Our largest yet at three pages, but there is a lot to tell you! Among many stories, the main contractor has just been appointed, and work will start in January. The Palace has a new Chief Executive. We have been involved in developing the future theatre programming policy, and would like to hear from you on it. Last but not least, we are selling a historic Christmas card designed for the Ally Pally of 100 years ago which will help fund the restoration. Our thanks to designer Lindley Smith (@floppylion) and committee member Graham for the beautiful production of our newsletter.
View or download at: FAPT News Dec 2015.
Our news release celebrating the award by the HLF of £18.8 million grant for the restoration of the Theatre, TV Studios and East Court as sent to members and supporters...
Dear Friend
I am writing on behalf of the Friends committee to tell you the good news that the Alexandra Palace Trust has secured an £18.8 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the regeneration of the theatre and a large part of the eastern end of the Palace, the original Victorian part of the Palace.
This is wonderful culmination to more than a dozen years of campaigning by the Friends and supporters to bring the theatre back into public use.
Our thanks go to Duncan Wilson, Ally Pally's chief executive, and all his team for all their hard work in preparing and developing the bid, and for this fantastic result.
The full announcement by Alexandra Palace is below. We will let you know as soon as we have more details on how the project will now proceed.
Nigel Willmott
Chair, Friends of the Alexandra Palace Theatre
[PS Drama at the Palace, our recently published history of the Victorian theatre, is still available from the Friends website (http://fapt.org.uk/w/shop) at £7 for members or £8.50 for non-members, and on Amazon at £8.50.]
For immediate release
ICONIC LONDON LANDMARK SECURES £18.8M IN HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND SUPPORT
Alexandra Palace celebrates ‘green light' for historic renovation plans.
Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust (APPCT) is delighted to announce that it has been awarded £18.8million of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to restore the Palace’s most significant historic spaces to their former glory and secure the Palace's future as one of London's leading heritage destinations.
Under the plans, the eastern end of the Palace, comprising the BBC Studios and the Victorian Theatre will be repaired and refurbished, together with the glazed East Court in which a new and more welcoming public entrance hall will be created.
The BBC studios - birthplace of high-definition television broadcasts in 1936 - will be turned into an interactive visitor attraction, drawing on the BBC’s extraordinarily rich archives and telling the remarkable story of popular entertainment culminating in the birth and development of broadcast television. There will be a special focus on schools and learning programmes, displays of historic equipment and hands-on engagement with the art of making television programmes.
The Palace’s stunning hidden theatre dating back to 1875 will also be brought back to life for community and commercial use with theatrical performances, cinema screenings, live comedy, acoustic music and corporate entertainment among the ideas backed by leading arts figures. The theatre will accommodate audiences of up to 1,300 but has been designed to suit smaller and more intimate audience numbers too.
Duncan Wilson OBE, Chief Executive of APPCT commented:
"We are thrilled with the HLF announcement. Today marks a hugely positive and significant step in realising our aspirations to bring the Victorian Theatre and BBC Studios back to life and fulfil the potential of the Palace and its remarkable history for the local community, visitors from all over the UK, and overseas.
"There are further challenges ahead, including the launch of a new fundraising programme and preparing the Palace for the start of the construction programme later this year, but this announcement represents a huge achievement for the Trust and its supporters."
Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF, said:
"Alexandra Palace has played a pivotal role in the development of popular entertainment – culminating in the birth of British television. The Eastern end has stood derelict for 35 years but now Lottery funding is heralding a new chapter for this iconic building, creating an inspirational space where people can learn about its rich and colourful history."
As part of the development phase, a summer-long public engagement programme was undertaken, culminating in a 2-week Public Exhibition at the Palace, which welcomed over 2,000 visitors, with over 400 people completing feedback forms on the plans.
Cllr Joanna Christophides, Chair of the APPCT Board said:
"I have been hugely encouraged by the show of local community support we have received in the lead up to this decision and I would like to thank everyone for their valuable contribution. We are already starting to see the benefit of this project with the growth of our pubic engagement programmes, including history tours, volunteering initiatives and our schools programme over the past two years. We are very grateful to the HLF for backing our plans to transform the Palace."
The award of £18.8million HLF funding contributes towards the total project cost of £26.7m, with the London Borough of Haringey having pledged £6.8m and the Trust committing to a fundraising target of £1m before the start of the project in 2016.
Haringey Council Leader Claire Kober said:
"It's fantastic news that the Heritage Lottery Fund has embraced this exciting vision for Ally Pally, which secures the long-term future of one of London's most iconic landmarks. Alexandra Palace has been through some challenging times, but this historic restoration will allow some of the building’s hidden gems to finally be unveiled. This tremendous achievement is testament to the hard work, determination and enthusiasm of staff and local people."
ENDS
Also available as a PDF to print, view or save at: News Release 27 March 2015
Newsletter
Our February 2015 newsletter is available for download at: FAPT News Feb 2015.
New book on AP Theatre
Just published, the new book about the Alexandra Palace Theatre - Drama at the Palace - is available via the Friends' website. Written by Nigel Willmott and Pat Brearey, it contains a wealth of new information based on research. Full details are at: http://fapt.org.uk/w/shop
SPECIAL OFFER: The cost of Drama at the Palace to members is a bargain £7.00 plus £2 post and packing, saving £2.30 over the Amazon price! Membership of the Friends still costs just £2.
Planning for AP restoration works
On Monday 16 February, the application for planning and listed building permissions for the Heritage Lottery Fund works to restore the Theatre, rejuvenate the East Court, and open up the Television Studios goes before the Haringey Planning Committee (7pm at the Civic Centre in Wood Green). The meeting is open to the public and represents a crucial step in the overall process towards achieving the HLF grant. If you haven't previously seen the proposals, they will be presented as part of the meeting.
Theatre Regeneration Plans
Friends & Supporters Event
WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014
AT 6.30PM IN THE TRANSMITTER HALL *
The design team for the regeneration of the theatre and east end of Alexandra Palace is working hard, and has drawn up an outline plan of its proposals.
This is your chance, as a Friend or supporter of the Alexandra Palace Theatre, to hear about and have your say on what is being proposed, before more detailed plans are drawn up.
What do you think of flattening the theatre floor? The proposed bar facilities? The quality of the backstage facilities? The location of the toilets? The configuration of the auditorium? The proposed uses? The handling of the historic elements of the theatre? How it will all integrate into the plans for the whole east end of the Palace?
The shape of the plans so far will be outlined by Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Alexandra Palace.
A strong voice now from the Friends will assist the Palace in achieving the support of the Heritage Lottery for this, the last - and by far the biggest - stage of the project. If successful, work will begin to bring the theatre back into use as one of London's most characterful and historic performance and events spaces.
We apologise for the relatively short notice, which reflects a combination of a full chief executive's diary, and the wish to avoid August, while hearing your views in good time.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on 23 July.
* The Transmitter Hall entrance is on the South Terrace, a few metres to the left of the BBC tower (the tower with the mast).
News update from the Friends
See our July 2014 newsletter.
NEWSLETTER JULY 2014
Dear Friends and Supporters
Have your say on the
Join us on Wednesday 23 July at 6.30 pm in the Transmitter Hall*
The design team for the regeneration of the theatre and east end of Alexandra Palace is working hard, and has drawn up an outline plan of its proposals.
This is your chance, as a Friend or supporter of the Alexandra Palace Theatre, to hear about and have your say on what is being proposed, before more detailed plans are drawn up.
What do you think of flattening the theatre floor? The proposed bar facilities? The quality of the backstage facilities? The location of the toilets? The configuration of the auditorium? The proposed uses? The handling of the historic elements of the theatre? How it will all integrate into the plans for the whole east end of the Palace?
The shape of the plans so far will be outlined by Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Alexandra Palace.
A strong voice now from the Friends will assist the Palace in achieving the support of the Heritage Lottery for this, the last - and by far the biggest - stage of the project. If successful, work will begin to bring the theatre back into use as one of London's most characterful and historic performance and events spaces.
We apologise for the relatively short notice, which reflects a combination of a full chief executive's diary, and the wish to avoid August, while hearing your views in good time.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on 23 July.
* The Transmitter Hall entrance is on the South Terrace, a short distance to the left of the BBC tower (the tower with the mast).
News updates from the Friends
The 2014 AGM
The AGM of the Friends was held on 23 April (Shakespeare's birthday).
There was a good turnout for the talk by Dr David Wilmore, one of the country's foremost experts on Victorian theatres, who has acted as a consultant over many years to the Alexandra Palace Theatre. We were able to hear him speak in the auditorium, where he could refer to the stage behind him in explaining how the stage machinery would have operated.
A new committee was elected: Chair: Nigel Willmott; Secretary: Pat Brearey; Treasurer: Imogen Pennell; Publicity officer: Colin Richell; Membership secretary: Angela Silva-Jones; ordinary members: Graham Bennett, Louise Blair, Jacob O'Callaghan and Matt Burge. Cllr Bob Hare has been delegated as a committee member from the Alexandra Palace and Park Board.
Tours and Open House
The Palace is continuing with a quarterly programme of tours of the Palace including the theatre. The Friends have a table with membership and other material. There is a large demand for places on these tours, and they are usually over-subscribed. The next tours will be on the national Open House days of Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September - you can book by email: