A Brief History
Brighton Bandstand, the Birdcage sitting on the city seafront, designed by Phillip Lockwood and completed in 1884 is designated as a Grade II Listed Building of Architectural importance. The fancy cast iron work was manufactured by Walter Macfarlane & Co. of Saracen Foundry in Glasgow, now operating as Heritage Engineering
Bandstand Past
Bandstands were hugely popular throughout Victorian Britain and Brighton & Hove originally was once to have boasted to have eight strewn across the two towns. The last one to be torn down was in Hove at the location of what is now the Babylon Lounge.
The Brighton Bandstand was designed with a garden landscape along with other essential utilities. The Victorian's original aim was to develop the area and create a vibe for music and performance which would serve the local community along with all of its visitors to Brighton & Hove. These were the days when Brighton was the number one british seaside destination, in a time when the West Pier had paddle streamer rides, and in an era when the big wide world really was still truly full of adventure.
Bandstand Present
The Brighton Bandstand and its use as a performance venue lasted up until the mid sixties and bands still actually performed on it up to that point, but it has wastefully not been utilised for the last forty years. In the 70's the bridge connecting the bandstand to Kings Road was removed for reasons of safety, and the toilets were abandoned. The Birdcage, as it is so fondly referred as, has since been left to stand neglected, unused and is currently as sick as a parrot.
Bandstand Yet To Come?
Plans for the revitalisation of this section of the seafront have so far involved the demolition of the beautiful geometric garden surrounding the Bandstand and the proposed replacement of the toilets, while the Bandstand itself will one day, hopefully, be used for its propper and original purpose. Performance?
If the Victorians could see the neglect of their legacies in Brighton I am sure they would be really bemused at our lack of imagination in utilising the Bandstand and let's not forget the West Pier!
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