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Pavilion Arts Centre

961

Part of the Pavilion Gardens, Winter Gardens and Opera House complex, it was known popularly as 'the old theatre' after the Opera House, which it immediately adjoins, opened.

Long, low stone street façade running the full length (59m/193ft) of auditorium and stage, the four centre bays divided by rusticated pilasters with finials. Elaborate Baroque gable at left hand end (right wall of stage). Pitched roof overall, with no visible fly tower (but limited flying is possible).

From the late 1970s the Paxton Suite served as multi-function rooms, with the stage complete though rarely used apart from the flat shallow forestage which replaced the orchestra pit. When viewed at this time the auditorium was, at first sight, heavily altered, although without much loss of original fabric. A sloping false ceiling rose from the curving front of the balcony - used as a storage space, and from which it was still possible to see a painting over the proscenium. The main floor was raised in a series of terraces off the old raked stalls.

When assessed in the 1990s it was considered that 'it would not be difficult to restore the Playhouse to its original appearance, but a return to theatrical use seems rather unlikely'. Happily this is not the case, and following ten years of negotiation between High Peaks Borough Council and the Opera House, in 2008 a £2.5m project commenced to restore, refurbish and develop the building as The Pavilion Arts Centre. Funded by HPBC, Opera House, DDEP (the Derby and Derbyshire Economic Partnership) and the Arts Council, the new Arts Centre opened in September 2010.

A full review of the restoration and new facilities will follow.

Built / Converted
1889
Dates of use
  • 1889 : continuing
Current state
Extant
Current use
Arts Centre (theatres, exhibition and work space; 1920s-1935 used as cinema; later multi-function room)
Address
The Pavilion Gardens, St. John's Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6BE, England
Further details
Other names
Entertainment Stage , Pavilion , The Old Theatre , Hippodrome , The Palace Theatre & Hippodrome Cinema , Playhouse , Paxton Suite
Events
  • 1889 Use: continuing
  • 1889 Design/Construction:
    Plastic Decorations and Papier Mache Ltd (London)
    - Consultant
    proscenium front
    George Collier
    - Consultant
    drop scene of Chatsworth House and the bridge
    W R Bryden with Ed Milner
    - Architect
  • 1889 Owner/Management: Buxton Gardens Society, owner; J Willoughby, manager
  • 1894 Alteration: extra dressing room accommodation (two rooms) added (architect unknown).
  • 1912 Owner/Management: Buxton Gardens Co; Allan Milton, manager
  • 1927 Owner/Management: Local Authority (Buxton Corporation, now High Peaks BC), owners and management.
  • 1975 Owner/Management: Buxton Theatre and Arts Trust
  • 2010 Alteration: refurbished as The Pavilion Arts Centre (architect unknown).
Capacities
  • Capacity
    Original
    Description
    850
  • Capacity
    Later
    Description
    1912: 1500
    1946: 600
    1975: 600
    1979: 250
  • Capacity
    Current
    Description
    360
    Comment
    main auditorium
  • Capacity
    Current
    Description
    93
    Comment
    studio theatre
Listings
  • Listing
    II
Stage type
Proscenium Raked (1:65)
Building dimensions: Auditorium 80ft x 50ft
Stage dimensions: Depth: 9m (30ft) Width: 50ft
Proscenium width: 8.08m (26ft 6in)
Height to grid: c.9m (33ft)
Inside proscenium: 60ft
Orchestra pit: None