Parts of Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) have been destroyed by a fire that hit the grade II listed Victorian building on Friday afternoon. Yet despite the loss of the building’s Grand and Lower Halls and the destruction of a large part of the roof, staff and performers were able to ensure that two productions went ahead on Saturday evening – just 24 hours after the fire.
The fire, which broke out at around 4.15pm on Friday, was attended by around 80 firefighters who worked into the night to keep it under control. One person was treated for smoke inhalation but no other injuries were reported.
Around a third of the building was destroyed by the fire but artistic director David Jubb, speaking early on Saturday morning in a message on the BAC website, said: “The organisation and the front half of the building live to fight another day. We start now.”
Two shows – productions of Lorraine & Alan and Fiction – did go ahead, with Jubb adding the following morning: “I am in awe of my team, the artists and fire brigade, who only 24 hours after the fire, helped to reopen the building, last night, and put on two sold out shows. It was great to have people back in the building.”
Known for its radical performance and theatre productions, Battersea Arts Centre opened in 1979 following a campaign to save the former Battersea Town Hall building for the local community. In 2007 work began on a major capital project to develop and restore the building, with the latest phase commencing in late 2014.
Jubb also announced that the National Funding Scheme had set up a page on its site to raise money for the damaged arts centre, with over £52,000 already donated.
“Today we start the next chapter. We want to get the shows back on and rebuild the building brick by brick,” he said.
“At the moment we have no offices, no Grand Hall theatre, and we have to re-establish a new financial model for the next 12 months. So your support – at whatever level – is so valuable.”
