The People's Palace: Brick by brick
Learn about the rich history and architecture of the Morecambe Winter Gardens building.
The People's Palace podcast series tells the story of how Morecambe's historic and iconic Winter Gardens building was saved from wreck and ruin. The series explores the rich history and architecture of the building; the amazing people helping to run, maintain and restore venue; and what the future holds for the space.
In this episode we take a deep dive into the fascinating history of Morecambe Winter Gardens with Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Historian of Popular Entertainment and Chair of the Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust. We also look at the building's impressive architecture and talk to some of the talented craftspeople breathing life back into the Winter Gardens.
About the Winter Gardens
Opened as the Victoria Pavillion in 1897, the Winter Gardens is a Grade II* listed variety, theatre and concert hall in the heart of Morecambe. The building was saved from demolition by the people of Morecambe in 1985 and is now run by the Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust - a volunteer-led, charitable organisation who are writing a new chapter and restoring this magical place to its former glory.
Credits
- Host: Janet Downie (Long-time Winter Gardens Volunteer)
- Research: Professor Vanessa Toulmin (Director of City, Culture and Public Engagement at the University of Sheffield)
- Producer: Kitty Turner
- Additional Voiceover Recording & Script: Nigel Thompson