Roll up, roll up … Tickets went on sale today for Britain’s oldest amusement park. Dreamland Margate will reopen on 19 June, 10 years after it closed and following an £18m refurbishment that has seen some original rides restored and the addition of a host of retro-style amusements harking back to Dreamland’s 1960s heyday.

The centrepiece of the new park is the original Grade II-listed scenic railway, which was damaged in arson attacks in 2008 but has been restored piece by piece. The 17 rides, evoking the old-fashioned fun of the traditional British seaside, include a replica helter skelter, a vintage pedal car roadway, a Wedgwood teacup ride, dodgems and a ferris wheel. A roller disco, Punch and Judy show and Messhams Wall of Death motorbike show will add to the nostalgic atmosphere.

The redevelopment is led by king-of-kitsch designer Wayne Hemingway, who is overseeing the restoration of original rides and the design of new rides and attractions.

Tickets went on sale at 10am today, (£14.95 for adults, £12.95 for children). The box office opened this morning two hours before tickets went on sale online, allowing locals to buy tickets first. The first 500 people received a Dreamland souvenir – a cube of wood crafted from the original railway planks.

The reopening follows years of lobbying by local campaign group Save Dreamland, which saw off an attempt to redevelop the abandoned site for retail and commercial use.

The resurrection is the latest in a series of developments that have helped transform Margate from down-at-heel forgotten seaside town to thriving artistic community. The opening of the Turner Contemporary in 2011 marked the start of its transformation, encourging a new generation of artists and other creative types to set up studios, shops and galleries in the town which is now as well-known for its vintage shopping as for its artistic heritage. The opening of Dreamland will cement Margate’s reputation for vintage fun.
• dreamland.co.uk