The Brighton Hippodrome recently got approval to begin restoring and redeveloping the building that has been left unused for around 17 years. The theatre is located at the Brighton Pavilion and is one of the main historic landmarks in Brighton.
However, The Theatres at Risk Register for 2024 in January listed the Brighton Hippodrome as one of the most at-risk theatres in the UK, where it ranked high in Community Value (local support and demand for a theatre), Star Rating (the building’s architectural quality, workability as a theatre, cultural/social heritage etc.) and Risk Factor (level of threat to the building), scoring three on all three categories, the only theatre on the list to do so.
That looks all set change after they recently had the Planning Committee approve restoration plans for the theatre. The development is aiming to finish around 2026.
The building which has been around since 1901 has only had one previous redevelopment, which occurred in the 60s, and the Hippodrome has been used for various purposes throughout the years.
According to Historic England, it was originally opened in 1897 as an ice rink location before being changed into a bingo hall. Historic England also said that it was later “enlarged and converted into a circus and theatre called The Hippodrome in 1901” by architect Frank Matcham.
Historic England say on their website that, “Our involvement is determined by the potential to contribute to the success and vitality of places and communities, the complexity and urgency of the case and the significance of the building.” They also help with making recommendations, including suggestions of feasible new uses for buildings when necessary, as well as helping with the financial side by brokering solutions between partners and giving any information concerning funding.
The historic venue’s history has made people wary about any future renovations. The Commissioner’s Advisory Group looked at previous outcomes from similar cases before May 2023 there were two refusals found. The first was to install a slimline telecommunications monopole outside Downs Junior School on Ditchling Road. One of the concerns raised from this was of the “inappropriate height” of the monopole which they said “would tower over the school and nearby houses on a pavement used by parents and children every day.”
The second refusal came from an application to use converted shipping containers as an external covered events space. Concerns came from the obtrusiveness of the plans and the expected rusting of the shipping containers, as well as the general inaccuracy and uncertainty of the proposed plans. The uncertainty came from the fact it gave a 27-month period but also called it a temporary period, possibly raising concerns about the ambiguous nature in which it was written.
This restoration plan also threw up size and appearance concerns of the proposed renovations from the public, who wrote in letters expressing such concerns. One anonymous commenter said that “From the proposed view image from Prince Albert Street, not only is the new proposed building on Ship Street imposing and ‘heavy’ but the Apart Hotel behind is colossal. For residents of the cottages and flats to the south and north, and houses to the east of this proposed hotel, there will be a feeling of entrapment by the sheer volume of its presence.”
This and other objections that they had in the early stages of planning meant they had to satisfy a variety of different tests to get as many people as possible on side so that their planning application will be approved.
The building has already had some recent changes done to it, as the new private owner recently restored the rooves of the building, which was described by Historic England as being “much needed.”
Three years after the initial Hippodrome plans were drawn up, the approval of the theatre brings new hope that one of Brighton’s most unique landmarks will finally get up and running again.
