De La Warr Pavilion celebrates 90th anniversary

The De La Warr Pavilion in East Sussex is celebrating its 90th anniversary since opening by asking the public to share their memories at the venue.

The Grade I listed arts centre in Bexhill opened on 12 December 1935.

As part of the celebrations, the creative hub said it was building a digital archive to honour the people, stories and artists that had shaped the venue's history.

On the morning of its 90th birthday, the De La Warr announced it had been given £7.6m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the first phase of its major restoration project.

Comedian and actor Suzy Eddie Izzard, who lives in Bexhill, said: "The De La Warr is a beacon of how to have an art centre in a small seaside town."

Ms Izzard, whose father attended the grand opening in 1935, worked at the venue in the late 1970s.

"As a kid growing up in Bexhill, I worked in the self-service café," she told BBC Radio Sussex.

She said that her sketch Death Star Canteen was inspired by her time there, where she played piano during her breaks.

"Bexhill-on-Sea and the De La Warr started off as a People's Palace," she added.

"The motor racing, swimming in the sea and the encouragement of putting in the sea wall - it all started from a youthful, vibrant place."

The De La Warr Pavilion has seen acts like Keane, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Alan Carr, Dionne Warwick, Frank Turner, Rag'n'Bone Man and Miriam Margolyes grace its stage.

Bob Marley also performed his first UK gig at the venue while supporting Johnny Nash in 1972.

Now an ambassador for the venue, Ms Izzard said she was keen to support its next generation of creative talent.

"All these bands from America, they tend to play London and Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol – and Bexhill-on-Sea. It's really unusual," she said.

"It's beautiful that people are looking here – it's like a boutique thing of, 'we've got to go to this smaller town to do great things'."

Other locals have also shared their fond memories of De La Warr Pavilion.

Sue Smith said: "I remember seeing The Waterboys. I've seen them here a few times. I can't sit down when I watch them."

Meanwhile, Jane Laker said: "It's brilliant, it's been here 90 years so has proven how popular it is."

Barry Williams added: "I remember there was a coach hanging off the roof from The Italian Job. That was extraordinary."

The town of Bexhill grew quickly in the 1920s with people looking to move to the seaside.

By 1932, the town council had elected a young mayor, the 9th Earl De La Warr, whose family built the greater part of Victorian Bexhill.

He persuaded Bexhill Town Council to launch an international competition for the design of a seaside pavilion to provide entertainment to people.

By 1935, the arts centre was built in a nine-month project costing £80,000.

The new National Lottery funding will contribute towards the De La Warr's £51.9m "restoration and reimagination" project.

Stewart Drew, CEO and director of the De La Warr, said: "This award is a transformational moment for the pavilion and for Bexhill.

"The pavilion has always been more than a building. It was created as a bold symbol of progress, a space where architecture, culture and community come together.

"This project is about protecting that vision, while transforming the Pavilion to meet the challenges of the future – from sustainability to social impact.

"Our aim is to secure the pavilion's place as an iconic cultural hub for the Southeast for the next 100 years. We are profoundly grateful to National Lottery players for making this possible."

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