Interludes Hotel Scarborough

Royal Opera House . . .

The Royal Opera House which was demolished in 2003/4 dated from 1877 when it was opened as the Prince of Wales Circus. Closed for safety reasons in 1908, the interior was demolished and rebuilt as a theatre - called the Hippodrome - to the designs of Frank Tugwell. It had a major rennovation in 1976 and closed due to abject mis-management in 1995 having been successfully run by the receivers for two years 1993/4 when a mix of films and a summer season of The Minstrel Show kept the theatre busy. Inadequately boarded up, with the electric pump which kept the basement dry turned off and various taps left turned on, the building flooded and rapidly deteriorated until a major arson attempt in 1998 ensured the destruction of the foyer block. Largely undamaged by the fire the theatre at the rear was left until 2003 when - despite its listed status it was deemed an eyesore and condemned.
January 2003	The stage - with temporary lighting after the flood waters had been pumped out. Part of the house curtain can be seen above the vandalised remnants of the cinema screen.
The side walls with the unusual suspended stage box.	January 2003
January 2003	The balcony fronts - still in good condition. Note the area of circle seating which has been attacked by an arsonist - to the left and rear of the central aisle.
A detail of the plaster cherubs above the stage box.	February 2003
February 2003	Demolition commences - virtually no light in the auditorium - but the extent of the flooding can be seen from the discoloured areas of the front stalls seats.
The balconies still retain their plasterwork.	January 2004
January 2004	Another view of the side wall boxes.
The removal of the balconies is underway with the supporting metal work of the upper exposed and the debris covering the steps of the dress circle.	March 2003
March 2004	A detail of the acorns and oak leaves plasterwork which surrounded the proscenium arch.
Scaffolding has been erected to allow for the removal of the plasterwork from the proscenium arch - hopefully to be recreated in another theatre.	March 2003
March 2004	There is more light now as a large part of the rear wall of the theatre has been removed and natural light floods the devastation inside.
A view across the stage - note the bridge at the far side.	March 2003
September 1991	A view from the rear of the dress circle when the Opera House was up and running.
Taken from the same area - now looking through the remains of both balconies. The girders were in pristine condition, and like the rest of the metal from the theatre, have been sent to China for smelting. Clear as the day they were installed is the paintwork on the girders proclaiming the manufacturers - A D Dawnay & Sons Ltd of London and Cardiff.	March 2003
April 2004	The proscenium arch has now been stripped of its plasterwork - which has been carefully packed away in crates.
Much of the auditorium has now gone and the stage awaits its final act.	May 2004
May 2004	These cast iron columns were part of the original circus building and had been hidden away for close on a century. When it was a circus there were boxes at an upper level strung between the columns.
Amazingly some of the lead leaves and flowers adorning the top of the columns survived as had the gilt paint! This one was rescued and saved.	May 2004
May 2004	Looking through the arch at blue sky beyond.
The handrail and exit sign from the upper circle were obviously securely fixed!	May 2004
May 2004	Through the arch from the rear of the stage and the remains of the auditorium.
Across the stage from the same point as earlier - the bridge now fallen.	May 2004
June 2004	Part of the rigging - the pegs were used to secure the ropes from the suspended scenery - note the grooves caused by many years of rope burn as sets were raised and lowered.
What a waste of a fine theatre - ideally suited to the town and with all the advantages of being on public transport routes and next to two large car parks. The most serious loss of a theatre in the UK for some considerable time.