"Borough Bazaar" and Concert Hall, Hound's Hill, Blackpool

BLACKPOOL BOROUGH BAZAAR COMPANY LIMITED - Another new company has been formed under the above title, and a copy of the prospectus that has been issued is contained in our advertising columns. The company is formed for the purpose of providing additional market and bazaar accommodation by the erection of a public hall and an assembly room. with all needful accessories. The site obtained is at Hounds-hill, adjoining the Wesleyan Chapel, and is near the railway station, and the plans for the building have already been sanctioned by the Local Board. There is to be a handsome elevation to Hounds Hill, with three good entrances, and the assembly room is intended to accommodate 700 persons. [Blackpool Gazette 17 March 1876 page 5]



LAYING THE FOUNDATION-STONE OF THE BOROUGH BAZAAR - An interesting ceremony took place yesterday at three o'clock in the afternoon, at Hounds Hill. This was no loss than the laying of the foundation-stone of the new Borough Bazaar, next to the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, and which will be an exceedingly handsome building, and a great ornament to neighbourhood. Tho architect of the building is Mr. Worthington, of Blackpool. and from his description of the designs, we learn that the erection is intended for the purposes of a toy and fancy goods market and theatre. Its front will face west and will be prominent feature, looking from the beach between the New Inn and the proposed Palatine Hotel. It will be within 50 yards of the principal entrance to the new Blackpool Hounds Hill railway station, and the whole of the front will be seen therefrom. Tho bazaar has a frontage to the street of 89 feet 5 inches, and is 105 feet in depth, and with conveniences covers an area of 1080 superficial square yards; 1000 yards of thig will be available on the ground floor for bazaar purposes, and will contain 284 lineal yards of stall frontages, each stall being 4 feet back, and the passages being 9 feet wide. Three large entrances are provided from the street. The back or inner portion of the bazaar will be galleried round, having a floor space of nearly 200 square yards, which will be arranged so  that they may be approached either from the bazaar or from the principal staircases. The whole will be lighted with large plate-glass windows on the street side, and with continuous roof lights of ground glass. A theatre or hall lighted from the front will go over the front portion of the bazaar, the size available to the audience being 69 feet 8 inches by 42 feet 2 inches. A stage is provided 17 feet by 42 feet 2 inches, at one end, and a gallery 17 feet by 42 feet 2 inches at the other end. The hall will be 25 feet high and will have parallel and moulded ceiling enriched with ornamental plaster, and the upper part of the wall directly under the moulds will be decorated with basso relievo original panels taken from scenes in Shakespeare’s plays, and which are now being executed in the studio of D. Bruociani, 40, Russell Street, Covent Garden. London. Wainscoting of pitch pine will be fixed round the room, and the frosh air for ventilation will enter the room at the top of this, through perforated zinc, the exit of vitiated air being through four openings in centre of ceiling panels and from thence through ventilators in roof. Lavatories, water-closets, and cloak rooms are in connection with the hall. Tho stage rooms are placed in the roof and are approached by a staircase off the stage all necessary conveniences are in connection. These rooms will be lighted in the daytime by nine skylights, which will be made to open, to assist ventilation whenever necessary. Access to the theatre will be by two straight flights of stone steps, each 6 feet 4 inches wide, 1st and 2nd class entrances being provided from the street. Cellars are provided in basement having a floor area of nearly 200 superficial square yards, part of which is reserved for the heating apparatus, The front is adapted from the Italian with Gothic details, and will be built of pressed bricks, with Longridge stone dressings. The principal bearing construction throughout is of rolled iron in joists and built girders supported between walls on ornamental cast iron columns. The upper floors will be of wood, and the ground or Bazaar floor will be flagged. The architect is Mr. Thos. P. Worthington, of Blackpool, and the works are being executed by Mr. Councillor J. B. Fisher, who obtained the contract for the whole, for the sum of £6,622

At three o'clock a large stone was fixed in position near the centre of the site, ready to be "well and truly laid " by the chairman of the company, Mr. John Wade. … Mr. Worthington then handed Mr. Wade a handsome silver trowel with ivory handle which bore the inscription: —" Presented to John Wade, Esq., Chairman of the Blackpool Borough Bazaar Company, on the occasion of his laying foundation-stone of the Borough Bazaar, Blackpool, January 11th, 1877.” [Blackpool Gazette 12 January 1877 page 3]

BLACKPOOL - The foundation stone of borough bazaar in course of erection at Hound's Hill, Blackpool, was laid on Thursday week, in the presence of the directors and shareholders. At the subsequent proceedings it was remarked that upwards of £10,000 is being expended by the Bazaar Company, the Palatine Hotel Company, the Royal Hotel Company, and the railway company, within stone's throw of the stone just laid. Mr. Worthington, of Blackpool, is the architect, and Mr. G. B. Fisher the contractor for the bazaar. [Building News 19 January 1877 Page 76]

THE BOROUGH BAZAAAR AND CONCERT HALL has been built in a very central situation on Hounds Hill, and it is the property of a limited liability company, intended for a toy and vegetable market and a small theatre and assembly room. It has been erected from the designs of Mr. Thomas P. Worthington, a local architect, and is a monument to that gentleman's taste and skill. The building is adapted from Italian and Gothic details, and has pressed brick facings, with Longridge stone dressings. The frontage to the street measures 89 feet 5 inches, and the depth is 105 feet, so that the bazaar, with conveniences, covers an area of 1 ,080 superficial square yards. There are three large entrances from the street. Ou the ground floor 1,000 yards are available for bazaar purposes, and the back, or inner portion, is galleried round, thus increasing the floor space by nearly 200 yards, and it is so arranged that it can be approached either from the bazaar or from the principal staircase. There are 84 yards of stall frontage, and the stalls are 5 feet 6 inches wide, whilst the passages between them are 6 feet in width. The whole is lighted by large plate-glass windows on the street side, and by continuous roof lights of ground glass. The theatre of the public hall, which is also lighted from the street, is over the front portion of the bazaar. It will have a gallery at the end opposite to the stage, and accommodation is provided for about 800 persons. The decorations include basso-relievo original panels, depicting scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, and these have been executed by Mr. D. Brueciani, of Covent Garden, London. The fresh air is admitted through perforations at the top, and the vitiated air passes out through openings in the centre of ceiling panels and ventilators in root. The ventilation can also be improved, when necessary, by use of the nine skylights with which the stage rooms, placed above the hall, are lighted. The entrances are by two straight flights of stone steps direct from the street. There are connected with the theatre all the usual conveniences, in addition to kitchen and refreshment-room. The principal bearing construction throughout rolled iron in joists and girders. Mr. J. B. Fisher was the builder, and the amount of his contract was £6,692. [ Blackpool Gazette 22 June 1877 page 6]

OPENING OF THE BOROUGH THEATRE - The opening of the Borough Theatre is announced to take on Monday evening next, when a series of entertainments will Be given by an opera and burlesque company, particulars concerning which will be found in our advertising columns. We were favoured yesterday with a private vie of the new theatre together with the scenery for the stage. which has been painted by Mr. Thomas Challoner, of Preston.  The interior of the building has a really beautiful appearance. It is light and airy, and architecturally very striking. The size available to the audience is about 68 feet by 42 feet. The stage, which is placed at the northern end of the room, is a very wide one, but perhaps not quite so deep as that at the Assembly Rooms, and at the other end of the room a gallery 17 feet by 42 feet. It is a very lofty apartment—about 25 feet, we believe - and is ornamented with a parallel moulded ceiling enriched with ornamental plaster. The upper part of the wall, directly under the moulds, is very handsomely decorated with basso reliero, and that are of original design. They are taken from scenes in Julius Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra and other Shakespeare plays. These have been executed in the studio of D. Brucceani, of Russell Street, Covent Garden, London, and have, we understand, cost upwards of £300. Round the hall there is a wainscoting of pitch pine, and at the top of this woodwork are zinc ventilators. There are also ventilators in the roof. 
The stage-rooms are placed in the roof, and are approached by a staircase off the stage, and will be fitted up with all necessary conveniences. Access to the theatre is by two straight flights of stone steps, each six feet four inches wide, and both 1st and 2nd class entrances will be provided from the street. The architect is Mr Thomas P. Worthington, of Blackpool, and we must congratulate him on the excellent appearance of his design. Mr. Challoner has also done some good work in the scene painting department. The drop scene is an admirable painting of the kind and the scenery for the stage seems to have been executed with more than the ordinary care.  There is one street scene that is a triumph of art, and in which the perspective is so perfect that it has a most realistic look about it. There is also a forest scene, a garden scene, and a coast scene, showing a wide expanse of sea to the horizon, all of which will have a capital effect. On the whole, this will be one of the prettiest and most comfortable bijou theatres or concert halls to found in any other town in England. [Blackpool Gazette 31 August 1877 page 5]

Re: the Blackpool Borough Bazaar Company, Limited, in Liquidation. By Order of the Liquidator. TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION by JAMES BUTCHER, at the Beach Hotel, Blackpool, in the County of Lancaster, on Monday, the 8th day of December 1879, at 6 o'clock in the afternoon prompt,
All that Building situated in Hounds Hill, in Blackpool aforesaid, known as the BLACKPOOL BOROUGH BAZAAR, containing large Market Hall and Cellars, Concert Room; licensed for Theatrical performances, with Stage, Scenery, and Gallery, Cooking Range, Lavatories and other conveniences, together with all Fittings, Furniture, and appurtenances as a going concern. The property is freehold, subject to an annual ground rent of £300. [Blackpool Gazette 28 November 1879 page 4]

Reference    Blackpool Gazette 17 March 1876 page 4 - prospectus
Reference    Blackpool Gazette 17 March 1876 page 5
Reference    Building News 19 January 1877 Page 76
Reference    Blackpool Gazette 12 January 1877 page 3 – foundation stone
Reference    Blackpool Gazette 22 June 1877 page 6
Reference    Blackpool Gazette 31 August 1877 page 5 – opening
Reference    Blackpool Gazette 28 November 1879 page 4