Mid Century Modernist
De La Warr Pavilion as an Ideal Place for Your Wedding
Completed in 1935 to a design created by architects Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff, the De La Warr Pavilion is a rare example of an early Modernist landmark in Britain. That such a landmark should have been constructed on the site of a former coastguard station in a small seaside town in Sussex owes almost everything to the man who gave the building his name. It was Earl ‘Buck’ de la Warr, the aristocratic socialist mayor of Bexhill on Sea who persuaded the local council to fund a competition to build a new entertainments pavilion in the seaside town in 1933. The competition was won by German architectural pioneer Erich Mendelsohn and his Chechen partner Serge Chermayeff.
The innovative welded steel-framed building which then housed conference halls, functions rooms, a library and a terrace restaurant, quickly established itself as a seminal building for forward thinking architects of the period, inspiring buildings including the Peter Jones department store in Chelsea. The pavilion – and the programme of entertainments and theatre - proved a success with the public too. After the war, when its military occupants included a young Spike Milligan, the De la Warr Pavilion enjoyed a golden period as a summer seaside entertainment venue and repertory theatre.
By the 1960s, however, thanks to the boom in overseas holidays and unsympathetic attempts at modification, the pavilion was already in serious decline. When the Rep theatre closed in 1975, the future looked bleak and by the early 1990s the De La Warr was looking shabby and neglected.
The building survived its dark days thanks to the preservation efforts of a series of local activists and fans including dedicated Modernist and Arts Council chairman, Peter Palumbo. In 1998, a major Lottery funded grant was agreed to restore the De La Warr Pavilion as a major exhibition and arts centre. The decision has been vindicated since the building re-opened in its new guise in October 2005. Under the directorship of Alan Haydon, the reborn De La Warr Pavilion’s adventurous programme of music, art, comedy has won consistently good critical notices – recent highlights include art shows by Nathan Coley and Jeremy Deller, the annual ‘Mid-century Modern’ furniture show, music from Marc Almond and Goldfrapp and comedy by Lee Evans and Harry Hill. The public meanwhile has voted with its feet, with annual numbers consistently exceeding a remarkable 600,000 visitors.
Spaces for Hire
The pavilion has a range of spaces available for a wide variety of events for small and large groups. The De La Warr provides an uplifting and unusual experience for wedding ceremonies in the auditorium through to grand wedding receptions on the roof terrace (with views of the sea and Beachy Head), to cabaret wedding breakfasts.
Auditorium: The auditorium has recently been licensed for weddings – the De La Warr is now offering an attractive wedding package - and is both large and versatile, French windows allowing access onto the seafront lawns for photographs and refreshments. The auditorium makes a striking and generous space and the stage accommodates even the most ambitious stage set. Capacity: 1,000 lecture/theatre style; 300, cabaret style. 6 dressing rooms, accommodating approximately 40.
Auditorium Foyer: As well as acting as a reception and refreshment area for the auditorium, the foyer is a useful and adaptable space in its own right for wedding receptions. Capacity: 50 (lecture style) 70 for receptions.
Pavilion Restaurant: The restaurant is on the first floor and features open air balconies with fine sea views and excellent food and wine with a strong emphasis on local produce. The Restaurant, Café Bar and Sun Parlour are all available for booking for receptions and parties. Capacity: Flexible but approx 250 for canape receptions, 150 for buffets, 100 for sit-down dinner and 80 for lunch/dinner during opening hours
Roof Terrace: With its superb seaside panorama with great view of Beachy Head to the west, the roof terrace makes a unique space to hold wedding receptions and performances. Marquees can be erected here. Hire also provides use of the Rooftop foyer. NB this space is open to the weather and is only suitable for children under supervision. Capacity: 250 people standing
Roof Terrace Foyer: Provides similarly superb views to the roof terrace but under cover. The foyer opens onto the De La Warr’s great focal point, the south staircase. It is ideal for small wedding receptions. Capacity: 60 for a reception
Catering: The De La Warr is proud of its fine quality food that puts the emphasis on locally sourced, fresh food. A typical lunch menu might include Wickham Manor Farm pork sausages with caramelised onion gravy or Rigatoni pasta, seasonal mushrooms, baby spinach with garlic cream sauce followed by warm chocolate cake with caramelised hazelnut cream.
About the Author
Deirdre McGinnis
Funky Venues | 27b Tradescant Road | London SW8 1XD
T: 20 7735 9263 | M: 07757 649093 | F: 20 7735 5052 | E: deirdre@funkyvenues.com | http://www.funkyweddingvenues.com
Austin Chronicle: Mid-Century Modern Heritage Homes Tour
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