Alexandra_Palace_Site_Report

Mireia Munoz- Alexandra Palace Heritage Site Report Page 1

- HERITAGE SITE REPORT -

ALEXANDRA PALACE

Source. Routledge's Popular Guide to London [c.1873]


Contents. ALEXANDRA PALACE ...................................................................................................................... 1

- HERITAGE SITE REPORT - ....................................................................................................... 1

1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 3

Alexandra Palace ................................................................................................................... 3

Alexandra Palace within London Tourism .......................................................................... 3

2. Site Description ................................................................................................................... 4

Palace........................................................................................................................................... 4

Gardens ....................................................................................................................................... 5

3. Site Significance & Values ................................................................................................ 6

A cultural landscape ................................................................................................................... 6

Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................... 6

Local distinctiveness .................................................................................................................. 7

Economic issues ......................................................................................................................... 7

4. Social and environmental impacts ................................................................................... 8

Environmental impacts .......................................................................................................... 8

Social Impacts ....................................................................................................................... 10

5. Site Presentation and Interpretation .............................................................................. 11

6. Recommendations............................................................................................................ 15

7. Concluding Remarks ........................................................................................................ 16

Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 18


1. Introduction

Alexandra Palace

Alexandra palace was designed by Owen Johns and first opened as “The people´s

palace” in 1873 on Queen Victoria's 54th birthday with a grand celebration including

concerts, recitals and fireworks (Alexandra Palace, n.d.), Soon after, the palace

opened as a recreational and environment centre for the public.

Sixteen days after its first opening the Palace suffered a fire in the dome that almost

destroyed the original building. It took less than 2 years to re-open on the 1st of May

1875, with the Willis Organ at the centre of the palace, which was at the time one of the

largest organs in Europe. In 1900, an act of Parliament created the Alexandra Palace

and Park trust to maintain and make it available for free use to the public. After severe

financial difficulties in 1935 the BBC, leased the eastern part of the building from which

the first public television transmissions were made in 1936 and until 1956 it continued

to be the main transmitting centre for the BBC, used exclusively for news broadcasts

(Alexandra Palace, n.d.).

The Palace was requisitioned by the government between 1914 and 1939 to be used

as a refugee camp. During WWI and WWII, the building suffered several impacts by

the war. In 1980 a second fire caused a large part of the building to burn to the ground

and only the Palm Court and the occupied area by the BBC escaped damage. The

Palace got trusteeship transferred to Haringay Council just six months before this last

fire. Substantial restoration works were done to re-open its doors again in 1988 and

development and restoration works have continued ever since (Tottenham summer hill

road, 2010).

The Park and the Palace today continues as a Charitable Trust administered by the

London Borough of Haringey. Their mission is to follow the Alexandra Park and Palace

Act 1985 “To uphold, maintain and repair the Palace and to maintain the Park and

Palace as a place of public resort and recreation and for other public purposes.”

(Alexandra Park & Palace Charitable Trust, 2016, p1).

Alexandra Palace within London Tourism

Holiday visits to London counted to be 12.2 million in 2014 (London and Partners,

2016). Alexandra Palace is marketed to an international market using websites such as

visit London, via Michelin, tripadvisor amongst others, and through the promotion of

international events hosted in the Palace, such as Excursions 2017. Despite this the

consultation results carried out by PPS group in 2012, demonstrated that 33% of

people have visited the Palace more than eight times in the last year. Therefore the

main existing tourism seems to be local to the city and at a national level (PPS Group,

2013), but very little international tourism. Alexandra Palace, or ´Ally Pally´ as it is

commonly known (Alexandra Palace, 2016), was placed second in the local tourism

reader´s poll of Top 20 Venues in London (eventmagazine, 2012), with readers

appreciating the added value because of the role played as a heritage attraction.


This report aims to work towards positioning Alexandra Palace as an important

international tourism attraction within London, as well as combining to maintain the

park as a well managed and environmental conserved public space.

2. Site Description

Palace

Alexandra Palace is located between Muswell Hill and Wood Green (Image 1), in the

north of the city of London. It is easy to arrive by rail, bus services connecting with the

rest of the city, and by car, having 1,500 complimentary parking spaces. The Palace

has good accessibility features for people with mobility challenges to arrive and to

move within the Palace site, such as disable parking spaces, drop off points just

outside of the Palm Court entrance of the Palace, automatic doors, ramps and lifts to

certain areas of the building.

Image 1- Location

Source:cufos.org.uk

Although the Palace isn´t being considered as one of the main Historic Royal Palaces

in London (Historic Royal Palaces, n.d.). It has built a reputation as one of London´s

premier event venues with its privileged setting with panoramic views of London and

architectural heritage features, the Palace is a very popular choice for corporate and

private events in the City and hosts events such as concerts, professional snooker

tournaments and antiques collectors fairs amongst others (Alexandra Palace, n.d.).


Gardens

The building of Alexandra Palace covers eight acres, and has an height that can be

seen from miles around (Jacqueline Banerjee, n.d.). Alexandra Park and Palace

Charitable Trust manages the 196 acres of open space surrounding Alexandra Palace,

and The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a grant in 2002 to fund a Landscape

Development project (Donald Insall Associates, 2012) that ended in 2007 and has led

to the park being recognised as one of Britain’s best open spaces and being awarded

the prestigious Green Flag Award for a seven consecutive years, and the Green

Heritage Award for five straight years (Tottenham summer hill road, 2010).

The Palace and the Park is hugely important for the local community surrounding it.

The entrance to the palace is free for everyone, except for certain events that takes

place and require an entrance fee.

The Palace has a formal committee structure where many local residents, associations

and user groups are represented. Alexandra Park has a strong volunteer program with

volunteers involved through different groups such as tree planting. Volunteer projects

are focused almost exclusively on the park as opposed to the palace building.

Furthermore there are number of community events that take place during the year

such as funfairs and a circus, farmer´s markets, bonfire fireworks (Image 2 ) and

several outdoors exhibitions (Donald Insall Associates, 2012). There are a number of

community groups involve in the Palace life, the Friends of Alexandra Park, created in

2005 is one of the most active groups and have a twelve monthly events for its

members and the park users such as bird watching, fungi, insects and history walking

tours.

Image 2- Fireworks from the Great Hall entrance

Source: Alexandra Palace, 2016

Consultation took place to review the governance of the Palace and Park, with

community representatives and stakeholders, and as a result the Alexandra Palace

and Park Regeneration Working Group was set up in 2010(Donald Insall Associates,

2012).


This report seeks to utilise the opportunities presented to build a management plan

upon three central pillars that have been identified at this site:

Community engagement.

Enrichment of the visitor experience with greater value added product.

Empowering the heritage through the BBC connection and restricted areas of

the building.

3. Site Significance & Values

A cultural landscape

Alexandra Palace will forever be associated with a historic event with global

recognition. In 1936 it became the birthplace of the BBC in the UK with the first live

television broadcast taking place from the palace. The historical importance of the

building means it is Grade II listed, and that makes the Palace one of the most iconic

structures in London and the UK (Alexandra Park & Palace Charitable Trust, 2016a).

It´s privileged location, and the cultural role of the site for the countless activities

organized with the involvement and participation of the local communities means that

Alexandra Palace can be classed as a Cultural Landscape site (Charles A.

Birnbaum,1998). As Birnbaum describes, a cultural landscape is defined as its location,

cultural and natural resources, wildlife, and its association to an historic event, activities

or exhibitions of other cultural values. Alexandra Palace combines the heritage side

with modernity at every corner of the site (Image 3)

Image 3- Alexandra Palace view from the park lake

Source: Alexandra Palace, 2016

Stakeholders

Alexandra Palace can be considered to have the following main stakeholders

(Alexandra Park & Palace Charitable Trust, 2016b) who value the site in different ways:


Haringey Borough

Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust

London City Council

Interest groups and Volunteers

Historic England

Local Community

Heritage Lottery Fund and other funders

National citizens

Visitors

A matrix has been drawn by following the values suggested by Orbasli (2008), to mark

a significance of local, regional, national or international level.

Value Local Regional National International

Age/ Rarity ✓

Architectural ✓

Cultural ✓

Economic ✓

Educational ✓

Historic ✓

Landscape ✓

Local distinctiveness ✓

Research and Knowledge ✓

Social ✓

Looking at the matrix, we can see that Alexandra Palace is primarily of value at a local

and national level. The school programme with guided tours teach children about the

historic importance of a Victorian landmark building as it is Alexandra Palace, this

confirms the significance of its educational and historic values at regional level. It’s

international reach can be seen through its association with the world’s very first live

television broadcast, something that undoubtedly had a global reach.

Economic issues

From an economic in perspective Alexandra Palace generates income from an ice rink,

bar, cafe, drive through cinema, parking, weekly farmers market, and organised events.

All of which contributes to local employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, which

makes it of important value at local level.

At an organizational level, the Palace generated £10.11m in 2014. Excluding

contributions from corporate trustees, £6.26m came from Event and catering sales,

£1.65m from retail catering sales and £1.37m from the Ice rink sales (Alexandra Park &

Palace Charitable Trust, 2016a). Therefore it is important for the site to develop and

maintain these business activities that generates funds, to then invest in the


maintenance of the site. Furthermore, this will enable The Trust to invest in the

regeneration plan that will enable the opening of the BBC Studios, the Theatre and

some another historical parts of the palace, that are currently inaccessible to the public

due to the poor preserved conditions (Image 4) and place a greater emphasis on the

heritage experience for visitors. Currently, income is generated from sources that have

little or no link to the heritage of the site (Alexandra Park & Palace Charitable Trust,

n.d.).

Image 4- Theatre

Source: Daily Mail, 2016

Any regeneration project needs to take place after the Trust reduce the deficit levels

from how the Palace and Park has been managed until now. It will creates a more

sustainable future for the site, raising tourism opportunities for North London, impacting

positively on the local economy by the creation of new employment opportunities

during the restoration, construction and by the opening of the new facilities. These in

turn will create new learning opportunities for the communities, increase footpath

access to the area, and reducing the dependency of public subsidy needed to support

the operation and running cost of the Palace.

Alexandra Palace oversees London from the top of the hill and is a landmark in the

borough of Haringey and North London; this confirms its local distinctiveness,

landscape and social values at a local significance. Moreover, it would be valued as

critical in Baker´s levels (Baker, 1999), as such, it would be tragic to the local

community if Alexandra Palace would disappear.

4. Social and environmental impacts

Environmental impacts

The natural value of the Alexandra Park is of a high significance for the site, especially

for its application for the Green Heritage Award and for the reviewed Heritage Plan for

the Park updated in 2012 (Alexandra Palace, 2016). The Natural History Museum

identified 694 types of plants, animals and fungi on their 24 hour bioblitz in the Park.


Although the site has an environmental sustainability plan for the Park and Palace

(Alexandra Palace, n.d.), actively promoting recycling, energy and water conservation,

with the 3 million visitors that were estimated to have visited Alexandra Park in

2014/15, the site management seems to be facing a real challenge to manage and

control environmental impacts. This is contrary to the statement found in the Palace

and Park Management plan where it states “the cleanliness of the site is appreciated

by park users” (2012, p.4). On a site visit carried on a Saturday morning, 23rd July

2016, the appreciation of litter everywhere on the grounds surrounding the Palace was

overwhelming (Image 5), but aversely not at the Park area where it was clean. It was

appreciated the limited existence of litter bins around the palace building.

Image 5- Ice rink entrance

Source: Own picture

The erosion on the building structure is also remarkable, as well as the broken

windows that some rooms of the building has and can be seen from outside (Image 6).

Looking at the data collected for this report, the Palace and the Park has got a

regeneration project, dependent on the deficit levels reduction, where the restoration of

the building doesn´t seems to be a priority short term. Based on the business plans

strategic priorities for 2016/17, the maintenance and development for leisure, cultural

and entertainment is the top priority to achieve the long term financial sustainability

whilst respecting historic and natural environment (Alexandra Park & Palace Charitable

Trust, 2016b).

Great efforts are being made to fundraise (Image 7) (Alexandra Park & Palace

Charitable Trust, n.d.) to restore the East Wing side of the building as a measure to

achieve this and coinciding with the visitors consultation that ranked as the most

important aspect in the development plans to “Improving first impressions” (Alexandra

Park & Palace Charitable Trust, n.d, p.6).


Image 6 – Broken windows Alexandra Palace- View from the back of the building

Source: Own picture

Image 7- Support Alexandra Palace campaign poster 2016

Source: Alexandra Palace

Social Impacts

With the commercialization of the site, to generate funds the social impacts by tourism

in the site is creating some tension between the management of Alexandra Palace and

Park and the local residents. Neighbours are complaining about disturbances from the

evening events at the Palace, sometimes taking place in week days and that often


finish at 11pm increasing the late night traffic and the noise of visitors walking pass the

local houses that increase the stress levels of the locals (Leila, 2015)

The pressure of tourism on the transport links to the borough, and on the services

available in the area, a shortage of parking facilities outside the local residents houses

especially during massive event days carried out in Alexandra Palace, are clear social

impacts of tourism activity at the site.

The 2012 consultation clearly shows the discrepancies between the management

plans of the Trust and the public interest where visitors were asked about the

importance of building a hotel in the Palace, which ranked at the least important

towards upgrading the building halls, opening of the theatre hall, the BBC studios and

other areas of the building currently closed to the public (PPS Group, 2013). Therefore

it is clearly important that the heritage management takes into account the historical,

cultural values and meanings of the building when making decisions about the

preservation (Jacqueline Banerjee, n.d.).

5. Site Presentation and Interpretation

In order to engage and create an interaction with the consumers of a heritage site,

easy access to the physical and intellectual side of the culture and heritage of the place

is required. Therefore interpretation is needed to make their visit meaningful and

memorable (Failte Ireland, nd).

Alexandra Palace uses a combination of small metal signs in the building and larger

printed information panels in the park, as its main method of interpreting the heritage of

the site.

There is limited interpretation specifically focused on the history of the building site

which for responsible tourism development is not ideal. However there is a positive

highlight of different activities that promotes social and economic development in the

site. The analysing Methods used on the site are the ones given by David Uzzell

(1989):

Interpretation as ´soft ´visitor management

- Metal signs

These signs are medium size, different colours, and fonts and placed on a higher eye

level. Those signs are placed outside of the building (Image 8, 9) and offering specific

information of some historical events that took place in the site.

The information is precise and gives the information and understanding to the visitor of

a certain area of the Palace, which unfortunately is not open for visit. This can lead to

certain confusion to the visitor when engaged by the information but is unable to

participate in the historical experience.


Image 8 Image 9

Source: Own pictures

- Plastic signs

These are stick to the walls of the building (Image 10), next to the main entrance held

with a wall stick gum.

These give some general information about the location and some advertising for

visitors to purchase books and cards.

Although the information is clearly transmitted, the signs itself gives a very low

perception of respect for a heritage building to the visitor, when the signs are presented

risking the erosion to the building and with a commercial purpose.

Image 10


- Display boards

There are number of different bigger boards displayed around the building (Image

11,12, 13), opposed to provide historical information are providing information about

events and informing the visitors how to contribute with the restoration plans of the

building or site rules. The information provided is very explanatory, easy to understand

and the visitor gets a good understanding of the information displayed.


Image 11, 12


Image 13


Interpretation as ´hard ‘visitor management

- Doors access to the Palace is closed in many places (Image 14), without a

clear understanding of the part of the building you are at. The exploration

feeling given to the visitor is great and a strength of the Palace, however for

visitors that have a strong sense of respect for an historic building, can

make the visit hard to follow as they don´t know where they can access or

not or the historic significance of certain sections.


Image 14


- Restricted and closed access

There are many areas surrounding the Palace building as well as inside with closed

and restricted access (Image 15, 16). No signs or information is provided to inform the

visitors of the area restricted. This also makes the visit not very pleasant and restrictive

in engaging with the heritage of the site.

Image 15, 16


The interpretation at Alexandra Palace is factual based as it is under the care of

Haringey borough. Very little attempt is being made to embellish the role of the Palace

in the historical context for the visitor.

Interpretation as added- value product

The basic level of interpretation at the site and the limitations the building has, that

doesn’t allow the visitor to explore or see many parts of the palace that are closed and

doesn´t seem to add value to the product in a historic and heritage concept. Instead the


visitor is free to explore and discover a variety of fun activities and social events in

which they can participate and enhance the visitor experience.

6. Recommendations

Using the information outlined in the report, a number of long terms, middle term and

short term recommendations will be made, with two central goals:

- Add greater value to the site through the improvements to the visitor

experience.

- To develop Alexandra Palace as an international tourism site, encouraging

international and national tourism through the historic link to the BBC and

the birth of television broadcasting.

The strategic actions plans will be:

- Promoting a more positive engagement between locals and the Trust,

recommended to develop alternative routes to funding towards development

of a more sustainable future of the Palace in the social and not only in the

economic concept. The plan to develop the opening of the BBC studios as a

museum, and the other areas of the building that can be also leased as the

current ones, will preserve the historical value the locals are aiming for and

also will support the funding needed for the management to run the site

without having to build a hotel in the Palace that will have further

environmental and social impacts (PPS Group, 2013).

- Volunteer opportunities. There are several volunteer opportunities to work

on the maintenance, conservation and regeneration of the green spaces of

the park, an approach that seems to be helping on the sustainability for the

park. If the same approach were used to help in preserving and

regeneration of the Palace building, it will create more awareness towards

the importance of upholding the heritage action. Volunteer activities in the

building, will set social identity, cultural values and meanings to the whole

site (Laurajane Smith, 2012), and also allowing funding to be more easily

achievable due to the public participation helping to maintain and restore

parts of the building, and playing an active role in helping the Trust in finding

funds to run the site responsibly.

Below a proposal table with the investment priority proposal:

Timing Priority Areas of intervention

Benefit Local Community

Benefit the Trust

Benefit visitor

How

Short term

Cleanliness, maintenance of the site “Improving first impressions”

✓ ✓ ✓ - Through volunteers and educating visitors

- Investing in more bins outside the building


Medium term

Restoration of the building or parts of the building in poor conditions

✓ ✓ ✓ - Through volunteers helping with restoration works

- By local engagement to help in fundraising

Medium Term

Empowering history and heritage of the Palace

✓ ✓ ✓ - Strategically putting signs outside of the building to engage visitors

- Signs and information points inside to engage with the public attending events on the Palace

Long Term

Opening closed halls of the Palace

✓ ✓ ✓ - Providing new opportunities of income generation to sustain the site without over depending of events and reducing the social/environmental impact.

- Giving the locals the preserved historical value

Long Term

Opening of the BBC marketed as an International museum.

✓ ✓ ✓ - Strategically using the power of ‘Ally Pally‘being part of the London Tourism offer to reach International tourism.

- Engage visitor with modern and interactive multimedia tools that can place them in the history of the TV and BBC studios.

7. Concluding Remarks

Alexandra Palace is an historical property with great scope to become a more

outstanding heritage visitor attraction.

The Palace has for a number of years been an iconic site in the city of London, with

high levels of social activity and well preserved green areas. Although the financial

situation of the site has not enabled the management to maintain and restore the parts


of the building that needed action to preserve the heritage, those are believed to be

important for the community and can bring a different approach combining them with

the current lease and events approach by the Trust, towards receiving funds to self

maintain the site.

A higher level of involvement by the community groups and a better communication

between them and the management of the site, is necessary to set up action plans to

align economic, social and environmental sustainability for the future and continuity of

´Ally Pally´. This will allow to create the foundation to develop the heritage experience

to become one that can attract international tourists, something that can help to

preserve the heritage and maintain the reputation of the site in the long term.


Bibliography

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Alexandra Park & Palace Charitable Trust, 2016a. Annual Review 2015.

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Alexandra Park & Palace Charitable Trust, n.d. Alexandra Palace the regenaration- Consultation.

Baker, D, 1999. Contexts for Collaboration and Conflict in Chitty & Baker.

Charles A. Birnbaum, ASLA, 1998. Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning, treatment and management of historic landscapes.

Donald Insall Associates, A., 2012. Alexandra Palace Conservation Management Plan.

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