46 CONTEXT 185 : SEPTEMBER 2025 names of the variety theatre who appeared there between 1914 and 1930, such as Marie Lloyd, and Flanagan and Allen. Its conversion to a cinema in 1930 was an exemplar for the conversion of many theatres. Returning as a variety theatre between 1950 and 1959, most of the well-known acts of that time appeared at the Hippodrome, including Sean Connery, Julie Andrews, Morecambe and Wise, Ken Dodd, and elephants and aquatic performances. Later the Hippodrome was a bingo and social club until 2006, when it was sold to a developer. The Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT) believes that there is no such thing as a problem building, only a problem owner. In the case of the Hippodrome, its decline began nearly two decades ago when the developer/ owner was required to determine the construction of the auditorium roof as part of an urgent works notice issued by Derby City Council. The developer brought in a pointed hydraulic nibbler, used to demolish masonry and concrete structures, to open up the top surface of the roof. This action predictably led to the collapse of the roof, part of an external wall and the stage house. Derby City Council’s consulting engineer intervened and stopped work late on the day of the demolition in March 2008. The council took out an injunction to prevent further demolition, and the developer/owner’s appeal failed as the court held that even in its damaged state the building was not a danger to the public. The building effectively remained in its 2008 condition until May 2025, apart from relatively minor damage from a number of fires. The developer/owner, when found guilty of demolishing a listed building without permission, was considered by the judge to be unable to pay Derby City Council’s legal costs, let alone the cost of any restoration work. This put the developer/owner into administration, and the finance house that had provided them with funding repossessed the building and became the titleholder. Nothing was done to secure or repair the building over the following years. The Derby Hippodrome Restoration Trust (DHRT) was established to campaign for the building’s restoration as a touring theatre. Despite persistent efforts, the titleholder showed no willingness to engage and the city council was not in a position to pursue a compulsory purchase to bring the building back into use. As it became vacant, the Hippodrome was added to the first Theatres Trust’s theatres-at-risk register, acknowledging the building’s historic, architectural and community importance, and its perilous state. The Theatres Trust has been supporting the DHRT and DHBT since this time. By 2018 it had become evident that, due to continuing decay, a new variety theatre was no longer financially viable. The DHBT then offered to help explore alternative uses that could give the Hippodrome a sustainable future. The two trusts formed a partnership to deliver a solution, including Historic England, Derby University and Derby City Council. A market appraisal, funded by the Theatres Trust, highlighted the absence of a mediumsized alternative music venue in Derby. The Hippodrome, it concluded, could potentially fill this gap. Further consultations reinforced this finding. However, the titleholder continued to neglect the building, failing even to carry out basic works to improve its safety and security. With the support of Historic England, the DHBT requested that the city council serve an urgent works notice to preserve the building in its damaged condition and developed proposals to acquire and restore it as an alternative music venue, again supported by the Theatres Trust. As the public and the titleholder became aware of the potential service of the urgent works notice, the arson attempts began (reportedly, CCTV footage seemed to show, by one individual). The subsequent outcry from the public at the loss of this much-loved memory of the past caused the council to reconsider and halt the demolition that had by then taken down the stage house and auditorium. With Historic England it is currently assessing whether part of the building can be retained. But it is difficult to see how the section remaining could fulfil the DHBT’s vision for its use, including a restoration to be undertaken as a vehicle for training tradespeople in specialist historic building repair skills. The issues still to be resolved – the rapid demolition of a listed site, 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 and are the subject of a detailed freedom of information request. Those responsible for the building’s neglect should be held accountable, both for the irreversible loss of a heritage asset and the public costs incurred in making the site safe. Furthermore, no party should be allowed to profit from the clearance of the site, should it now increase in value as a potential development opportunity. If this outcome is allowed to stand without challenge, it sends a dangerous signal: that any historic building left to decay might eventually be cleared with impunity. Derby, and other cities across the UK, cannot afford such a precedent. Derek Latham is chair of the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust, Peter Steer director of the Derby Hippodrome Restoration Trust and Ashley Waterhouse chair of Derby Civic Society.
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