The Pavilion Gardens complex, situated alongside the Heritage Green Flag gardens, is a major regional attraction and iconic Buxton landmark.
The complex is managed by High Peak Borough Council and provides a focal point for visitors to the town and a key recreation area for residents. It is home to events, fairs and festivals, and provides space for visitors to eat, relax and shop.
With more than half a million visitors every year, we have a challenge to meet the modern demands of visitors by providing a high quality, customer focused experience. Popular with High Peak residents and visitors to the area, the Pavilion Gardens has a unique role to play.
To date, the Borough Council has restored the 23 acre gardens and achieve the Heritage Green Flag status. More recently, we have restored and re-opened the Pavilion Gardens Conservatory, and we are now working on a phased programme to restore and enhance the buildings, including:
Outlined below is a flavour of the planned improvements, providing a modern, relaxed café with outside seating, a new shop, gallery and tourist information centre and a contemporary coffee bar and ice cream kiosk. The investment will improve the fabric of the building, improve our trading environment and form a planned approach to the restoration of the building, while safeguarding the building for future generations.
Besides the catering and retail plans, the Council is working closely with Buxton Opera House to further develop plans to refurbish the Paxton Suite as the Pavilion Arts Centre. We have recently secured more than £890,000 from the Derby and Derbyshire Economic Partnership(DDEP) to support the £1.78million refurbishment of the Paxton suite, to restore the quality of the auditorium and create a flexible space, which can be used as a hall for arts, conferences and lectures.
We aim to create a flexible multi-user space, with retractable seating on the ground floor, and refurbish the balcony. The arts centre can be sub-divided to create a studio theatre, or be used as a whole for lectures, fairs, conferences or larger performances.
As a first step, a full condition survey of the building will take place to ensure that the refurbishment will stand the test of time. A professional architectural team will be appointed so we can ensure the proposals will conserve this important grade 2 listed building, while ensuring that plans will meet the needs and aspirations of users in the 21st century.
Work on site will begin in autumn 2009 and the venue should re-open for spring 2010.
Once work has started on site, Phase Two proposals will be further developed, which will incorporate the restoration of the Octagon.
Andrew Aughton, Chief Executive of the Buxton Opera House, said “I am delighted to hear of (funding) decision - it is tremendous news. I am really looking forward to Buxton being a two-theatre town and to presenting bigger and better children's, families', festivals, fringe and community programmes over the next few years.
High Peak Borough Council values your opinion. Please use this online form to comment on the proposals, or pick up a paper form, from the Pavilion Gardens complex, to complete and return to us