The area around Bournemouth Gardens was granted permission by the owners in 1859 to incorporate a public pleasure ground.[2] Discussions for a fixed entertainment venue took place during the 1880s, and as part of the 1892 Bournemouth Improvement Act, the council were granted £20,000 for constructing a pavilion in the gardens, which could accommodate a municipal orchestra. These plans were continually blocked by local residents who felt that licensed premises for drinking were immoral. A fixed plan for a venue in the gardens was approved in 1908, but saw further delays and was consequently postponed until after World War I.[3]
The Pavilion Theatre surrounded by the Lower Gardens of Bournemouth
By the 1920s, the orchestra felt that the Bournemouth Winter Gardens was no longer a suitable venue and requested a more accommodating hall be built.[4] In 1923, a competition was held to design the concert room, chaired by Edwin Cooper. The winners were by G Wyville Home and Shirley Knight, whose design was consulted with Owen Williams.[5] Construction began in September 1925 with the laying of the foundation stone.[4] On 19 March 1929, the building was opened by the Duke of Gloucester.[5] It had cost £250,000.[6]
In the early 1930s, the Pavilion was rebuilt to accommodate theatrical productions as well as orchestras. It re-opened with a production of The White Horse Inn on 7 July 1934.[7] Several alterations were undertaken in the 1950s, including the addition of two storeys to either side of the main entrance.[5] In 1975, the Oasis Bar was added as a western extension of the hall. This proved to be unpopular, and was demolished in 2007 when the theatre underwent a £12 million restoration programme.[8]
In 2019, Lenny Henry complained that a historical photograph in the pavilion's dressing room, showing actors in blackface, was outdated, racist and offensive. A spokesman for the pavilion apologised.[10]
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