This is one of my favourite buildings along the coast of England –the old Winter Gardens on Great Yarmouth's Golden Mile. It's a building with a great history going back well over a hundred years. Originally, in 1878, it was built in Torquay along the south coast, but in 1903 it was re-erected in Norfolk where it has stood ever since, though sadly it had become very neglected and run-down when I took this picture. I have very fond memories of the place from the 1970s when it was known as the Biergarten and its inside was transformed into a kind of alpine landscape, complete with mock cabins and painted mountain landscapes along the walls. Our local town band used to perform summer concerts there, but in its time it has been used for all many of recreation -espcially teadances and pageants but also rollerskating and nightclubbing.Here though, it stands forlornly waiting to be fully appreciated and used again. Panes of glass are missing, the ironwork is rusting in places and the once gleaming white paint is faded and flaking off. A sad, buu beautiful spectacle. The great news, however, is that earlier this year funding from the UK's National Lottery was given to fully restore this wonderful and majestic Victorian structure and bring new life into its great space. And I for one, can't wait to visit it when it's finished...
Location: Great Yarmouth, England
