Hippodrome, Derby july 2012

Hiya folks



Whilst I was spending a week in Derby I couldn’t really miss out on visiting the poor old Hippodrome Theatre on Green Lane. It’s in such a sorry state now, yet there are charities and trusts still working very hard to try and save it from total demolition, so I hope that there is finally a happy ending for all as volunteers have managed to raise funds for reports and structural surveys yet its future remains uncertain.


A little history......

The Derby and Nott’s Music Hall Association successfully put in an application for listed status in 1992 to award the Hippodrome its Grade II Listing. Sadly this hasn’t been enough to save the building and preserve its heritage. It is estimated to require £15 million to restore it back to its former glory.


Built: 1914
Usage: 1914-1930 theatre 1930-1950 cinema 1950-1959 theatre
Bingo Hall Closed 2007


The Hippodrome has had a rather “awkward” past and some “shady going on’s” regarding its preservation.
The Derby Telegraph has a report from November 2011 which says 2 men were arrested after a suspicious arson attack on the building, one of many “suspicious” fires. Chatting with relatives that live around the city centre, it appears to be “common knowledge” that the present owner has a lot to do with the buildings poor state of health. BBC Derby has an article about the theatre and explains its current poor condition.
The building is owned by a businessman Christopher Antony and was left partially demolished in 2008 when work ordered by him caused major damage.....infact speaking to a resident that lives behind the theatre he said a digger crashed through and removed a large chunk of the exterior wall at the back of the theatre and he watched as the roof caved in.

The Hippodrome Trust has been putting pressure on the city council to use its powers to compulsory purchase the property back.....but due to budgeting pressures the council is reluctant to buy a building with no viable future, so the Hippodrome Trust is pushing for a professional survey to be carried out for an appraisal of the site.


Here’s some (tiny) pics of what the Hippodrome use to look like back in 2003......


























It’s very sad to compare them with the photo’s that I took last week........



From the front of the building you wouldn’t think that it has become such a state...






until you have a look around the back






The safety curtain still hangs on the stage







Downstairs to the lower seats









Bingo seats






























Glimpses of when it had a life



















I think that ashtray on the “table” is a bit late now...













One of them weird jelly cup-like fungi on the seats










The window onto Green Lane





Remnents of its better days...




































The ornate plasterwork is gradually falling away

















The upstairs is also badly fire damaged....I can’t find a nice hopeful photo to finish on, sorry i did try!


So thanks for having a look ....the best of luck to The Hippodrome Trust

Still plenty of stuff to see in there

What a shame, still nice to see a lot of natural decay, thanks for sharing!

nice little report there and nice shots

Such a shame, it was stunning before the fire

Beautiful building and lovely photos!

I have to say this mate
each report you do you get some classy and very brilliant shots!
always look forward to seeing some your reports!
good job!

Very nice pictures and report, thanks

Fantastic report & photos

Great report and photos,I hope the trust are successful it will be a hard slog for them.Thanks for sharing .

Shocking what has happened to that building - Thanks for sharing

Good grief!! Look at the state of that!! Many a drunken night staggering past the old Hippy on our way to the Rockhouse club...and look at the poor thing now (same could be said for me too...)
Thank you for sharing - I moved away from Derby several years ago, but what a trip down Memory Lane...thanks again!

Shame it went to rack n ruin it looked grand in its hay day interesting pics thanks

what a shame, great images though and interesting report.

Some brilliant images there!

Terrifying about how fast downhill it's gone - that photo you have of the window onto Green Lane (I think that faces Macklin Street), there's a staircase infront of that window, and when I last went it was passable. That was before the most recent fire, though.

Also, at one stage, you were able to get onto a balcony bit that looks out onto Green Lane and the crossroads of Green Lane and Macklin Street but I don't think that's possible these days.

What an absolute waste of a beautiful building

Let me have a guess... the land that building is on in the middle of a city is probably worth a fortune? I wonder if that might have anything to do with all the "accidents"?

Scumbags.

Friend of mine told me about the fire but he led me to belive there was very little left.

Thanks for posting.

TeeJF said:

Let me have a guess... the land that building is on in the middle of a city is probably worth a fortune? I wonder if that might have anything to do with all the "accidents"?

Scumbags.

Click to expand...

That was exactly the same thought that I had
Again, thanks for posting.

Hi,
Great post and pictures. I walk past regularly and have been wondering how bad it is now after the most recent burn.

“ The building is owned by a businessman Christopher Antony and was left partially demolished in 2008 when work ordered by him caused major damage.....infact speaking to a resident that lives behind the theatre he said a digger crashed through and removed a large chunk of the exterior wall at the back of the theatre and he watched as the roof caved in ”

You tube has several clips of this very thing as it happens.... and that's the thing, There is all the evidence you need on film and still they get away with doing this to a Grade II listed building.

My brother is a fire-fighter and has been there on more than one occasion. Some of the earlier fires have been started by drug takers dossing in the place. Some of the later ones are thought to be more suspicious. Isn't it amazing though how often a building that is unwanted by certain parties seems to develop a knack for burning. We all know nobody will successfully stop it. It'll stop when they finally do enough to kill it for good.... if they haven't already. Brighton West Pier anyone ??

Ted

The demise of the Hippodrome was very well documented on here when it happened.