Hippodrome Theatre

An exterior photograph of the Hippodrome Theatre as a Mecca Bingo Club. Note the white painted boxy structure on the roof; that is the old projection box that was built when the theatre went over to full time cinema use in 1930.
http://flickr.com/photos/woody1969/65270049/

The Walkers Bingo Club operation at the Hippodrome Theatre closed on 26th January 2007.

A few exterior photos of the Hippodrome (taken May 2007) here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/483971961/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/483971955/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/483971951/

This website has a Then (1914) and a Now (2003) photo of the Hippodrome Theater. Click on the second photo down on the left side of the page and wait for it to load.

It is just over a year ago that Walkers Bingo Club moved out of the hippodrome Theatre and it was boarded up. The building was in excellent condition and it was hope that it could return to live theatre use by many people.

A property speculator (Mr Christopher Anthony, of Hertfordshire) purchased the empty building with proposals to re-develop. To-date, he has not sought any planning permission for this, and with the Hippdrome Theatre being a Grade II Listed building, any form of alteration would need planning permission.

On the 8th February 2008, a fire broke out in the former orchestra pit area. Apparently not too much damage was done as the fire brigade arrived swiftly and the the theatre's Safety Curtain was in the 'down' position.

On the 25th March 2008, contractors were brought in by Mr Anthony to carry out remedial work on the building which had been ordered by Derby City Council, working in conjuntion with the Theatres Trust. A heavy duty excavator/bulldozer was brought in to carry out this work. Two days later, the left-hand side wall of the auditorium was breached and partially removed, an act which resulted in the part collapse of the theatre's roof and the auditorium ceiling. On the 28th March 2008 (as I write this), it has been reported that most of the stage house/flytower and rear stage wall has gone!

On 16th March 2008, less than two weeks ago, the group 28 Days Later managed to gain entry into the Hippodrome and record in photographs, the then current condition of the building. Here is a link to their photographs: http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=29566

These show the appalling damage that has been carried out in recent times to this building, which was 'supposed' to be secured!

Here are two You-Tube videos:
History-As It Was: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d2wfRrTMNhY
'Remedial Repairs' being carried out by the owner on 27th March 2008:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pS5UOSz2dBg
A very sad day!

Devastating news. This was a structurally sound building of national importance.

A press release will be issued in the next days regarding this destruction.

Five photographs of the exterior of the Hippodrome Theatre I took in October 2003, when operating as a Walkers Bingo Club:
Entrance:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2368970209/
Back-stage:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2369807618/
Macklin Street side:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2369809748/
Green Lane side:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2368975559/
This rare view of the theatre was only revealed to view in recent years by the demolition of housing on Cromptom Street, which had hidden it for over 80 years:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2368978605/

The End of Derby Hippodrome?.....14 photos in this set, photographed 28th March 2008:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimexplore/sets/72157604290842613/

The Theatres Trust is a Government appointed body, set up to protect live theatre buildings in the United Kingdom, their response follows.....

I should have said hours not days!
PRESS RELEASE
28 March 2008

Theatres Trust shocked by the demolition of Derby Hippodrome

Today, under the pretext of carrying out 'essential repairs' contractors AB Demolition demolished substantial sections of Derby Hippodrome. Fears were raised by The Theatres Trust two days ago that the presence of a demolition crew would only lead to further damage. Structural metal beams supporting the roof were removed and destabilised the whole building. The Hippodrome’s side walls have been pulled down and the theatre's stage house and flytower have been lost.

Following repeated assurances from Derby City Council that only essential repairs would be undertaken, works to the roof of this grade II listed building began without proper Council approval. Council staff and building inspectors were not present until this afternoon when many calls were made by concerned locals to The Theatres Trust and Derby City Council. Once on site they established that the contractors were using incorrect machinery to carry out repairs.

In consequence an unnecessary amount of demolition and loss of historic fabric has taken place, leaving virtually only the front section of the building intact. The undertaking of 'essential repairs' has caused extensive damage and may well have secured its final destruction.

As previously stated by the Trust, failure to obtain consent for works or demolition of a listed building is a criminal offence. Derby City Council can now take action against the owner including the serving of an enforcement notice to rebuild the theatre. Director of the Trust, Mhora Samuel said “The owners have adopted completely the wrong approach to repair Derby Hippodrome. This destruction demonstrates the vulnerability of historic theatres and buildings when owners breach listed building legislation.”

The Trust again urges local residents to remain vigilant and report any further activity on the site they see over the weekend to the Police on 0845 123 3333, Derby City Council Emergency 24 hour line Dangerous Structures on 01332 255 903 and The Theatres Trust on 07932 653 560.

Three further photos of the Derby Hippodrome, taken in 2007, here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/2370354787/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/2370354919/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/2370354993/

A Further press release dated 2 April 2008:-
PRESS RELEASE
2 April 2008
Theatres Trust meets Derby City Council to save Hippodrome

Following partial demolition of the Listed Grade II Derby Hippodrome on Friday 28 March, The Theatres Trust today met with senior officials of Derby City Council to discuss plans to secure the future of the theatre. Mhora Samuel, Director and Mark Price, Planning and Architecture Adviser for The Theatres Trust met with Richard Williams, Assistant Director of Regeneration and Councillor Evonne Williams at the council’s offices.

Says Mark Price, "We were reassured that the council intends to obtain an injunction to prevent the owner from going on site and that a further Urgent Works Notice has been issued to prop up the Macklin Street wall and the proscenium arch. Whilst the owner considers the building to still be unsafe, both the Trust’s and the Council’s view is that the theatre can be shored up and secured".

The Trust stressed its concern that the contractors responsible for the unauthorised works on Friday could be allowed back on site to comply with the further Urgent Works Notice but were told by the council that the injunction would prevent any inappropriate machinery being used again.

"We were pleased to hear that the council is doing everything it now can to prevent further damage to Derby Hippodrome, including prosecution of the owner and contractor for the unauthorised works and enforcement to restore the theatre”, said Mhora Samuel. “We were doubly relieved at the council's assurance that they want to see the theatre rebuilt."

The events of the 28 March are unprecedented in the history of the Trust. The last time anything remotely comparable to this happened was in the 1970s, when one of the domes on the listed Hackney Empire Theatre in London was demolished without consent. That case ended up going to a public inquiry. The then owner was ordered to rebuild both domes with the same materials and to the same quality as the originals. In 2003 this theatre was further restored and brought back to life. It is now a thriving performance venue.

The Trust would like to thank all the members of the public who have been forwarding information and who have played such a key role in raising concerns over the theatre.

Derby Hippodrome is still at risk. The Theatres Trust continues to be vigilant and will be supporting the council to protect this important theatre.

This is absolutely appalling. I can not believe that laws designed to protect a listed building should be so blatantly ignored.

Latest news

Derby Hippodrome High Court judgement welcomed by The Theatres Trust

10th April 2008

Mhora Samuel, Director of The Theatres Trust attended the High Court hearing held today in London where Derby City Council (the claimant) applied for an injunction to prevent the owner of the Derby Hippodrome (the respondent) from carrying out further demolition of the theatre. In the three and a half hour hearing the owner continued to assert that his experts declared the building was unsafe and required demolition, contrary to the views of the Council and English Heritage who considered that the building was safe to the public on the street and could be saved.

The respondent’s barrister stated that the owner was not required by listed building legislation to preserve the theatre and intended to demolish the building. He raised the issue of asbestos in the safety curtain and that this continued to pose a health and safety risk. The owner wanted to remove it by using a machine to go in and lift it out of the building. He said that the proscenium would not survive this process of removal.

Mhora Samuel said, “I was very concerned to hear that the owner’s approach to making the building safe would result in the loss of the proscenium. I am pleased that the final judgement issued by the court identified that it is a criminal offence to undertake works to a listed building without consent, and that whilst he was not in a position to adjudicate on this matter, the judge did state that advance notice of the works to the roof on the 28 March had not been given to Derby City Council. I now urge the Council to proceed with prosecution and enforcement to have the theatre restored.”

The view of the judge, Mr Justice Saunders, was that the status quo should be retained until a proper trial could take place but issues of health and safety were serious considerations that needed attention. Faced with ‘two sets of experts diametrically opposed to each other’, both parties agreed to the appointment of an independent expert who would produce a report on the state of the building for a further hearing on the week beginning 21 April. In the meantime the judge ordered that the health and safety issues in the building be kept under close scrutiny by both parties.

photos taken Sunday May 11, 2008, hundreds of gallons of water are pouring through the building from the gallery right down over the circle and into the stalls - is anyone supposed to be keeping an eye on this building or not?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2484526716/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2483706607/
water cascading down from the circel front in the middle of this picture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2484518160/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2483694463/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/2484493768/

Having viewed this Hippodrome Theater in the 1990's ,then being used as a bingo hall which was in splendid condition, I'm appauled to see what devistation the current owner has wrought upon this fine structure.

On the night of 27th November 2008, the urban explorer group '28 Days Later' managed the get inside the devastated Hippodrome Theatre to record the current status of the building. Here are their amazing photographs:
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=34964

it gets worse, now Derby council are allowing the "developer" to submit plans to turn the site into a mutli storey car park
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/hippodrome
the irony being that the Hippodrome overlooks a huge derelict hole in the ground that used to be a multi storey car park that was demolished a few years ago (part of which was was formerly the Black Prince Cinema)

Three photographs taken in February 2009, showing the current condition of this Grade II Listed building (with the text of the listing application on the first photo):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/architec/3383166082/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/architec/3383163172/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/architec/3382351999/

As the days pass to months, I see it becoming less likely that Mr Anthony, the owner of the building, will be brought to justice for the vandalism/damage he has caused to this beautiful theatre....Or even restore the building to how it was just over one year ago.

All the laws and legal statutes of the land are in place to protect a building like this, and yet they have been totally flouted by the authorities, Derby City Council and the police, who just stood by and watched the building being torn apart.

A vintage photograph of the Hippodrome Theatre in 1923:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcinemaphotos/3551749448/