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Set in Alexandra Park, Alexandra Palace was built in an area spanning Wood Green and Muswell Hill, North London, England, in 1873 as a public centre of recreation, education and entertainment and as North London's counterpart to the Crystal Palace in South London.
OVERVIEW
The Great Hall and West Hall are used as an exhibition centre and conference centre operated by the trading arm of the charitable trust that owns the building and park on behalf of the public. There is also an ice-skating rink. Since 1995 the palace has been a Grade II listed building. Designed to be ‘The People’s Palace’ and later nicknamed (allegedly by Gracie Fields) Ally Pally, in 1936 it became the headquarters of the world's first regular public 'high definition' television service, operated by the BBC. The Alexandra Palace television station was located on the site and its iconic radio tower is still in use. The original Studios A and B still survive in the south-east wing with their producers' galleries and are currently used for exhibiting original historical television equipment. Occasional demonstrations on the original 405-line VHF standard may also be transmitted from the tower in future. The original Victorian theatre with its stage machinery also survives. The theatre and stage structure is on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk register.
There is currently an application to upgrade the listing by Hornsey Historical Society, which originally got the Palace Grade II listed (against the opposition of trustee Haringey council), and the BBC. Also, a planned commercial development of the building into a mixed leisure complex including hotel, replacement ice rink, cinema, bowling alley and exhibition centre has encountered opposition from public groups and was blocked in the High Court in October 2007.
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OVERVIEW
The Great Hall and West Hall are used as an exhibition centre and conference centre operated by the trading arm of the charitable trust that owns the building and park on behalf of the public. There is also an ice-skating rink. Since 1995 the palace has been a Grade II listed building. Designed to be ‘The People’s Palace’ and later nicknamed (allegedly by Gracie Fields) Ally Pally, in 1936 it became the headquarters of the world's first regular public 'high definition' television service, operated by the BBC. The Alexandra Palace television station was located on the site and its iconic radio tower is still in use. The original Studios A and B still survive in the south-east wing with their producers' galleries and are currently used for exhibiting original historical television equipment. Occasional demonstrations on the original 405-line VHF standard may also be transmitted from the tower in future. The original Victorian theatre with its stage machinery also survives. The theatre and stage structure is on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk register.
There is currently an application to upgrade the listing by Hornsey Historical Society, which originally got the Palace Grade II listed (against the opposition of trustee Haringey council), and the BBC. Also, a planned commercial development of the building into a mixed leisure complex including hotel, replacement ice rink, cinema, bowling alley and exhibition centre has encountered opposition from public groups and was blocked in the High Court in October 2007.
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