On Tuesday night the Alexandra Palace Trust Board formally approved a big bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund in respect of most of the east side of Alexandra Palace.

If successful, this proposal would see the refurbishment of two historic spaces: the 1936 BBC television studio complex in the south east wing together with the huge Victorian Theatre with original stage equipment, in the north east wing.

Many of you will have heard about the plans from Bounds Green Councillor Matt Cooke at the Bowes Park Community Association meeting in September.

This development marks a real success for the community led Save Ally Pally campaign group.  Five years ago campaign members led a High Court appeal to overturn the  Charity Commission’s approval for the sale of the People’s Palace to a developer which was likely to have led to to the destruction of the original BBC studios and probably the
Victorian Theatre. Fortunately both were saved and now the Mayor of London has endorsed the proposal for the the BBC TV studios to be designated a UN World Heritage site - marking the world birthplace of television.

Full story from Ham and High