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Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth

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Coordinates: 50°43′04″N 1°52′29″W / 50.71778°N 1.87472°W / 50.71778; -1.87472
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Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom
South face of the Pavilion Theatre
Map
AddressWestover Road
Bournemouth BH1 2BU
England
Coordinates50°43′04″N 1°52′29″W / 50.71778°N 1.87472°W / 50.71778; -1.87472
OwnerBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
OperatorBH Live
Capacity1,448 (Theatre)
900 (Ballroom)
Construction
Opened19 March 1929 (1929-03-19)
Renovated1934, 1975, 2007
Construction cost£250,000
(£18 million in 2024 prices[1])
ArchitectHome and Knight
Website
Venue Website
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameThe Pavilion Theatre and surrounding raised terrace and steps
Designated19 January 1998
Reference no.1376801

The Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom is a concert hall in Bournemouth. It opened in 1929 and has been redesigned several times since.

History

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The area around Bournemouth Gardens was granted permission by the owners in 1859 to incorporate a public pleasure ground.[2] Discussions for a fixed entertainment venue took place during the 1880s, and as part of the 1892 Bournemouth Improvement Act, the council were granted £20,000 for constructing a pavilion in the gardens, which could accommodate a municipal orchestra. These plans were continually blocked by local residents who felt that licensed premises for drinking were immoral. A fixed plan for a venue in the gardens was approved in 1908, but saw further delays and was consequently postponed until after World War I.[3]

The Pavilion Theatre surrounded by the Lower Gardens of Bournemouth

By the 1920s, the orchestra felt that the Bournemouth Winter Gardens was no longer a suitable venue and requested a more accommodating hall be built.[4] In 1923, a competition was held to design the concert room, chaired by Edwin Cooper. The winners were by G Wyville Home and Shirley Knight, whose design was consulted with Owen Williams.[5] Construction began in September 1925 with the laying of the foundation stone.[4] On 19 March 1929, the building was opened by the Duke of Gloucester.[5] It had cost £250,000.[6]

In the early 1930s, the Pavilion was rebuilt to accommodate theatrical productions as well as orchestras. It re-opened with a production of The White Horse Inn on 7 July 1934.[7] Several alterations were undertaken in the 1950s, including the addition of two storeys to either side of the main entrance.[5] In 1975, the Oasis Bar was added as a western extension of the hall. This proved to be unpopular, and was demolished in 2007 when the theatre underwent a £12 million restoration programme.[8]

The building was Grade II listed on 19 January 1998.[5] It is currently owned by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and managed by BH Live. The Pavilion operates alongside its sister venue, the Bournemouth International Centre.[9]

In 2019, Lenny Henry complained that a historical photograph in the pavilion's dressing room, showing actors in blackface, was outdated, racist and offensive. A spokesman for the pavilion apologised.[10]

References

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Citations

  1. ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  2. ^ "The History of Bournemouth Gardens". Bournemouth Council. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  3. ^ Walton 1983, pp. 148–149.
  4. ^ a b (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.). "Music Pavilion For Bournemouth." Times, 24 Sept. 1925, p. 10. The Times Digital Archive, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS168892728/TTDA?u=kccl&sid=TTDA&xid=344faf91. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1376801)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Royal Visit To Bournemouth." Times, 18 Mar. 1929, p. 11. The Times Digital Archive, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS187113586/TTDA?u=kccl&sid=TTDA&xid=bc097687. Accessed 3 Mar. 2020.
  7. ^ "Bournemouth". arthurlloyd.co.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Bournemouth Pavilion". BBC Dorset. 14 December 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Pavilion Theatre". bournemouth.co.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  10. ^ "Sir Lenny Henry criticises offensive Bournemouth theatre poster". BBC News. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2020.

Sources

  • Walton, John (1983). Leisure in Britain, 1780-1939. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-719-00912-9.
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