As the culture-blind Dudley Council stumbles towards its out-of-step decision to demolish the area’s only professional theatre, and a starting date “early in the New Year”, interesting news has just recently come in from the Dudley Hippodrome Development Trust (DHDT).
“DHDT have been approached by Birmingham City University, and their [MA] students have requested a project brief for the Hippodrome to be re-imagined for Theatres Trust ‘at Risk’ register.
The requirements are to adapt such a building into a place for local people to enjoy, with such a large space to be divided for long term economic viability, champion local entrepreneurship, and to attract visitors from further afield to bring cultural tourism back into Dudley Town.
The students’ ‘Work in progress’ will be seen on 8th November with final projects to be completed by 6th December.
We wish them every success and look forward to seeing the results.
At severe risk Dudley Hippodrome could be a magnet for entertainment, employment, jobs and prosperity and tourism in the area – any Council that wouldn’t want that is not competent in serving its constituents.
Dudley Hippodrome is a unique and irreplaceable Art Deco theatre at severe risk of destruction by its own Council to make way for a handful of prefabricated college buildings which could be built anywhere in the area and the need for which is increasingly in doubt.
With the Council ignoring its existence, as well as the vociferous and smart supporters group which has constantly held the Council up to public shame for their lack of care around this asset that the people own, on land gifted to the people, the Council have trampled across all normal modes of behaviour and demonstrated not only a lack of competence but also no belief in the future of their town. A failed city bid behind them, one might think that they would have second thoughts – notably that the lack of a professional theatre is what likely lost them the bid.
So for any sort of initiative, one must ignore the Council and look to the active and engaged supporters and friends group who have been doing fantastic work to keep the idea of the theatre’s survival alive in the hearts of those who see the theatre as a key to prosperity, employment and improved wellbeing in the area.
Their latest initiative was to commission a survey by an independent market research group, Oakham Research, around the future of the Hippodrome and what others would like to see it used for.
1,094 surveys were received by the deadline, and the findings from the responses make interesting reading.
You’ll find the main points in these screengrabs below:
There’ve been one or two gripes (perhaps by people who may be in line to benefit from the £5 million of taxpayers money earmarked for its destruction) that this survey is very pro-Hippodrome in its phrasing.
My answer – and why not? This will help to balance out the very anti-Hippodrome survey that the Council put out which barely mentioned the Hippodrome, and was completed by massively smaller numbers than participated in this new Hippodrome – initiated survey.
What this work has made clear is that there is an under-reported appetite for a purpose-built theatre of a professional standard, not the small, unsatisfactory and unraked halls found locally.
Any Council that wilfully destroys the area’s biggest cultural asset- especially the last professional theatre in this already culturally deprived area (as highlighted by the Arts Council) – will have a lot to answer for if the wreckers ball ever does touch our Hippodrome. Dudley Council, take note and change course – before you become the laughing stock of the UK.
Wherever you are, please help avoid the unnecessary destruction of a vital Art Deco theatre in Dudley. You can help by filling in a survey (below) which only takes s few moments and requires no personal information. Visitors to the renovated theatre could come from all across the country, creating employment, business opportunities and a huge amount of happiness- and boy do we all need that right now! Please click the link on the post below to add your voice against more needless demolition polluting our environment. Thank You
Dudley Hippodrome Development Trust says “Please share, share, share this link, with your family and friends, and ask them to find a couple of minutes to complete our survey, as you hopefully will do too. Just tap on the link below.
It is not too late to make a difference to the plight of Dudley Hippodrome. Dudley Council is pushing ahead with its plans to demolish the iconic building without doing the minimum necessary, which is a feasibility/ viability study.
We have instructed local firm Oakham Research (http://oakhamresearch.com/) to conduct this survey on our behalf.
There is a paper version and you are requested to contact the Trust so that arrangements can be made to facilitate those who wish to submit their opinions in that way. No personal details are requested during the survey which should take about 10 minutes to complete.
The resulting statistics will be analysed by Oakham Research and their findings will be published in due course.
This is YOUR chance to show the council that there is public demand for the refurbishment and reopening of the building for all to enjoy.
Thank you, and as we always say…..
You decide……….”
This really is our last chance to save this valuable resource, so please get involved.
Susan Lowe of the Friends of Dudley Hippodrome and the Dudley Hippodrome Development Trust has made a charming and effective new video about the star-studded history of the Dudley Hippodrome, the much-loved last-remaining professional theatre in the Dudley area, which the Council are eager to destroy.
Take a look, imagine the potential to the local economy and community and please join the Facebook friends group to support retention of this much-needed local piece of civic pride and heritage. Find the group here
Greetings from the stars on the opening of Dudley Hippodrome in 1938, a page from the Opening Souvenir brochure. Signed by stars from Gracie Fields to impresario/bandleader Jack Hylton and many others.
The recent refusal of listed status for Dudley Hippodrome from English Heritage calls into question whether their processes and decision-making are fit for purpose. As far as I am aware they had not even bothered to visit the building in the many years it has been campaigned for. Apparently they relied on second-hand information from the local Council which is openly fixated on demolishing Dudley’s last remaining professional theatre in favour of some Lego-look college student nursing buildings that could be slapped up anywhere. Are the people of Dudley not deserving of proper entertainment venues? I – and many other like me – think they ARE!
The Dudley Hippodrome Development Trust applied for the reconsideration of listed status for the solid and much-loved building in a well-crafted, complete and exemplary dossier which gave a range of authoritative sources, opinions and possibilities (all of which have been ignored by the Council), saying “Our application for Listing to be reconsidered included documents and 157 different photographs, all supporting ‘new evidence’ of remaining features which still exist within the building, despite the more recent alterations.”
As a rebuttal to English Heritage’s seemingly off-hand approach to making its original decision, scores of photos have come to light showing the existing detailing, fixtures and fittings that got overlooked, simply because it was hidden away behind false walls and ceilings and no-one bothered to look. Most of these original features have been unseen for over 40 years.
But now you can see for yourself that the interior of the Hippodrome, far from lacking character, is positively choc-full of it! As you can see in these photos, just a sample of the over 150, all courtesy of the DHDT Facebook page:
You’d have to be blind not to see the quality of these interiors. But of course English Heritage is a Government body, let’s not forget. And Dudley Council’s zero “vision” of demolition will produce nothing except thousands of tonnes of pollution raining down on local residents, and months upon months of disruption to residents and local motorists. Let’s hope the people of Dudley realise they deserve a better future- and a better Council – by voting appropriately at the May elections.
Decorative plasterwork under the dress circle auditorium level, by George Legge of Bryan’s Adamanta, Birmingham
Deco coving and detailed frieze, credits as above.
Further frieze work in foyer areasOriginal Crittall windows, glazing and fixingsDressing room door
Dressing room door
original stage winch
Ceiling roses hidden in false ceiling installation by Gala bingo
Bespoke Deco coving in foyer areasLight fittings hidden over false ceilingsAuditorium grilleworkCovingOriginal terrazo flooring hidden under carpetsBirkby Wyke bricks from Bradford used in the construction of the theatre, once dubbed “the showcase of the West Midlands”Messages from the stars- from the Hippodrome’s opening souvenir brochure
