Blue Plaque - Selsey Life - Wednesday 1 February 2017

Selsey's Iconic Building Celebrates its new Blue Plaque. Tuesday January 12th saw the unveiling of the Blue Plaque on the historic Selsey Pavilion, the one iconic building on Selsey High Street. The Pavilion, built in 1913, originally as Selsey Hall, renamed as the Pavilion Theatre, and later as a Cinema suffered a devastating fire in the 1920s but rose like a phoenix from the flames. It continued to present a combination of professional well known Variety artistes on the no.1 South Coast Touring circuit, and local amateur theatrical societies, including drama and opera. It was evident in the turnout for the unveiling ceremony that everyone loves the building and wants to see its restoration, and many people still have fond memories of seeing plays and films as being part of a rich cultural centre. From 1967 it became a food packing station, lay empty and unloved and then in 2010 the present owner, builder Jeff Alan bought it with the ultimate intention of restoring the building to become a multi-functional space for the local and wider community of the Manhood Peninsula. Ellis Berg, Life President of Selsey's community arts organisation "Arts Dream" gave the rousing "call to arms" address before pulling the red velvet curtain and revealing the Plaque. He spoke of the Past, the Present and of the immediate Future, and emphasised the power of the restoration of the Pavilion, as part of the creation of a Cultural Quarter, is to the much needed urban regeneration of the High Street. The Blue Plaque now places the Pavilion firmly on the Heritage Trail, and was supported by the Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Trust and West Sussex County Council. A new life for this building is now an achievable aim, once the much needed structural work has been completed, and in December 2018 it is planned to mark the completed restoration with a newly commissioned original choral work based on Rudyard Kipling's famous poem "Eddi of Manhood End" involving professionals, the local community and schools and art groups. The Selsey Pavilion Trust, the newly formed "not for profit" organisation are working with the owner, Jeff Alan, to realise the vision of this project.