Brighton Hippodrome

Brighton Hippodrome

This building on the east side of Middle Street, Brighton, is a Grade II* listed structure with a complex history. Originally constructed as an ice rink and opened in 1897, it was enlarged and converted into a circus and theatre called The Hippodrome in 1901, designed by architect Frank Matcham. The building was further enlarged in 1939 with the addition of two houses to the north. It later operated as a bingo hall (Mecca Bingo). The building is probably constructed of brick, stone, and terracotta, now painted, with the greater part rendered. The roof is obscured by parapet.

Exterior

Apart from the 1939 enlargement, the building is symmetrical and laid out on a long front along Middle Street in three elements. The central part sits under a lean-to roof and consists essentially of three elliptical arches at the centre with fluted pilasters, pulvinated frieze, and moulded archivolt. The two outer arches give onto flat-arched entrances. The central arch encloses a window with sidelights and fanlight, all with decorative leaded glass. In the sides of the two porches are decorative panels of opalescent glass lettered 'HIPPODROME'. On either side of this porch is one flat-arched window with central mullion. A cornice of egg-and-dart moulding sits above. The building rises at the back above the lean-to roof with a central panel lettered 'HIPPODROME' set forward, dentil and modillion cornice, and blocking course, raised at the centre and now much altered.

Flanking the centre are three-storey tower-like elements with a flat-arched entrance at the bottom, the entrance framed by pilasters, cornice, and pediment, with a panelled door of original design. Two flat-arched windows sit above this, and one door above those. On the inner side is what appears to be a large chimneystack, now finished off with new brickwork to the parapet.

The outer elements are a pair of single-storey entrances. The entrance itself is four-centred, with mouldings dying into a chamfer at the side. Panelled doors of original design appear at the left-hand entrance, with original three-sided decorative lamps above. Entrances are framed by blocked Ionic engaged columns with pulvinated frieze and modillion cornice. The columns continue as engaged blocked antae above the cornice, flanking a broad cartouche outlined by putti and scrolls. Egg-and-dart moulding adorns the cornice. The upper floor is set well back.

Interior

The vestibule ceiling is decorated with panels of arabesques. The auditorium is horseshoe-shaped in plan. The floor has been raised to accommodate a bingo hall, which runs through the proscenium arch over the former stage. Ornate decorations in moulded plaster make frequent use of Rococo forms. The proscenium arch has an architrave with egg-and-dart moulding and a shallow curved pediment filled with a shell cartouche featuring Brighton's dolphins intertwined and flanked by female emblematic figures. Blank balustrades sit either side of the pediment with three lunettes above filled with musical emblems in the centre and vases and arabesques to either side. Two tiers of boxes formerly sat either side, with the upper boxes now only complete, flanked by pilasters with entablature and ribbed onion dome flanked by consoles and urns. The fronts of the boxes and gallery are decorated with cartouches, garlands, and pendants.

The ceiling is divided into radiating segments, each segment subdivided into three panels decorated with shell and other Rococo motifs. The ribs between are treated as double console brackets between the outer and middle panels. A central rose with arcaded lantern crowns the composition.