Alexandra Gardens Theatre was a theatre at Weymouth, Dorset, England. Originally known as the Alexandra Gardens Concert Hall, it was opened in 1924 and later converted into an amusement arcade in 1963. The building was destroyed by fire in 1993 and replaced with a new building which is still in use as the Electric Palace Amusement Arcade.
The site of the theatre was originally reclaimed land used for grazing since the early 19th century. In 1869, the site was transformed and opened as New Gardens, and later renamed Alexandra Gardens in 1880. In 1913, the gardens' bandstand of 1891 was enclosed within a building of glass to form the Kursaal, allowing audiences to enjoy band performances in all weathers. During World War I, the Kursaal served as a reception centre for injured soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who were accommodated in local camps following the Gallipoli Campaign. The Kursaal was later demolished and replaced by the Weymouth Corporation with the Alexandra Gardens Concert Hall, which was opened on 7 June 1924 by the Mayor of Weymouth. [1] The gardens' bandstand was relocated to Nothe Gardens. [2] [3] [4] The hall was requisitioned for military use during World War II and reopened again in 1945. [5]
The hall, later renamed Alexandra Gardens Theatre, closed in 1963 and was taken over by Holland Leisure, who converted it into the Electric Palace Amusement Arcade. [6] The building was destroyed by a fire in 1993 and replaced with a new family leisure and amusement centre by Holland Leisure. Planning permission was approved in November 1993, [7] and the building was built to resemble the shape of the Kursaal. [6]
Tivoli Gardens, also known simply as Tivoli, is an amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. The park opened on 15 August 1843 and is the third-oldest operating amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg, also in Denmark, and Wurstelprater in Vienna, Austria.
Bournemouth is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area, in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. The 2021 census built-up area had a population of 196,455, making it the largest town in Dorset.
Swanage is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck and one of its two towns, approximately 6+1⁄4 miles (10 km) south of Poole and 25 miles (40 km) east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the civil parish had a population of 9,601. Nearby are Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks, with Studland Bay and Poole Harbour to the north. Within the parish are Durlston Bay and Durlston Country Park to the south of the town. The parish also includes the areas of Herston, just to the west of the town, and Durlston, just to the south.
The Spanish City is a dining and leisure centre in Whitley Bay, a seaside town in North Tyneside, Tyne & Wear, England. Erected as a smaller version of Blackpool's Pleasure Beach, it opened in 1910 as a concert hall, restaurant, roof garden and tearoom. A ballroom was added in 1920 and later a permanent funfair.
The Weymouth Pavilion, formerly the Ritz, is a theatre in Weymouth, Dorset. The complex contains a 988-seat theatre, 600 (maximum) capacity ballroom known as the Ocean Room, the Piano Bar restaurant, Ritz Cafe and other function and meeting rooms.
North Pier is the most northerly of the three coastal piers in Blackpool, England. Built in the 1860s, it is also the oldest and longest of the three. Although originally intended only as a promenade, competition forced the pier to widen its attractions to include theatres and bars. Unlike Blackpool's other piers, which attracted the working classes with open air dancing and amusements, North Pier catered for the "better-class" market, with orchestra concerts and respectable comedians. Until 2011, it was the only Blackpool pier that consistently charged admission.
Casinò Lugano is a casino and theatre designed by Italian architect Achille Sfondrini in the 19th century. It is located in the city of Lugano, Switzerland. A restaurant and café called Elementi Ristorante is located within the building. The theatre was the host venue of the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956.
Victoria Pier is a pier in the seaside resort of Colwyn Bay, Wales. The pier fell into disrepair and much of it was demolished, it was reopened in 2021 with a reduced length. Visitors can access the pier and see the bay along its length. Some of the original metalwork remains and retains the legal status of a grade-II listed structure.
Pier Bandstand Weymouth is an Art Deco bandstand on the shore of Weymouth Bay in Dorset, England.
Weymouth Pier is a peninsula between Weymouth Harbour and Weymouth Beach, in Dorset, England. It was intended to extend Weymouth's esplanade, and consists of a theatre, Weymouth Pavilion; pleasure pier; car parking and a cross-channel ferry terminal. The entire site underwent redevelopment to include new facilities for the 2012 Olympic Games, including the Weymouth Sea Life Tower.
Sir Henry Edwards was a British Liberal Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis from 1867 until 1885, when Weymouth and Melcombe Regis ceased to be a parliamentary borough.
The Kursaal is a former amusement park and a Grade II listed building in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. The building, originally known as the Kursaal Palace was opened in 1901 as part of one of the world's first purpose-built amusement parks. The venue is noted for the main building with distinctive dome, designed by George Campbell Sherrin, which featured on a Royal Mail special stamp in 2011. The amusement park was home to Southend United F.C. between 1919 to 1934. The majority of the park was closed in 1973, with the rest of the site closing in 1986. The building remained derelict until it was redeveloped in the late 1990s, opening again in 1998. Since 2020, the building again remains empty except for a small Tesco convenience store.
Easton Gardens is a public garden, located at Tophill, Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is found at Easton Square, the centre of Easton village. The gardens have remained a focal point since their opening in 1904 and have been awarded the Green Flag Award in recent years. The gardens feature grassed and formal bedding areas, with other facilities including a children's play area and basketball court.
Nothe Parade is a waterfront street on the south side of Weymouth Harbour in the seaside town of Weymouth, Dorset, southern England. The waterfront dates from the 17th-century, but most of the cottages in Nothe Parade date from the 19th century. Nothe Parade was formerly known as Nothe Walk before it was developed.
Royal Hotel is a 19th-century hotel at Weymouth, Dorset, England. It is located on the town's seafront, overlooking Weymouth Beach and Weymouth Bay. The building has been a Grade II listed building since 1974.
Stone Pier, also known as South Pier, is a pier located on the southern side of the entrance of Weymouth Harbour, in Dorset, England. It extends out from the Nothe Peninsula, which is the location of the Nothe Fort and Nothe Gardens.
Weymouth Guildhall is a former guildhall at Weymouth, Dorset, England. The building, which was constructed in the 1830s, is a Grade II* listed building.
Weymouth Old Town Hall is a former town hall at Weymouth, Dorset, England. The building, which was built with Portland stone in the 1770s, has been Grade II listed since 1953. The bell turret is believed to date from the 17th century. Since 2009, the hall has been operated for community use by the Guardians of the Old Town Hall.
The Jubilee Clock Tower is a free-standing clock tower on the Esplanade of Weymouth, Dorset, England. It was built and erected in 1888 to commemorate the 1887 Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria and became Grade II Listed in 1974. Historic England described the clock as being a "florid but characteristic enrichment to the sea-front" and "boldy coloured". It is built of cast and wrought-iron and set on a Portland stone base.
Buxton Pavilion Gardens is a Victorian landscaped public park in the spa town of Buxton in Derbyshire. The River Wye flows through the gardens, which are a Grade II* listed public park of Special Historic Interest.
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