Project overview

Bristol Beacon

Location: Bristol, UK
Bristol Beacon, previously Colston Hall, is a renowned concert hall and Grade II-listed building on Colston Street, Bristol. The hall opened as a concert venue in 1867 and became a popular destination for classical music and theatre performances. Centred in the heart of the city, it has a programme of live music, creative learning opportunities and community engagement.

Hussey Seatway has vast experience working on the restoration of heritage buildings, which was one of the key reasons we were selected by Willmott Dixon, along with our chair partner, Ascender of Spain.

Solution

The project went through many years of meticulous design and brought many challenges but we were able to overcome these and adapt the chairs to meet the very specific requirements of the refurbishment.

In the main auditorium, there were moveable chair frames and tiered wagons at floor level allowing this area to be cleared via the pit lift when a larger stage area was required. On balcony levels, 1&2 6 different types were manufactured, each with different back inclinations to improve the sight lines of the room,

From the outset, using a bespoke fabric designed by a local artist was one of the most challenging aspects of the project: Ascender designed countless cutting patterns to make the upholstery of each armchair different and unique from the rest of the row.

The years of hard work together came to fruition with its reopening in 2023, a spectacular local venue which will be enjoyed by the local community for many years to come.