Mayor climbs Dome for update

25-MAR-09

Issued by: Jeanette Hedley

Work to Whitley Bay's iconic Dome was closely scrutinised by North Tyneside's Elected Mayor, John Harrison, when he took a 90ft climb to the top.

Mr Harrison was joined by Chris Baglee of Spence & Dower - specialist conservation architects - who are advising North Tyneside Council to ensure that the structure of the iconic Dome is protected for future generations.

Together they inspected the lantern, a substantial copper structure on top of the Dome, which is currently undergoing restoration.

North Tyneside's Elected Mayor, John Harrison said: "The structural restoration of the Dome is a project that has to be carried out with the utmost care - and in line with English Heritage guidelines - to ensure this iconic building remains a stunning building for future generations to enjoy.

"It was great to get an opportunity to go to the top and see for myself the precision job being done by the whole team."

"I am confident that the tremendous hard work and care by the whole team involved will be rewarded when the scaffolding comes off and the painting and repairs are all completed."

The lantern was manufactured by Ewart & Son Ltd. of St. Pancras, London who were at the forefront of the use of copper as a roofing material and were responsible for the roofs of Buckingham Palace and the Bank of England.

It will be fitted with a new 30ft hollow glass fibre flagpole, sheathing what remains of the original wooden flagpole inside the Lantern.
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Attention is also being focused on the large copper scrolls, which surround the structure. Those remaining are currently being held on by thin wire and will need to be fixed more securely. The four missing scrolls will be replaced and the lantern cleaned of the many layers of paint, which have been applied in the last 80 years.

Chris Baglee said "This Grade II Listed building is of great national importance being an early example of the 'Hennebique' patented system of reinforced concrete construction. In 1910, this Dome was the largest in the UK after St.Paul's Cathedral. Other early landmark buildings using this same system were Brooklands Race Track (1908), Royal Liver Building, Liverpool (1909) and Battersea Power Station chimneys (1931)".

"Spanish City is also a wonderful example of Edwardian seaside architecture and is one amongst only a few of such pleasure buildings still remaining from this era in the UK".

"We are fortunate to have access to the original drawings produced by the Newcastle architects Cackett & Burns-Dick in 1909, which have enabled us to put forward proposals for reinstatement of several original features that have been either lost or altered during the past 100 years".

The building on the site of the former Spanish City amusement park in Whitley Bay has been covered in scaffolding to allow structural investigation and repair work by North Tyneside Council - as part of the £64 million regeneration scheme for Whitley Bay.

The council's project team has worked closely with advisers from English Heritage as well as consultants from Spence & Dower and structural engineers Patrick Parsons to ensure that the future of this important building is secured.

An important part of the project has involved the careful examination of the rendered 4-inch concrete shell that forms the Dome and Rotunda.

A historic paint consultant has carried out a full analysis of the finishes to the exterior and interior of the building, in order to provide an understanding of the build up of paint layers and the colours, which have been applied over the years. A patch of the existing paintwork on the Dome itself will be preserved for further analysis in the future should this be necessary.

The 'dancing ladies' - correctly termed 'terpsichorean figures' from Terpsichore - the Greek muse of dancing - are currently being cleaned and restored off-site and will be returned to the towers at the end of the restoration work.

The painting of the dome close to its original shade of white - previously delayed to ensure that the Dome structure and surface were sound - is now planned to take place during late April/early May, following the concrete and render repairs.

As part of the project, Council officers and Spence & Dower have been collecting photographs, postcards, memorabilia such as biscuit tins, toffee tins and china, bearing images of Spanish City and ephemera associated with the building, to help identify lost or altered features.

These will all be collated and put on display for next year's centenary of the Dome. Any memories or photographs are therefore welcomed and should be sent to julie.bews@northtyneside.gov.uk

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