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By now, you probably know that the Doctor Who Experience (DWE) in Cardiff Bay is closing, probably in early summer. While that may be of little interest to you, its loss to Cardiff’s tourist trade should make it of concern to us all.

For the past few years visitors have been able to explore the Tardis, and see costumes and props from various series stretching back since the programme first hit (small, black and white) screens in 1963. It’s nothing less than a place of pilgrimage for Whovians (fans of the show) and a significant tourist draw.

Having started life in 2006 at the Red Dragon Centre, it soon moved to London and then expanded into the purpose-built grey building in the area now know as Porth Teigr in July 2012. It has brought millions of pounds and millions of people to Cardiff. Many of those visitors would not have otherwise experienced our brilliant city.

There’s a sense in these parts that it’s almost unpatriotic or disloyal to not be a fan of Doctor Who (or the spin-off Torchwood) since they’re made and often shot on location in the city.

As with Sherlock and any TV or film productions shot in Cardiff, I love trying to spot locations and consider myself pretty good at it. It’s a niche hobby and a narrow skillset, I admit. Someone will ask me what’s going on in Sherlock, and I’m like, “Who cares? Look! Charles Street is now off Regent Street!”

The Doctor Who Experience:

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But I’ll straight-up admit it, while I had a toy K-9 as a kid and was fairly scared of some of the freaky creatures and planets conjured up by the BBC special effects up on a shoestring budget, I just can’t get into it as an adult.

But that’s not the point. I loves the ‘Diff (as you may have picked up on) and it’s for this reason that I’m devoting my column this to the issue.

"The location is perfect and so is the museum"

Among Whovians, around the world there’s a tangible sense of panic, and increasingly one of frustration among some who have yet to visit the exhibition.

Tony Lloyd, the self-proclaimed ‘Difflomat and a Cardiff tour guide, feels passionately on this issue.

“Sadly, so many visitors focus solely on London. The DWE encouraged tourists to come to Cardiff and finally see, appreciate, and admire our warm and welcoming capital. I hope they return,” says Tony.

“If we are to lose the DWE, I hope we can reinstate an exhibition, at least, like the Red Dragon Centre once hosted, which would also give recognition of the BBC’s presence at Roath Lock. Perhaps one of the empty buildings in Butetown, like the old Post Office, could be refurbished.”

George Baker is a Bristol-based Whovian who started the Twitter account @SAVETHEDWE. “I hope the petition will make the BBC realise what the experience actually means to fans,” George told me. “Hopefully it may help them to consider relocating.”

There are also at least two ‘Save the DWE’ online petitions. “Everyone deserves to see the museum of their favorite timelord. The location is perfect and so is the museum,” states Dutch petitioner Steve Van Teeffelen on change.org.

Meanwhile on 38degrees.org.uk a petition created by Bex Ferriday currently has 6,837 signatures.

Another Dutch Whovian, Jacqueline Lindemulder is organising a group booking for 60 people for the Doctor Who Experience in April.

“The idea for the trip started because many Dutch people suddenly realised the Experience is closing down and they haven’t been yet,” she says. “We will be coming all the way from the Netherlands for one day – sleeping on the bus both there and back – just to visit Cardiff/the DWE.”

However, Jacqueline’s not happy. Her trip is planned for April 8 and yet SeeTickets.com, the official ticket seller, is only selling tickets up to April 7 and has received no further information about selling tickets after this.

“That must be when it ends,” I was told by a representative when I called today.

“All I get is half information, answers that amount to ‘I don’t know’ and nothing else. In short, it is all a big mess,” says Jacqueline.

I asked the BBC.

"Closing dates are still to be confirmed"

“As we’ve previously confirmed, the DWE is due to close in the summer, so will be open at Easter. Closing dates are still to be confirmed,” said a spokesperson.

“We have always sold DWE tickets in seasonal batches and yes, they currently go up to April 7.”

This should placate Jacqueline and her Dutch tourist group. I hope they get to visit and that they have a great time.

The information surrounding the closure has not changed since the official announcement in November: “The land currently occupied by the Doctor Who Experience is owned by the Welsh Government and their development partner, Igloo Regeneration. It was leased to the City Council for five years to enable its relocation from Olympia to Cardiff on a temporary basis.

“It has always been the intention for the site to be developed as part of the ongoing Porth Teigr regeneration project. The agreement was always intended to be for five years only, reflecting the nature of the attraction. The decision to close the Experience at the end of the lease next summer has been mutually agreed by all parties involved, including the operators BBC Worldwide.”

Yesterday a Cardiff Council spokesperson was being pretty tight-lipped on the topic but underlined the fact that the council has always supported the Experience, has done “all that we can to relocate it”, and will “facilitate as best we can” any future retention by the city of elements of the Doctor Who Experience.

I get the impression discussions are ongoing. It’s all reassuring and good to learn. It’s just a shame with only that one official statement from November, up until now we have had to assume that much is going on behind the firmly closed doors of the Tardis.

The spokesperson also stated that the DWE is “highly unlikely” to be kept in its current format even if relocation is on the cards. And holding all those cards is BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the Beeb and owner of the exhibition.

I know no one’s being obscure and vague on purpose, but some clarity would certainly help thousands of potential visitors to Cardiff looking to visit before the DWE shuts its doors for good.

Like the Timelord himself, Doctor Who exhibitions have tended to flit about the universe (well, England and Wales) since the first opened in Longleat in 1973. There are have also been permanent ones in Blackpool and Llangollen.

While the DWE’s time is up, I’m far from alone in hoping that Welsh Government, Cardiff Council and BBC Worldwide can find a way forward for a Doctor Who tourist attraction to remain and regenerate in a different form in the city where the series is currently created.

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