Brighton & Hove Museums is calling for donations to repair and preserve one of the ‘at risk’ domes on the iconic roof of the Royal Pavilion this Christmas.
Work begun on restoring one of the ‘onions’ on the roof of the Pavilion after decay was found during the summer.
There was an amazing response from the public following an urgent appeal in August to raise the vital cash to repair the dome which was in immediate risk of collapse.
Supporters donated just under £30K in just three days. Unfortunately, now work has started, the charity has been told the extent of the wood rot is a lot worse than initially anticipated and will cost much more to restore properly.
Royal Pavilion with at risk dome circled credit Brighton & Hove Museums
They have now decided to reopen the appeal to ask people to help raise an additional £50k towards the conservation work to help save the iconic skyline this Christmas. With the winter weather coming, there is now a huge need for the work to be completed soon.
CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums Hedley Swain said: “We were so overwhelmed by the public’s response in the summer when we asked for donations. Unfortunately, as is often the way with building work, the damage is so much worse than we imagined.
“As the weather gets worse, we are up against time to get it repaired and although it is very hard for us to come back again to ask for help, we have to. We would be so grateful if anyone can contribute to our fund online and I can say that their help will contribute to the building looking fantastic for many years to come.”
Running costs for heritage venues are an ongoing concern for operators across the UK and beyond, especially with rising costs for electricity, supplies and repairs.
It costs around £900,000 a year to look after the 200-year-old Royal Pavilion, without the addition of repairs, renovations and upgrading.
Brighton & Hove Museums is a registered charity that relies on donations, grants and admissions to operate its five heritage venues which include the Royal Pavilion, Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, Preston Manor & Garden, Booth Museum of Natural History and Hove Museum of Creativity.
To donate, visit Brighton & Hove Museums website.
About Royal Pavilion dome appeal
- Brighton & Hove Museums are asking for further support this Christmas to fund repairs for the domes of the Royal Pavilion.
- In August, Brighton & Hove Museums (B&HM) asked for support to save one of the smaller domes on the east side of the Royal Pavilion.
- The dome is part of the iconic skyline of the 19th century seaside ‘pleasure palace’ of George IV, which was designed by British architect John Nash and completed in 1823.
- Over £30k was raised from the public appeal in just three days. .
- Work revealed that water had caused the wooden structure underneath the stucco render to become completely rotten – much worse than originally feared.
- In the summer contractors were shocked when routine restoration unexpectedly identified that a crack in the dome’s exterior was letting more water inside than previously thought. On closer inspection, it was revealed that there was significant rotting on the central timber post and framework that support the structure of the dome.
- After raising money for the repairs, contractors have been working on the small dome and discovered the decay was even more advanced than imagined.
- More funding will now need to be raised to complete the work and B&HM are asking the public to dig deep again this Christmas. B&HM are asking for £50k.
- Next year, exploratory work will also be carried out to see the condition of the other pinnacles on the skyline of the building.
- Running costs for heritage venues are an ongoing concern for operators across the UK and beyond, especially with rising costs for electricity, supplies and repairs. It costs around £900,000 a year to look after the 200-year-old Royal Pavilion, without the addition of repairs, renovations and upgrading.
About the Royal Pavilion
Part of Brighton & Hove Museums, the Royal Pavilion in the heart of Brighton is an exotic palace with a colourful history. Built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV, this historic house mixes Regency grandeur with the lavish visual styles of India and China.
As a charity we rely on public support to preserve our city’s historic buildings and collections for future generations, curate world-class exhibitions and deliver vital schools and community learning programmes. Find out more here: Support Us – Brighton & Hove Museums (brightonmuseums.org.uk)
Admission fee payable
Brighton BN1 1EE Tel 03000 290900
Open daily Apr-Sep 9.30am-5.45pm (last admission 5pm) Oct-Mar 10am-5.15pm (last admission 4.30pm)
Closed 24 Dec (from 2.30pm), 25 & 26 Dec
