Bridlington Spa facts for kids
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The Spa Bridlington
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Bridlington Spa adaptive logo
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| Address | Bridlington Spa South Marine Drive Bridlington YO15 3JH East Riding of Yorkshire England |
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| Coordinates | 54°04′45″N 0°11′47″W / 54.07928°N 0.19643°W |
| Owner | East Riding of Yorkshire Council |
| Type | Traditional |
| Capacity | 3,800 Royal Hall standing 1,700 seated / 675 Spa Theatre (incl. wheelchair spaces) |
| Current use | Concert venue, theatre and conference centre |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1896 |
| Rebuilt | 1932 |
| Years active | 1896–present |
| Website | |
| bridspa.com | |
Bridlington Spa is a fantastic place in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It's a big building right by the sea where you can see awesome concerts, watch plays, and even have big meetings. It has a fantastic ballroom with a special old-fashioned design called Art Deco and a theatre that feels like it's from the Edwardian era. Plus, you get amazing views of Bridlington's South Bay from inside!
This fun venue first opened way back in 1896. It's had some exciting history, including a few fires, but it was always rebuilt quickly. The local council has owned and run it since 1919. Between 2006 and 2008, the Spa got a huge makeover costing over £20 million. It reopened looking brand new in May 2008.
In 2016, the theatre got even more improvements, like a new aisle to make it easier to see the stage. Later that year, Bridlington Spa also got a fresh new look and logo. Today, it's still a very popular place for big music acts. It can hold up to 3,800 people for a standing concert! Famous bands like Madness and Kasabian have played here. It's even where Oasis played their very last indoor concert!
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History of Bridlington Spa
The beautiful gardens and buildings of Bridlington Spa first opened on 27 July 1896. It was a huge success, especially the Spa Theatre and the glass-domed ballroom. People could spend the whole day there for just sixpence!
But on the evening of 20 October 1906, a fire broke out. It spread very fast, and the theatre was destroyed. Luckily, the fire crew saved the famous glass dome. A new opera house was quickly designed and built. Just nine months later, in July 1907, the new theatre opened!
In 1914, the local council started managing the Spa, and by 1919, they bought it. In 1925, the council replaced the older parts of the Spa with a new building called the Spa Royal Hall. It opened in 1926 and was a stunning Art Deco building.
Sadly, on 29 January 1932, another fire destroyed the Royal Hall. The theatre wasn't badly damaged and reopened quickly. In an amazing feat, a new Royal Hall was designed and built in just 52 days! It reopened on 29 July 1932.
Before World War II, the Spa was famous for plays, variety shows, and dancing. After the war, holidays changed, and the Spa adapted. It became a popular venue for rock concerts and has hosted many famous artists for over 30 years. It also hosts big events like the World Darts Championship.
On 15 July 2009, tickets for an Oasis concert at Bridlington Spa sold out in just two minutes! Oasis played there on 20 August 2009 as a warm-up for a big festival.
What's Inside: Facilities
Bridlington Spa has many great spaces for different events. These include:
- The Royal Hall: This is the biggest space, holding up to 3,800 people for standing concerts or 1,700 for seated events. It's great for dances and big shows.
- The Spa Theatre: This theatre seats 675 people. It's perfect for music, dance, and plays. It has modern sound and lighting systems.
- The Harbour Suite: This room has amazing views over the bay and a bar. It can seat about 120 people.
- The Gallery Suite: This bright room often features art exhibitions by local artists. It's also a space that businesses can hire.
- The Promenade Bar and Bay View Lounge: Both offer fantastic sea views.
- The Board Room: A smaller room for meetings, seating up to 22 people.
- The Spa Café Bar: Located at the main entrance, it has a huge window overlooking the sea. You can often hear pianists playing here during lunch.
Spa Theatre Details
The Spa Theatre is an Edwardian theatre with a traditional layout. It has seating on the ground floor (stalls) and a balcony (circle). The theatre is fully equipped for music, dance, and drama.
The original theatre burned down in 1906. The replacement theatre, built in 1907, is mostly the same today. It has a beautiful interior with simple, elegant decorations. The balcony has detailed plasterwork. In 1932, when the Royal Hall burned down, the Spa Theatre only had minor smoke and water damage. It was quickly repaired and reopened.
Royal Hall Details
The Royal Hall's 1930s style is perfect for dances and social events. It has hosted many important events, including televised sports and major rock concerts. There's a balcony with fixed seating overlooking the dance floor.
Big Makeover: Redevelopment
Bridlington Spa is right on the seafront. Because of this, it has been exposed to sea air and even some flooding over the years. This caused some damage to the building's structure.
So, between 2006 and 2008, the Spa went through a huge £20.5 million refurbishment. This project aimed to fix the damage and make the building modern and exciting again.
Here are some of the big changes:
- A new main entrance was built.
- The north end of the building was redesigned to create a more compact conference area.
- New glass sections were added to the promenade side.
- The outside of the Royal Hall got a fresh new look.
- All the doors and windows were repaired or replaced.
Spa Theatre Improvements
The theatre was completely stripped down and rebuilt. It got 675 brand new seats and a stronger structure. The backstage areas were updated with modern equipment for moving scenery. A new, state-of-the-art lighting and sound control room was also added.
Royal Hall Improvements
The 1930s ballroom kept its Art Deco style but received a big facelift. A new wall was built on the east side, and it got modern technical equipment and a new colour scheme. Most importantly, the floor was completely rebuilt, and a new sprung wooden dance floor was laid. The beautiful glass dome, which had been hidden for years, was cleaned and restored to its original glory. It can now be covered with a black-out curtain if needed.
Harbour Suite Improvements
A new section was added to the north end of the building for conferences and meetings. The Harbour Suite now has large bay windows with amazing sea views. It's also equipped with modern technology like Wi-Fi and video links to other rooms.
New Kitchens
The Spa's kitchens were made much larger and got all new, high-tech equipment. This allows the chefs to cook for up to 700 guests at once!
The Spa's makeover was a big part of a plan to improve Bridlington. It was hoped that the modern facilities would attract more tourists and help the local economy. The Spa reopened with a special week of events from 31 May to 7 June 2008, including a concert by The Pigeon Detectives.
Today, Bridlington Spa offers free tours on some Sundays. These tours are often led by senior staff members, so guests can ask any questions they have.
2016 New Look
On 14 December 2016, Bridlington Spa showed off its new brand and logo. This new look was designed to be flexible and was created by Fred Marketing in Hull. It gave the venue a fresh, unified style for its buildings, website, and printed materials.
