for the committee to say that there is no `wow' factor at the Dome seems, to me, to be wrong.

Fluctuating forecasts

MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport committee criticised the fact that forecasts of visitor numbers fluctuated between the 15 million and the current six million mark "without proper regard to the immense financial implications those changes entailed".

Ultimate responsibility for the over-estimation lies with government ministers, Dome operators, the New Millennium Experience Company and the government ministers responsible, the report said.

Lord Falconer said: "We all made mistakes about the number of visitors but it was an extremely difficult thing to estimate.

"It was a mistake, but an honest one."

The cross-party group also said the lack of a "clear line of responsibility" for overseeing the project and the "hybrid" management mix of politicians and private concerns "affected perceptions of the Dome as a visitor attraction".

"It has also meant that we have found it exceptionally difficult to disentangle the responsibility of the various parties involved in the Millennium Experience," the MPs said.

'Patchwork'

The report was also critical of the contents of the Dome, describing them as "patchwork."

"There is no single element to make the visitor gasp in astonishment - to provide the 'wow' factor that was originally sought.

"Taken as a whole, the Dome's content is interesting and rewarding, but rarely inspiring. The content lacks a sense of cohesion," it said.

Although the committee said it was confident the project would not have to return to the Millennium Commission for more funding, there were "no guarantees" of solvency.

Grant or loan?

The MPs questioned how much of the lottery money received by the Dome was a loan and how much a grant.

They said project was too reliant on free coverage in the press before the attraction opened, and did not put enough emphasis on marketing.

"That approach proved to be disastrous when the press coverage became largely hostile," the report said.

The committee said in hindsight it was clear "the project lacked enough involvement by those with sufficient experience of commercial visitor attractions".

Future

The MPs also looked at Millennium projects across the country, questioning the long-term future of many.

The Greenwich attraction was sold last week to Dome Europe, which plans to turn it into a hi-tech leisure attraction based on the theme of Europe.

It is thought that the New Millennium Experience Company will get £53m of the proceeds of the sale.

But the committee criticised a statement from Culture Secretary Chris Smith which said the annual report contained merely "a reasonable stab" at the income from the Dome's sale.

The committee said this was "an unusual way of describing a business plan which has had to be re-written so many times".

Meanwhile, new figures show the Dome had record visitor numbers in July, but the daily average is still below that needed to reach the year-end seven million target.

Some 606,519 people went last month - but the total was boosted by 76,815 children on free school trips, as well as the offer of free late-afternoon admission on 30 July. This was done so visitors could help in a fire-drill exercise.