Papers released to the National Archives in Kew, West London, reveal the Millennium Dome was nearly moved to Swindon, after its use at the attraction to see in the millennium in South-East London.
According to an article in The Metro today, Tony Blair’s Labour government were anxious to offload the £800 million structure after it had only attracted half of the expected 12million visitors.
The then director of London’s Science Museum Lindsay Sharp wrote in a letter to the prime minister, suggesting it could be repurposed to house a new museum on the Science Museum site in Wroughton, on the outskirts of Swindon.
‘I am writing to you about a completely different and exciting possibility for the Dome,’ he wrote.
‘This proposal presents a unique range of features at a time when such characteristics may, together, provide a unique solution to the challenges of the Dome.’
The idea didn’t catch the eye of the government and instead the decision was made to redevelop the Dome as a sports and entertainment centre.
In 2005 it was renamed The O2 arena.
