Golders Green Hippodrome facts for kids
The Golders Green Hippodrome is a famous building in Golders Green, London, England. It was built in 1913 as a huge music hall, a place where people could watch live shows and performances. It was designed by Bertie Crewe and could hold 3,000 people! It was meant to serve North London and the new London Underground Northern line that was expanding into the area.
Over the years, the Hippodrome has had many different uses. In the 1960s, the BBC took it over and turned it into a television studio. Later, it became a radio studio and a place for concerts. In 2007, it became a church. In 2017, it was bought by a group planning to make it an Islamic centre, but this plan faced some local objections. In October 2021, Hillsong Church bought the building, planning to use it for their Sunday services.
History of the Hippodrome
The Golders Green Hippodrome is a special building, listed as Grade II, which means it's historically important. It stands right next to Golders Green Underground station. It first opened its doors on Boxing Day in 1913 as a large music hall.
Over time, the building was changed to have a full theatre stage, which reduced its seating to about half. This made it perfect for shows that were getting ready for or had just finished their tours in London. Many famous performers played here, including Laurence Olivier, Marlene Dietrich, Stephane Grappelli, and Django Reinhardt. The Hippodrome also hosted an annual pantomime and Ralph Reader's popular Gang Show.
For a while, the Hippodrome worked closely with the Streatham Hill Theatre, sharing shows as part of their tours. Opera was also very popular, and the Hippodrome hosted performances by groups like the British National Opera Company and the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.
The BBC Era: Radio and Concerts
In 1969, the BBC needed more space for their new colour TV broadcasts. They leased the Hippodrome until 2060. The building was then changed into a radio studio and a concert hall, with about 700 seats. It became the home for the BBC Concert Orchestra and also hosted broadcasts from the BBC Big Band and BBC Radio Orchestra.
As a concert venue, the Hippodrome was used for many different types of shows:
- Light music concerts: These included performances by artists like Maria Friedman.
- Rock bands: Some of the first rock bands to play here were Queen in 1973 and Jethro Tull in 1977. Many bands, like AC/DC, ELO, and The Kinks, played for the famous John Peel radio show.
- Theatre: Even Sir Ian McKellen performed here early in his career.
- Boxing: The venue was used for both local and national boxing matches.
- Comedy: Comedians like Jim Davidson performed here. Two episodes of the first series of Monty Python's Flying Circus were also filmed at the Hippodrome in 1969.
The BBC recorded many special radio shows at the Hippodrome, including the famous Sight and Sound concert in 1978. AC/DC's performance in 1977 was even released later on DVD. The Hippodrome also hosted the weekly radio programme Friday Night is Music Night, a traditional entertainment show.
However, in 2003, the BBC announced they would be leaving the building. They moved the BBC Concert Orchestra to other places in London. The Hippodrome was left empty and started to fall into disrepair.
New Owners and New Uses
After the BBC left in 2003, the building was unused and started to get damaged. By 2005, it was even put on a special list of 'buildings at risk'. The local council wanted the building to keep being used for entertainment. However, no one bought it for that purpose.
In early 2007, a Christian group called El Shaddai International Christian Centre bought the Hippodrome for £5 million. They turned it into a church.
In 2017, the building was sold again. It was bought by the Markaz al-Tathgeef al-Islami, which is a Shia Islamic centre. They planned to convert it into a place of worship. More recently, in 2021, Hillsong Church purchased the Hippodrome, planning to use it for their Sunday church services.
