Venue being restored to 30s glory

It’s become an essential stop on almost every comedy tour – but now the Hammersmith Apollo has been gutted of its seats and bars as it undergoes a much-needed facelift.

The West London venue, home of BBC One’s Live At The Apollo, has closed until September as new owners restored the faded building to its former glory.

Arena operators AEG Live, bought the 81-year-old, Grade II listed building last summer, and with partners CTS, have planned a major rejuvenation.

Architects Foster Wilson, who have overseen several similar theatre projects including The New Wimbledon Theatre and Trafalgar Studios said their clients are ‘firmly of the view that the building has been neglected and under-invested, with a series of poorly considered and short term additions and alterations which have compromised the look and feel and, in some parts, the fabric of the structure.’

Bars will be replaced; many of the signs hung outside the venue will be removed to restore it to its original art deco look; and the red seats replaced with new ones in the grey and green colours of the original, as determined by historic paint analysis, since all images from the time were in black and white.

The work will also increase the capacity for the current 3,500 seats, including more wheelchair places.

The first comedian to play the refitted venue will be Adam Hills, whose Happyism tour visits on September 22, although some of the improvements will not take place until next year.

Published: 24 Jul 2013