MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT
FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT ON BEHALF OF BOTH THE SECRETARY OF
STATE FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT AND THE MINISTER OF STATE AT
THE CABINET OFFICE
1. This memorandum is provided at the request
of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee to inform its fifth
inquiry into the Millennium celebrations, entitled "Marking
the Millennium in the United Kingdom". In particular, it
focuses on:
— the First Weekend celebrations at
the start of 2000;
— plans for the use of the Dome after
the year 2000; and
— the wider legacy of the Millennium
celebrations.
It should be read in conjunction with the memoranda
provided by other Government Departments, and those of the Millennium
Commission and the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC), who
are best placed to provide detailed evidence on the capital projects
programme and the Dome's finances and operations.
BACKGROUND
2. The Department's previous memoranda have
set out the government's approach to the Millennium celebrations,
underpinned by the twin objectives that the celebrations should
be inclusive and should leave a tangible legacy for future generations.
These memoranda explained the Government'' co-ordinating role
in relation to the celebrations and provided a broad overview
of plans for the start—and duration—of the year 2000.
However this is the first memorandum that the Department has provided
since the start of the year and it is appropriate to take this
opportunity to look back at what has been achieved already.
THE FIRST
WEEKEND
3. Through the Millennium Festival fund
the Millennium Commission supported major celebrations in 22 cities
and towns across the UK over the first weekend of 2000. A wide
range of public entertainments, including musical performances,
light shows, pageants and parades took place around the UK. People
from all walks of life came together for a night to remember.
4. The first weekend celebrations were a
resounding success in terms of their impact, attendance levels,
quality of entertainment and public safety. Over 4.5 million people
celebrated the New Year in the 22 cities, and thousands more enjoyed
celebrations at the many other events supported by the Millennium
Festival around the UK. These included the lighting of a chain
of beacons beginning in the North of Scotland, then in towns,
villages and cities across the UK, climaxing with the lighting
of giant beacons in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. Further
details of the celebrations are contained in the memoranda of
the Millennium Commission and the Department of the Environment,
Transport and the Regions.
5. The achievements of Millennium Award
winners were recognised at a special reception in the House of
Lords on 31 December 1999, hosted jointly by the Millennium Commission
and NMEC. The reception was attended by 50 Award winners and their
families. Other guests included the Prime Minister, the Leader
of the Opposition and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
6. The Millennium Dome was officially opened
by HM The Queen on the evening of 31 December 1999 in front of
an invited audience of over 10,000 the majority of whom were members
of the general public. A number of guests who travelled to the
Opening Celebration via Stratford Station suffered delays in getting
to the Dome. NMEC has since apologised to and compensated those
who were inconvenienced. Guests did arrive at the Dome in time
for the Opening Celebration, which was well received and televised
to a global audience of over one billion people.
7. On Sunday 2 January Christian communities
throughout the country came together to mark the start of the
year. In addition, the Government had asked the Churches to organise
special ecumenical Millennium Church Services in each of the four
UK capitals to mark the special Christian significance of the
Millennium celebrations. The services, which took place in St
Paul's Cathedral in London, in the High Kirk of St Giles in Edinburgh,
in the Baptist Tabernacl in Cardiff and in the Waterfront Hall
in Belfast, were broadcast live and involved members of the Royal
Family, senior Government Ministers and over 5,000 representatives
of communities and Christian congregations the length and breadth
of the UK.
8. Following a suggestion from the Lambeth
Group (the Churches and Other Faiths sub-group of the Millennium
Co-ordinating Group), this Department hosted a special Act of
Reflection and Commitment by the faith communities of the UK on
Monday 3 January. The event, which featured leaders and other
speakers from nine different faith traditions (Baha'i, Buddhist,
Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian),
focused on the values which these communities held in common (such
as justice, care and compassion and a sense of community) and
which they hoped would characterise life in the new Millennium.
Around 500 members of faith communities from across the UK joined
members of the Royal Family and senior Government and Parliamentary
figures in the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords to commit themselves
to mutual respect and co-operation in the future.
PROGRESS SINCE
THE FIRST
WEEKEND
9. The Millennium celebrations did not stop
with the First Weekend but have continued throughout 2000. Seventy-three
Capital Projects are now open to the public, ranging from the
National Botanic Garden of Wales to the new Tate Modern at Bankside:
two projects on a grand scale which contrast with the thousands
of community-based festival events, both large and small, which
are happening across the UK. Through Millennium Festival Awards
For All, groups which have never before had access to Lottery
money have been awarded grants. There is something happening in
every region, from Luton International Carnival (on a scale to
rival Notting Hill) to the Lockerbie Community Exhibition or Newtonards'
Ards Millennium Bells project (where schools and local communities
are involved in creating 2,000 bells which will be used to perform
a specially-commissioned work at the end of this year).
10. While the Dome has become Britain's
most popular paying tourist attraction, early teething troubles,
and resulting poor publicity, have had an adverse impact on visitor
numbers. In January the focus on technical failures in the zones,
the long queuing times and the management difficulties led to
the replacement of Jennie Page by PY Gerbeau as Chief Executive.
The early difficulties had been accompanied by a view in the media
that the Dome was "failing", which contrasted sharply
with the high quality experience enjoyed by those who visited,
and the fact that most of the technical problems were resolved
quickly. This is illustrated by visitor satisfaction levels which
have remained constantly high—around the 80 per cent mark
in surveys carried out to date.
11. However, in spite of over two million
paying visitors so far, the total numbers have been below the
assumptions in the original business plans and the Dome has faced
cash-flow problems. These have been addressed by grants of £60
million from the Millennium Commission in February, and a further
£29 million in May, alongside a revised business plan, a
rigorous cost-cutting programme by NMEC, and a reassessment of
management structures and approach. Further details are contained
in the memorandum of the New Millennium Experience Company.
FUTURE OF
THE MILLENNIUM
DOME
12. It is now over a year since the Government
launched the competition to find a sustainable alternative use
for the Millennium Dome when the Millennium Experience finishes
at the end of 2000. The competition has made good progress and
the Government has kept the Committee briefed on key developments
throughout.
13. On 16 May this year the Government announced
that two bids—Dome Europe and Legacy plc had been short-listed
to progress to the final round of negotiations. Details of the
two bids are contained in the memorandum submitted by the Department
of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Detailed negotiations
on the commercial and practical details of the proposals are currently
underway with both bidders and the Government hopes to select
the winning bid in the summer.
WIDER LEGACY
14. Of course, the Dome—whatever its
future use—will be part of a much wider legacy from the
Millennium celebrations. Having been the catalyst for the reclamation
of 300 acres of contaminated land and creation of 13,000 jobs
during the construction and operation of projects on the Greenwich
peninsula, the Dome is forecast to help create some 25,000 jobs
in the Thames Gateway over the next seven years. In addition,
the Millennium Commission's ambitious capital projects programme
is already beginning to transform the cultural and leisure landscapes
of the country providing new resources for communities and visitors
alike. The Awards Scheme, the Festival, the Millennium Experience
National Programme and the various special religious events will
all leave their mark on the cultural life of the country.
15. The Government is determined to ensure
that the impact of the celebrations is properly evaluated and
that lessons are learned for the future. The Department is working
with the Commission, NMEC and other organisations that have been
involved in the celebrations to ensure this happens and hopes
to be able to produce an initial assessment towards the end of
the year covering both the impact of the celebrations and the
lessons learned.
May 2000
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