Brandon Lewis MP rejects Public Inquiry into Brighton Hippodrome Applications

Auditorium of the Brighton Hippodrome, 1997 © Peter Longmam

Colour photograph showing the auditorium of a Mecca bingo hall, formerly the Hippodrome, in Brighton. Taken from the balcony to stage left looking across the auditorium, it looks directly at an onion-domed box stage right, with the area that would have been the stalls below, part of the balcony to the left, the stage and proscenium to the right and the ceiling above. The ceiling comes in the form of a panelled tent and is richly decorated with boldly modelled Baroque plasterwork.

The Theatres Trust is deeply disappointed by the Government’s announcement today [19-09-14] that a Public Inquiry will not be held into the redevelopment scheme proposed for Brighton Hippodrome.

Brandon Lewis MP, the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, has rejected The Theatres Trust’s request for call-in, and a 2,738-strong online petition, to the planning and listed building applications. The plans involve subdividing the Grade II* listed circus / variety theatre into an eight screen cinema and restaurant, as well as construction on the rear yard, preventing access to the Hippodrome theatre’s get-in.

Mhora Samuel, Director of The Theatres Trust said: “Brighton and the Hippodrome have been let down by this decision. Unless the developers reconsider their scheme we will have lost the potential to stage…

Continue reading: News & Planning – The Theatres Trust.