Beck Theatre

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The Beck Theatre
Alfred Beck Theatre
Hayes, The Beck Theatre.jpg
Beck Theatre
AddressGrange Road, Hayes UB3 2UE
London
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°31′17″N0°25′24″W / 51.5215°N 0.4234°W / 51.5215; -0.4234 Coordinates: 51°31′17″N0°25′24″W / 51.5215°N 0.4234°W / 51.5215; -0.4234
ParkingFree on-site car park
OwnerHQ Theatres
TypeProvincial
Capacity 600
Opened1977
Website
www.becktheatre.org.uk Hayes, The Beck Theatre.jpg

The Beck Theatre is a 600-seat theatre in Hayes, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It was built in 1977 at a cost of £2.5 million.

Contents

Type

The Beck is a community theatre, offering one-night concerts, drama, comedy, dance, musicals, children's shows, films, opera, pantomime, and a children's summer project.

History

The Beck Theatre was built in 1977 by Hillingdon Borough Council, with a bequest from Councillor Alfred Beck. It was purpose-built as a community-focused theatre, and is set in a parkland aspect adjoining a botanical garden (the Norman Leddy Memorial Gardens).

The Beck was one of forty buildings considered for the Royal Institute of British Architects London region award in 1978, and in 2004 won an Access Award from Hillingdon Council for its resources for disabled and elderly people.

A fund shortage threatened the theatre's future in 1984, when it was saved by a local petition. It was taken over in 1986 by impresario Charles Vance. The management contract passed then to Hetherington Seelig, followed by Apollo Leisure in 1992 (later bought out by Clear Channel Entertainment). In 2006, the Beck reverted to Hetherington Seelig in a partnership with Qdos Entertainment called HQ Theatres, which continues to run the theatre on behalf of the local council.

In June 1991, the theatre was the scene of an attempted IRA bombing, before a performance by the Blues and Royals band. [1]

from June 1998 until July 1999 New York Times #1 bestseller Tony Lee worked at the theatre as their Marketing Manager.

Artists

The following is a selective list of artists to have performed at the Beck:

Transport

Buses

The 90, 195, 427, 607, H98 and U7 buses all stop at the Beck Theatre. Alight at the traffic lights at the junction of Uxbridge Road and Grange Road.

Train

The closest train station is Hayes & Harlington, which is approximately 1+14 miles (2.0 km) away. The 90, 195 and H98 buses connect Hayes and Harlington Station and the Beck Theatre.

Tube

Uxbridge is the closest London Underground station. The 427, 607 and U7 buses connect Uxbridge station and the Beck Theatre.

Related Research Articles

London Borough of Hillingdon London borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Hillingdon is a large borough in West London, England. It was formed from the districts of Hayes and Harlington, Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the ceremonial county of Middlesex. Today, Hillingdon is home to Heathrow Airport and Brunel University, and is the second largest of the 32 London boroughs by area.

Hayes, Hillingdon Human settlement in England

Hayes is a town in west London, historically situated within the county of Middlesex, and now part of the London Borough of Hillingdon. The town's population, including its localities Hayes End, Harlington and Yeading, was recorded as 83,564 in the 2011 census. It is situated 13 miles (21 km) west of Charing Cross, or 6.5 miles (10.5 km) east of Slough. The Grand Union Canal flows through the heart of Hayes, accompanied by the Great Western Main Line and significant industry, a town centre, residential areas and country parks.

Uxbridge tube station London Underground station

Uxbridge is a London Underground station in Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. The station is the terminus of the Uxbridge branches of both the Metropolitan line and the Piccadilly line. The next station towards London is Hillingdon. The station is 15.5 miles (25 km) west of Charing Cross and is in Travelcard Zone 6. The closest station on the Chiltern Line and Central line is West Ruislip, accessible by the U1 and U10 buses. The closest station on the Great Western Main Line is West Drayton, accessible by the U1, U3, U5 and 222 buses. Uxbridge was formerly the terminus of a branch of the District line which ran from Ealing Common; the Piccadilly line took over in 1933.

Hillingdon Suburban area within the London Borough of Hillingdon

Hillingdon is an area of Uxbridge within the London Borough of Hillingdon, centred 14.2 miles (22.8 km) west of Charing Cross. It was an ancient parish in Middlesex that included the market town of Uxbridge. During the 1920s the civil parish bore a rapid, planned increase in population and housing, and was absorbed by Uxbridge Urban District in 1929. It has formed part of Greater London since 1965.

West Drayton railway station Railway station in the United Kingdom serving Yiewsley and West Drayton

West Drayton railway station serves West Drayton and Yiewsley, western suburbs of London. It is served by local trains operated by Great Western Railway and TfL Rail. It is 13 miles 71 chains (22.3 km) down the line from London Paddington and is situated between Hayes & Harlington to the east and Iver to the west.

Hayes & Harlington railway station National Rail station in London, England

Hayes & Harlington is a railway station serving the west London districts Hayes and Harlington in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is 10 miles 71 chains down the line from London Paddington and is situated between Southall and West Drayton.

Uxbridge (UK Parliament constituency) Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–2010

Uxbridge was a seat returning one Member of Parliament (MP) of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1885 to 2010. Its MPs elected were: Conservative Party candidates for 107 years and Labour Party candidates for 18 years. The closing 40 years of the seat's history saw Conservative victory — in 1997 on a very marginal majority in relative terms.

Hayes and Harlington (UK Parliament constituency) Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1950 onwards

Hayes and Harlington is a constituency in the west of London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by John McDonnell of the Labour Party, who also served as the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2015 to 2020.

Hayes and Harlington Urban District

Hayes and Harlington was a local government, urban district in west Middlesex, England from 1904 to 1965.

London Buses route 427 London bus route

London Buses route 427 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Uxbridge station and Acton, it is operated by Abellio London.

Stockley Park Pioneering suburban business and public park in the United Kingdom

Stockley Park is a business estate and public country park located between Hayes, Yiewsley and West Drayton in the London Borough of Hillingdon. In August 2020 it was listed in the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England as Grade II.

Hillingdon London Borough Council

Hillingdon London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Hillingdon in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Hillingdon is divided into 22 wards, electing a total of 65 councillors. The council was created by the London Government Act 1963 and replaced four local authorities: Uxbridge Borough Council, Hayes and Harlington Urban District Council, Ruislip-Northwood Urban District Council and Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District Council.

Lake Farm Country Park

Lake Farm Country Park is an expanse of green belt land approximately 60 acres in size fringed by trees and the Grand Union Canal, situated in the south of Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its formal status as a country park dates back to September 2002.

Barra Hall Park

Barra Hall Park is an 11.06-hectare (27.3-acre) formal park situated near the centre of Hayes in the ward of Townfield in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The park came into existence in December 1923.

Norman Leddy Memorial Gardens

The Norman Leddy Memorial Gardens in Hayes is one of Hillingdon Borough's designated gardens of excellence. In September 2010, the Gardens earned a gold award for Best London Small Park in the London in Bloom competition.

Minet Country Park

Minet Country Park is a 36-hectare park on Springfield Road, Hayes in the London Borough of Hillingdon; it is situated between the A312 and the Uxbridge Road.

Hayes Cottage Hospital Hospital in England

Hayes Cottage Hospital was a healthcare facility in Hayes, West London.

Open Air Theatre, Barra Hall Park

The Open Air Theatre, Barra Hall Park, Hayes is a purpose-built outdoor theatre with concrete-step seating for up to 180 people. Originally built in 1951, the structure fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in steel in 2005.

Coat of arms of the London Borough of Hillingdon

The coat of arms of the London Borough of Hillingdon is the official symbol of the London Borough of Hillingdon. They use elements from the coats of arms of the four previous districts. It is described as:

Arms: Per pale Gules and Vert an Eagle displayed per pale Or and Argent in the dexter claw a Fleur-de-lis Or and in the sinister claw a Cog-Wheel Argent on a Chief Or four Civic Crowns Vert.

Crest: On a Wreath of the Colours issuant from a Circlet of Brushwood Sable a demi-Lion Gules with wings Argent the underside of each wing charged with a Cross Gules and holding between the paws a Bezant thereon a Mullet Azure.

Supporters: On the dexter side an Heraldic Tiger Or gorged with an Astral Crown Azure and charged on the shoulder with a Rose Gules charged with another Argent barbed and seeded proper and on the sinister side a Stag proper attired and gorged with a Circlet of Brushwood and charged on the shoulder with two Ears of Rye slipped in saltire Or.

Motto: Forward.

References

  1. Kirby, Terry (11 February 1993). "Terrorist who mercilessly used his 60-year-old lover: James Canning discovered the perfect cover in a home in north-west London". The Independent. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  2. "Ian Anderson setlist". Set list site. 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Beck Theatre archive listings". UK Theatre Web. 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  4. "Exciting autumn line-up at The Beck". Get West London. 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  5. "Chas & Dave UK tour hitting Hayes Beck Theatre". This is local London. 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  6. "Jim Davidson – Beck Theatre, November 25". The Latest News. 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  7. "Alan Davies brings his small victory to Beck Theatre". Windsor Observer. 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  8. "Billy Fury: 1" . Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  9. "Archive listings for Hinge and Bracket". UK Theatre Web. 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  10. "Archive listings for Dennis Locorriere". UK Theatre Web. 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  11. "A Demon Barber, razor-sharp comedy and a close shave on a mountain GoingoutTouching the Void". The Daily Telegraph . 2003. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  12. "Rolling with the punches". Get West London. 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  13. "Osmonds to perform classic hits at the Beck Theatre, Hayes". Get West London. 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  14. "Former lead singer of Showaddywaddy looks back at the good ol' times - and the bad - of the 1970s". News Shopper. 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  15. "Frank Skinner comes to the Beck Theatre in Hayes". Harrow Times . 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  16. "Freddie Starr hams it up at the Beck". Get West London. 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  17. "Spotlight on Barbara Windsor MBE: Sixty Glorious Years". It's Behind You. 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2017.