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 focussed 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 achieved the Heritage Green Flag status. In 2008, we restored and re-opened the Pavilion Gardens Conservatory. In 2009 we created a new café specialising in locally sourced food; a coffee and ice cream bar; a new tourist information centre and an award winning gallery and retail area, selling local arts, crafts and other products.
Newly opened on 16th September 2010 after a £2.5m comprehensive refurbishment, the Pavilion Arts Centre has undergone a major refurbishment which has already been lauded as an excellent example of ‘heritage meets contemporary’. Orginally opened as ‘The Entertainment Stage’ in 1889, and latterly known as the Paxton Suite, the project has painstakingly retained the early Victorian features complemented by a new contemporary design.
High Peak Borough Council has worked closely with High Peak Theatre Trust (Buxton Opera House) to bring forward this innovative project, which will not only house 70 arts performances per year and be the new home for youth and fringe theatre, but will also support the wider economy of Buxton by attracting conferences into the town.
The Main Room has 360 seats (comprising of 78 moveable seats on the lower floor, 140 retractable seats each with writing tablet and 142 on the balcony) and the Studio Theatre has 93 seats. With open floor areas of 200 sq. m. in the Main Room and 74 sq. m. in the Studio Theatre the venue can accommodate a variety of activities and events including lecture style presentations, exhibitions, meetings, conferences, social events, weddings and functions. There is a fully functional bar and reception area with 70 sq. m. of circulation space. The sound and communications facilities are outstanding and provide modern user friendly technology to support live and recorded music, spoken word and web interfaces.
To see a 3D web tour of the new facility, please click here (external website**)
For further information about Pavilion Gardens, either visit their website at www.paviliongardens.co.uk (external website**), write to The Pavilion Gardens, St. John's Road, Buxton SK17 6BE, telephone: 01298 23114 or fax: 01298 27622.
For details of Theatre Performance bookings, please click here (external website**)
**Please note: High Peak Borough Council is not responsible for the content of any external websites.