Ally Pally gets first round support for refurb
North London’s Alexandra Palace passes first hurdle in £16.8m bid for refurbishment
A multi-million-pound regeneration project devised by the Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust has received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The Trust has drawn up plans for a refurbishment costing £23.9m and has asked HLF for £16.8m.
The HLF says its Board were unanimous in their decision to award Alexandra Palace £844,800 in development phase funding. The initial funding will be used to develop the project’s designs and business plan.
The aim is to see the site's existing spaces refurbished and refitted to create a ‘state-of-the-art cultural space’. This iconic building, fondly known as 'Ally Pally', was first opened in 1873 - but just 16 days after it opened a fire broke out and the palace was burnt to the ground. A new palace was completed in 1875.
In 1935, the BBC leased part of the building and one year later the world's first public television broadcast took place from the studios there. A second fire broke out in 1980 destroying a large section of the building.