Pavilion open at last

The "People's Palace" has emerged after its 18-month 8m re-fit transformed as a regional centre for contemporary art.

Ten years of hard graft - one seventh of the pavilion's 70-year place in the life of the Bexhill community - have been devoted to finding a way forward for the building once memorably described as "a princess in rags," obtaining the Lottery funding and carrying out the work.

A milestone weekend for town and pavilion has compressed a range of emotion as wide as anything seen on the pavilion stage and as colourful and bizarre as anything in the opening art gallery exhibition, Variety.

Friday's re-opening ceremony was a victim almost of the pavilion success, all but the front rows of the throng of invited guests unable to hear the Great and the Good give their speeches for the hubbub.

It was but a prelude to the public's glad invasion when at last the doors opened on Saturday.

THE crush of invited guests on the ground floor was such the others on the first floor landing had difficulty hearing the start of Friday's re-opening ceremony.

Then the sound system went dead.

Unaware of what was happening above, those below failed to respond to repeated shouted requests for "quiet."

Even those standing nearest the speakers had difficulty making out what was being said.

Pavilion director Alan Haydon introduced VIPS who included Lord and Lady De La Warr. He recalled that "first nights" are always incident-packed.

The audience at the inaugural concert 70 years ago was soaked by condensation dripping from the ceiling of the new auditorium!

The vision shown by Earl De La Warr's grandfather 70 years ago was about to be delivered but in a 21st Century way through transformation which had overtaken the pavilion.

Sadly, he also announced that artist Ian Breakwell, whose work is well represented in the new gallery's opening exhibition, Variety, had died that day.

Alan Haydon paid tribute to Pavilion Friends founder and former Rother councillor Jill Theis and to Rother director of services Tony Leonard who had stuck with the project for an entire decade.

"I would like to thank each and every one of the team at the De La Warr who have lived through this experience" he said, adding that the last few weeks had been "at a high level of stress."

He thanked the trust board and its chairman Dr Richard Sykes for their support and the Arts Council and the Lottery fund for their financial backing.

Felicity Harvest, executive director of the Arts Council of the South East, recalled that nine years before almost to the day she had overcome the "obstacle course"in the foyer and set foot in the pavilion.

The De La Warr Pavilion had "caused a stir" when it opened 70 years ago. She hoped its re-opening would cause a stir again.

Dina Thorpe added her congratulation on behalf of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Rother leader Cllr Graham Gubby said it was not just tonnes of concrete which had been poured into the pavilion but millions of pounds of local taxpayers' money.

Funds would continue to be needed.

Democratically-elected representatives had to take difficult decisions. While investing 400,000 in the arts, Rother was having to close public toilets.

"The De La Warr Pavilion was built to improve economic growth and the social and cultural prosperity of Bexhill and beyond. It only became known as 'the people's palace' sometime later'¦

"Together we will establish the De La Warr Pavilion as the major centre for contemporary art, architecture and live performance for the South East.

"But it is also about increasing optimism and raising aspirations.

"Today really is a day for celebrating '“ celebrating a 'building for the future.' But it is also a day to give genuine thanks to those who have contributed in the past and now, to those who are creating the opportunities for that new future.

"Bexhill is moving forward.

"Bexhill is changing.

"Bexhill is meeting new challenges, which means new partnerships, new ideas and new investment.

'¢The De La Warr Pavilion will be a catalyst.

'¢The De La Warr Pavilion will enhance the quality of life for local people.

'¢The De La Warr Pavilion will bring new investment to improve our economic growth.

'¢The De La Warr Pavilion must remain a key partner with local people."

Recalling the lottery award celebration event held at the Royal Institute of British Architecture in London, he said: "I said how I had found myself filling with pride '¦ 'this is my Town, this is my De La Warr Pavilion' and that's what I want our residents and visitors to feel for themselves.

"It must remain our Pavilion, a Pavilion for the people of Bexhill and Rother."

Pavilion Trust chairman Dr Richard Sykes repeated the pledge he had made when he took office that the pavilion would not turn its face to the sea and its back to the town."