Bringing Torquay Pavilion back to life

BBC News

20-03-2025

Torquay's harbourside Pavilion has been part of the seafront for more than 100 years but has been derelict for the last 12. It is undergoing extensive work to examine how the former theatre and concert hall can be saved. Engineers and conservation architects are working for Torbay Council to investigate how badly the building has been damaged while it has been derelict and what use it might have in the future. Campaigners from Torbay's Civic Society, who have been trying to rescue the iconic building for several decades, said they were pleased the work was happening, but added they thought it would be some time before the public got access.
Deputy Leader of Torbay Council Chris Lewis said: "The Pavilion is the jewel in the crown for Torquay and it's been derelict... We are determined to bring it back for the people of Torbay."Our main priority is to get the building wind and water-tight and find out what damage has been done and how much this will cost going forward."
The building is back in council hands after long-term tenant Marina Developments Limited released its lease. The Pavilion was once the centre of Torquay's cultural life. Traditionally, pavilions were placed at the end of piers in seaside towns, but this one is unusual as it was built on land reclaimed from the sea.It opened in 1912 as a concert hall, cinema and theatre. It later received Grade II Listed status in the 1970s and went on to have a new life housing restaurants and shops and an ice rink.
Local historian Dr Kevin Dixon said it was built at a time when Torquay claimed to be the "richest town in Britain". Its fortunes have reflected the ups and downs of how the local tourist trade has evolved over the last century.The building has meant very different things to different generations.Dr Dixon said: "The pleasure palace of Torquay has been visited by millions. "So many famous people have played here, from Elgar to Thin Lizzy, from Rachmaninoff to David Bowie; they've all performed in here."
The council has Town Deal funding from the government and the fee it got from the surrender of the lease is being used to investigate conserving the building. The full cost will not be known until the damage is fully assessed, but it is extensive inside and out.Rain and salt water have got into the structure via a damaged roof, causing wood to rot, corroding the metal structure and ruining plasterwork and floors.
Tim Jones, head of engineering at Torbay Council, said: "You see evidence of staining and, unfortunately, some of the plaster work has come down. "Where you can see the metal work is typically heavily corroded".
Along with help from Conservation Architects, the council is trying to reimagine what the space could be used for and said it would also be asking the public for suggestions.
The chairman of Torbay Civic Society, Ian Hanford, has campaigned for decades along with others in the bay to preserve the Pavilion. While he welcomed the step forward, he said he believed there was still a very long way from being able to reopen it.He said: "The problem is we've had nearly 50 years of nothing being done. "And, of course, when the Friends of the Pavilion was started in 1976, we thought they'd find a new use for the building, having closed it as a theatre."They've never found a good use and that's the problem."
Now it is back under the control of Torbay Council, it is hoped its future can be secured.This exploratory phase could take the authority 12 months to complete, project bosses said.The council said it would be seeking support from the Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and private investors once it know what the full repair bill would be.