Shepherd's Bush Pavilion

Shepherd's Bush Pavilion is a historic entertainment building in Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It opened in August 1923 as a large cinema designed by architect Frank Verity for cinema entrepreneur Israel Davis. The building was conceived as a major local picture palace rather than a modest neighborhood cinema: it seated approximately 2,000 people, used an elaborate classical interior, and presented films with accompaniment from the Pavilion Symphony Orchestra. Its lighting system was designed to produce colored effects associated with events on screen, including blue illumination for rain and red illumination for fire. The exterior received early architectural recognition, including the Royal Institute of British Architects' London Street Architecture Award for its façade. The building suffered severe damage from a flying bomb during the Second World War in 1944. Much of the original interior was lost, and the postwar restoration did not recreate the building completely in its prewar form. It reopened in 1955 as the Gaumont Theatre. Further alterations took place in 1969, when a new floor divided the former auditorium into two levels. This allowed the upper part of the building to continue as a cinema while the lower portion operated as a bingo club. The cinema closed in 1983, although bingo continued for a period. The bingo operation finally shut in 2001, after which the building remained vacant and deteriorated for much of the following decade. Shepherd's Bush Pavilion was designated a Grade II listed building in 1974. The listing recognized its architectural and historical importance, although the wartime destruction and later changes meant that relatively little of the original interior arrangement survived. Its empty condition nevertheless created a difficult conservation and development problem. Hotel conversion proposals received planning approval in 2004 and again in 2006, but prospective investors withdrew because the building's configuration made it difficult to create a commercially viable hotel. Concerns included the limited number of rooms that could be produced and the lack of daylight or views for many potential rooms. The structure was subsequently placed on English Heritage's Building at Risk register. A further redevelopment scheme was approved in 2009. Designed by Flanagan Lawrence, the project proposed a four-star hotel while retaining the historic street façade. Reports in 2012 placed the projected cost of the conversion at approximately £25 million, although this figure is not treated here as a current financial measure. Demolition and construction began that year. Most of the old building was removed, leaving part of the original façade, and the new structure was planned with multiple floors and a glass roof. A later planning variation sought to increase the proposed accommodation from 242 rooms to 322 smaller rooms. Local residents opposed the change because they believed it could alter the character and scale of the approved scheme. The completed hotel opened in June 2014 as Dorsett Shepherd's Bush, operated by the Asia-based Dorsett Hospitality International group. The present site therefore combines a surviving listed exterior with a largely rebuilt hotel interior. The Pavilion's identity has shifted from cinema and bingo venue to heritage hotel, but its façade remains a visible reminder of the building's entertainment history and its role in the architectural development of Shepherd's Bush.

Shepherd's Bush Pavilion was built as a cinema and opened in August 1923. Frank Verity designed the building for Israel Davis, producing a substantial picture palace with a prominent brick-and-stone façade and an auditorium for around 2,000 spectators. Its presentation was unusually elaborate for the period. Films were accompanied by the Pavilion Symphony Orchestra, while a sophisticated lighting installation created colored effects intended to complement scenes shown on screen. The architectural treatment was recognized by the Royal Institute of British Architects, which awarded the façade its London Street Architecture Award. The Pavilion was badly damaged by a flying bomb in 1944 during the Second World War. The original interior was largely destroyed. Although the building was repaired after the war, the restoration did not fully reproduce its earlier design. It reopened in 1955 under the Gaumont name. In 1969, another refurbishment introduced a new floor that split the former large volume into two levels. The upper level operated as a cinema and the lower level as a bingo club, reflecting the changing economics of large entertainment buildings. The cinema closed in 1983, while the bingo use continued temporarily. In 1974, during this later period of the building's history, Shepherd's Bush Pavilion received Grade II listed status. The designation recognized its architectural and historic importance, despite the loss of much of its original interior. Bingo eventually ended in 2001, leaving the structure empty and vulnerable to deterioration. Several attempts were made to find a viable new use. Hotel conversion permissions were granted in 2004 and 2006, but investors withdrew because the building's internal configuration made conversion difficult. The limited number of usable rooms and the poor daylight and outlook available to many possible rooms reduced the commercial attractiveness of the proposals. The vacant structure was later included on English Heritage's Building at Risk register. A new hotel scheme was approved in 2009. Flanagan Lawrence designed a development that retained part of the historic exterior while replacing most of the old building. Construction and demolition began in 2012. The redevelopment initially proposed 242 rooms, but developers later requested permission for 322 smaller rooms. The proposed alteration generated local opposition because residents feared that the revised plan would change the approved development's scale and character. The rebuilt hotel opened in June 2014 as Dorsett Shepherd's Bush. Dorsett Hospitality International operated the hotel, linking the site to an international hospitality group. The completed project preserved the recognizable historic façade but not the former cinema's internal fabric. The Pavilion is consequently best understood as a listed former entertainment venue whose surviving architectural identity now forms part of a modern hotel.

• 2014

  Hotel opens

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  The rebuilt Dorsett Shepherd's Bush opened in June.

• 2012

  Façade-retention redevelopment begins

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  Demolition and construction began, retaining part of the original façade for the new hotel.

• 2009

  Hotel redevelopment approved

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  Planning permission was granted for conversion of the empty building into a four-star hotel.

• 2001

  Bingo hall closes

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  The remaining bingo operation closed, leaving the building vacant.

• 1983

  Cinema closes

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  The cinema use ended, while the bingo operation continued for a limited period.

• 1974

  Grade II listing

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  Shepherd's Bush Pavilion was designated a Grade II listed building.

• 1969

  Conversion to split cinema and bingo layout

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  A new floor divided the former auditorium into an upper cinema and a lower bingo club.

• 1955

  Reopens as the Gaumont Theatre

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  The repaired building reopened under the Gaumont name after postwar restoration.

• 1944

  Flying-bomb damage

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  A flying bomb badly damaged the Pavilion during the Second World War, destroying much of the original interior.

• 1923

  Cinema opens

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  The Pavilion opened in August as a 2,000-seat cinema designed by Frank Verity for Israel Davis.

• 1923

  Architectural recognition

  [1]Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org

  The building's façade received the Royal Institute of British Architects' London Street Architecture Award.

A heritage entertainment landmark repurposed as an urban hotel, combining a listed historic façade with contemporary hospitality accommodation.

• Cinema · 1923

  Shepherd's Bush Pavilion cinema

  The original use of the building was as a large picture palace with seating for approximately 2,000 people. Its programming was supported by the Pavilion Symphony Orchestra, and its interior included elaborate decorative finishes and theatrical lighting effects. The cinema opened in 1923 and later operated under the Gaumont name after its postwar restoration. Cinema use ended in 1983.

• Bingo entertainment · 1969

  Shepherd's Bush Pavilion bingo club

  Following alterations in 1969, the lower level of the building operated as a bingo club while the upper level continued as a cinema. The bingo use outlasted the cinema but ended in 2001, after which the Pavilion became vacant and disused.

• Hotel · 2014

  Dorsett Shepherd's Bush

  The current hotel occupies a largely rebuilt structure developed behind and around part of the historic Pavilion façade. The project transformed a vacant former cinema and bingo hall into contemporary hotel accommodation while maintaining the building's listed street presence. It opened in 2014 under the Dorsett brand.

• 2012

  Proceed with façade-retention redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The former cinema and bingo hall had stood empty and in poor condition for years. The approved hotel scheme required substantial intervention because the existing building was not considered practical for direct conversion.

  Action taken

  Developers began largely demolishing the old structure while preserving part of the original façade and constructing a new multi-storey hotel behind it.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment preserved the Pavilion's principal historic street presence but removed most of its former internal fabric.

  Source

• 2012

  Request to increase hotel room countOther

  Background

  The developers sought to adjust the approved hotel design during the construction phase.

  Action taken

  A planning variation was requested to change the proposal from 242 rooms to 322 smaller rooms.

  Aftermath

  Local residents opposed the variation, expressing concern that the revised scheme would have a substantially different character from the original proposal.

  Source

• 2009

  Approve conversion from vacant entertainment venue to hotelStrategy

  Background

  The Pavilion had been unused since the closure of its bingo operation in 2001. Earlier hotel proposals had received permission but failed to attract investors because the building was difficult to convert and offered limited daylight and views for many rooms.

  Action taken

  Planning permission was granted for a four-star hotel scheme designed by Flanagan Lawrence, with part of the listed façade retained.

  Aftermath

  The approval led to the eventual demolition and rebuilding project, culminating in the opening of Dorsett Shepherd's Bush in 2014.

  Source

1. 1Shepherd's Bush Pavilionen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Dorsett Shepherd's Bush hotel websitedorsetthotels.com