Sunday 19 March 2017

29½ New Road

Dome Studio Theatre

Mr. & Mrs. Brown outside the Dome Cottage

The Dome Studio Theatre, formerly the Pavilion Theatre, stands on the site of a coachman's cottage and Mrs Fitzherbert's stables. The cottage was built for the Prince Regent circa 1806 when New Road was being created. From 1867 to 69 it was occupied by the Inspector of the Brighton Volunteer Fire Brigade, but not given the number 29½ until 1888 when the town's Inspector of Gas Meters, later Inspector of Public Lamps, was stationed there. By then the number 30 had already been allocated to a property at the south end of New Road.

The Inspector of Public Lamps was replaced in 1897 by Frederick William Brown, the Works Supervisor of the Pavilion Estate.  His daughter Miss Annie Brown continued in residence until its demolition in 1932.

In 1937 the present building started life as a Supper Room for the Corn Exchange with kitchen below. It was erected to plans by Robert Atkinson, the Art Deco architect who also designed the much-lamented Regent Cinema. Thankfully the future of his surviving Brighton creation looks secure. Work has recently started on an extensive renovation/remodelling which will see a new cafe/bar on the ground floor opened up to New Road and the Pavilion Gardens, and a viewing gallery into the Corn Exchange created behind the shops in New Road

New cafe/bar

Viewing gallery into Corn Exchange.
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