Lowther Pavilion is set in the Lowther Gardens, an area of land that covers 5.65 hectares. The land was acquired in 1972 and the gardens were created by Squire J Talbot Clifton for his wife. The aim of the gardens was to offer locals and tourists somewhere enjoyable to spend time in the town. In 1905, the gardens were handed over to the council and Lowther Pavilion was constructed in the grounds in 1921.
According to the Lytham Times from 9th July 1920, the building that is now the Pavilion was once a roof that stood on stilts to provide shelter from the rain.
A Community Venue
“Highwayman Love” was a production that was performed in 1928 by Lytham Operatic Society. This was the first musical to be helf in the theatre and was a great success. Following this, the popularity for the theatre grew and grew. Orchestral evenings were just as popular as the musicals were.
The Pavilion became something of a community venue with sports events and dancing being held at the theatre as well as local productions.
The café was built prior to the 1950s as an extension to the theatre. This proved to be a good move for the theatre as the ability to purchase food and drink on the premises made it even more popular for the public.
Structural Problems and Renovation
After a car had crashed into part of the building, it was found that the steelwork that was holding up the roof was corroding, making the structure of the pavilion unsafe. If the vehicle hadn’t collided with the building, this would probably not have been discovered. Many meetings had to be held about the future of the pavilion. Whilst the meetings were happening about the Lowther Pavilion, the Ashton pavilion at St Annes suffered a fire that destroyed it completely. The operatic society needed somewhere to perform, so luckily, the Lowther Pavilion found a way to fund the repairs to the building. This saved the building from being demolished, which would have otherwise been the fate of the theatre.
The floor and roof of the pavilion are the only original features from when the theatre was first built. In 1982, it underwent a complete revamp. New dressing rooms and an extension to the stage were built. There was also an extension on the front of the building which offered a new box office for ticket sales and new toilets.
The Lowther Pavilion is a great example of the way the community comes together in the local area and to this day is the venue to be for a whole range of entertainment types.
Pavilion Ghosts
The Pavilion is a popular place to host ghost hunts thanks to the many reports of ghostly activity going on in the venue.
The ghostly apparition of an old lady has been spotted in the gardens and in the theatre itself. It’s also reported that strange and eerie sounds come from the stage area in the theatre.
