News update 9 May 2013
Press release
Friends of the Theatre delighted at Lottery success
The Friends of the Alexandra Palace Theatre are delighted at the news that the Alexandra Palace Trust has won the backing of the Heritage Lottery Fund for its £23.9m regeneration programme for the Theatre, former BBC television studios and East Court. The HLF has granted the Trust £844,800 in Round 1 funding to further develop plans for its £16.8m lottery funding application.
Nigel Willmott, the chair of the Friends of the Theatre, said: "The Friends have been working and campaigning for the refurbishment and reuse of the Victorian Theatre for the past 11 years, since the formation of the group. For most of that time it seemed an impossible dream. Suddenly it is on the way to becoming a reality.
"It is a stunning result for chief executive Duncan Wilson and his team at the Palace, the board of trustees, and for Haringey council, which has fully supported a new strategy of redevelopment of the Palace led by the Trust, rather than a developer.
"We have been one of the many groups whose input has gone into the creation of the regeneration programme and we look forward to continuing to support the next phase of the work, to further develop the design of the project and produce a detailed business plan.
"The refurbishment of the Theatre, keeping its historic look and feel, but creating a multi-use space for music, drama, conference and community use has the potential to make it one of the most exciting and inspiring venues in London."
The Friends group has been building membership over the past year in anticipation of a positive outcome to the Lottery bid and we aim to continue to sign up new members and increase activities in support of the regeneration project.
Duncan Wilson will attend the group's AGM at Alexandra Palace on May 29, and report on the next phase of the project and how the Friends can help.
Over the past decade the Friends group has held a number of events to showcase the Theatre, including a silent film show, concerts in the auditorium and foyer, a short opera season by Tete a Tete, a reading of the Victorian melodrama Lady Audley's Secret and several Open House days. The Theatre has also been used for location shoots, including a large Sony Music ad campaign and the BBC drama Margot Fonteyn.
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News update 6 May 2013
Newsletter - May 2013 is here: Newsletter May 2013.
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New update 5 May 2013
Friends of the Alexandra Palace Theatre
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
WEDNESDAY 29 MAY 2013 at 7.30pm
Dear Friend of the Theatre
Please make a note in your diary of the AGM of the Friends.
This will be an important meeting on the future of the theatre in the light of the success or failure of the Heritage Lottery bid, which we will know about within the next couple of weeks.
Duncan Wilson, the chief executive of Alexandra Palace, will be at the meeting to outline future plans in light of the lottery decision.
We will also be electing a new committee for this next phase, and are keen to involve new committee members in the tasks that lie ahead. Please do consider becoming more active in the organisation. Feel free to email me at chair [at] fapt.org.uk if you would like to have a chat about what this might entail.
The full agenda and papers will be sent out nearer the meeting date.
Nigel Willmott
Chair, FAPT
News update 15 February 2013
Our current newsletter is here: Newsletter February 2013.
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News update 9 February 2013
Come to a talk about the theatre...
Alexandra Palace Theatre - a History
by Marlene McAndrew
at the Haringey Local History Fair at Bruce Castle Museum.
The Local History Fair is an annual event, and is being held on Saturday 23 February, 11 am to 5 pm.
There's a full day of history talks, displays and local group's stalls. Marlene's talk is at 2 pm, just after the lunch break.
Friends of AP Theatre hope to have a stall.
Do come to hear Marlene, and do visit us at our stall. Entry is free. The museum cafe will be open all day.
The Bruce Castle Museum website is at: http://www.haringey.gov.uk/brucecastlemuseum