"That's why people are here tonight: They want to be part of history, " Merlin said.

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Merlin said everyone would be re-homed but this could be outside the area.

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About 300 people passed through the Atlanta Science Tavern landing party at Georgia Institute of Technology, organizer Marc Merlin said.

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On Project Merlin she said people would "recognise" Mr King's comments about the banking industry in terms of how they deal with consumers.

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Merlin Housing Society Ltd said it intends to start knocking down the social housing in spring 2014 "to address structural defects".

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General manager Craig Dunkerley said visits to Merlin's other attractions in Weymouth were also down.

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Head of Merlin Entertainments Blackpool, Iain Hawkins, said extending the Illuminations "can only be a good thing".

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Merlin Attractions Operations, based in Poole, Dorset, said it "chose to plead guilty and draw a line under this incident".

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That said, the banks are more-or-less hitting the so-called Merlin targets, agreed with the Treasury, for lending to businesses, including small businesses.

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Merlin Entertainments, which runs the 53m (173ft) Weymouth Tower, would not give attendance figures but said they had not been as hoped.

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