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Homepage History The Exterior Foyer Stalls/Main Hall Circle Stairs Circle Site Updates Links |
The Circle Stairs and Foyer Click on the pictures for larger versions. The circle area of the building has been off-limits to customers since the installation of the false ceiling in the early 80s. this does however mean that many of the original fittings from this part of the building had survived to be recorded for posterity.  Looking down the stairs seen in the first picture on the foyer page. Halfway up, these stairs turn 180 degrees, and continue up to the circle foyer, as seen below.  At the top of the stairs. The octagonal moulding on the ceiling would originally have been backlit all the way round, with a more elaborate light fitting than this one in the middle. The stairs to the right led up to the projection room and the top of the circle itself.  In the circle foyer, but taken from the opposite side to the other photo. Although covered over with cheap blue carpet, this area still had its original tilework, although covered in a particularly viscous glue! The stairs are the other set to the top of the circle, while the passageway to the right led to the lower level of it.  The floor of the passageway mentioned above. I remember being so pleased when I first saw these tiles a couple of years ago, depite their tatty state. Such a shame such a nice feature was covered up for so long.  Facing the stairs above ran a narrow passage past the Treasury, through the computer room and staff changing area to the blocked-off sun terrace and the bottom of the circle. This photo shows some of the (asbestos-based, apparently) mouldings that decorated this corridor.  at the top of the stairs featured in the second photo on this page. The projection room was off to the left. |
website, 2008.