CONTEXT 185 : SEPTEMBER 2025 45 DEREK LATHAM, PETER STEER and ASHLEY WATERHOUSE The sad story of Derby Hippodrome We cannot afford the fate of this much-loved listed theatre to become evidence that a historic building left to decay might eventually be cleared with profitable impunity. In May 2025, the Derby Hippodrome suffered its third arson attack in six weeks. Derby City Council, despite much procrastination, had agreed to serve an urgent works notice on the titleholder for neglecting the building to the point of dereliction. This was the most dramatic fire of the three. As a consequence, the fire and rescue service referred the safety of the structure to Derbyshire Building Control Partnership, a consultancy from Chesterfield to which the Derby City Council outsourced matters relating to building control. The result was that late that night a precipitate decision was taken to demolish the Grade II-listed structure, which commenced the next day. The widespread shock and heartbreak expressed by local residents, business owners and the wider Derby community has rippled beyond the city, resonating with national heritage advocates and cultural stakeholders alike. What has drawn particular scrutiny is not only the loss of a culturally significant building but the way in which demolition began in such a short time, raising urgent questions about accountability and due process. Many feel that the action bypassed the spirit of listed building protections and undermined community trust. A further serious concern centres on the presence of a known hazardous material within the building: the asbestos stage safety curtain, a relic of the theatre’s original construction. Recent drone footage shows remnants of the curtain still in place during demolition, prompting fears that proper handling and removal procedures may not have been followed. If disturbed or damaged, asbestos can pose significant health risks to workers and the public. Yet no clear public statement has been issued by the authorities about whether the asbestos was safely removed prior to demolition, or what procedures were followed to ensure compliance with environmental safety regulations. These unresolved issues – the rapid demolition of a listed building the absence of transparent communication and the potential mishandling of hazardous materials – have fuelled growing calls for investigation and accountability from local and national bodies. The Hippodrome is a load-bearing masonry construction designed to the rules of around 1910. The design procedure was much simpler than today, with the thickness of a masonry wall at a particular point being 1/16 of the height of the wall above the point under consideration. The auditorium’s main walls being 32 feet high, the base thickness was set at 2’-0” or, allowing for brick sizes, 2’-3” or 685 mm. Walls designed in this way did not rely on intermediate floors or balcony constructions for stability. Openings such as the proscenium arch were spanned with steel beams bearing on masonry at the ends. The roof of the auditorium was formed from 20m steel-lattice beams supporting purlins, rafters and timber decking covered with asphalt. The beams were underdrawn with a decorative plaster ceiling. Other roofs were timber framed with clay tiles. The internal structure of the front of house was steel framed with concrete floors. The Hippodrome was listed Grade II in 1996 and as an asset of community value in 2013, the first theatre in the UK to receive this award. This was based on the famous Derby Hippodrome in August 2025 following partial demolition (Photo: Aethonatic, Wikimedia)
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