Rivoli Ballroom
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lillam
Posts: 129
Joined: Apr 2006
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08-12-2007 09:51 PM

Looks like the Rivoli is under threat - big feature in todays Indy about it:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_br...233308.ece
Bill Mannix told local newspaper, The Mercury, "We love this place and Jeanie is so passionate about it. For us it is all about glamour, sophistication, etiquette and beautiful dancing. But ballroom dancing is dying out. The Rivoli was really well used but times and cultures have changed and now we have to import an audience to fill the place."
Mr Mannix added: "It is really my health that is moving me on. The long hours become antisocial. You are working and worrying while people are having fun all around you. I am always running out of money for repairs and always praying for a good function. We have to do maintenance all the time. We have two offers of ?10m for the place. I'm sad about the whole situation. Jeannie will shed a tear when we leave and we will both miss all the stars.
"I don't want the place knocked down for flats and houses. The council says it's a jewel in the crown and it really is just that."
Hopefully with this kind of coverage it will survive...
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roz
Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
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08-12-2007 11:28 PM
It will be a great shame as its a local landmark, however unless there is a campaign backed up with lots of dosh and a sound business plan, I cannot see this being saved. ?10m sounds a great offer- would the owners really turn that down in favour of being able to keep it going?
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Foresters
Posts: 212
Joined: May 2006
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08-12-2007 11:49 PM
Is this not a building that could be listed?
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Sherwood
Posts: 1,422
Joined: Mar 2005
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09-12-2007 11:32 AM
If the purchaser is offering ?10 million, I suspect he is buying it as a going concern without the intention to demolish.
Unfortunately, listing a property would not really help if it is uneconomic.
I suspect that the current problem is that with excessively high house prices, it is often more economic to convert premises to domestic dwellings. According to Vince Cable today, house prices are likely to drop.
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robwinton
Posts: 335
Joined: Jun 2006
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09-12-2007 10:19 PM
If the purchaser is offering ?10 million, I suspect he is buying it as a going concern without the intention to demolish.
really? I would have thought the opposite. How could a small-ish specialist venue ever make that money back?
It is more likely that a large developer would consider the footprint large enough to go for a much larger building with several stories and therefore recoup this money, but I could be wrong.
I certainly hope it does not go. I've always wanted to look inside but never yet had the opportunity
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PVP
Posts: 271
Joined: Mar 2005
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10-12-2007 09:27 AM
Does anyone know if the Rivoli only does specialist events, i.e. for ballroom dancing and shoots, etc,? Maybe it could sully itself and run something a bit more mainstream to subsidise the rest of the business?
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MartinH
Posts: 6
Joined: Dec 2007
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10-12-2007 03:47 PM
This reminds me of people that say "Winning ten million pounds is'nt going to change my life" after getting the jackpot on the lottery.I am sure the owner of the Rivoli is a sincere man but please, c'mon. If you had to worry about finding the money for the repairs and running costs at the age of around seventy I bet you would snatch someones hand off if they offered you ?10 million. I can only imagine that he's either loaded or holding out for a better offer!! Yours cynically MartinH
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robwinton
Posts: 335
Joined: Jun 2006
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10-12-2007 04:00 PM
I don't think he said he would not take the ?10m (especially as he has two offers) but that he would be sad to go and see it transformed into flats (wouldn't you if you had dedicated your life to it, even if this is a lot of money?).
If he has two offers at that level and he is saying this, he obviously knows that both are from such companies. I would have thought he is holding out for a similar offer from someone looking to keep it as a going concern, but that will never happen (IMHO), however it is worth a try and getting out the word in the Indy might help as long as he can stall for a while.
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PeterB
Posts: 4
Joined: Jun 2007
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12-12-2007 02:11 PM
About five or six years ago Bill managed to get a contract to host Club Montipulciano once a month. The place used to be full with waiting lists for tickets. Obviously it also had beneficial knock on effects for other local businesses.
Why did it stop? Local people complained about the noise - once a month...
It will be real shame if the site is developed but locals need to get behind it.
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robwinton
Posts: 335
Joined: Jun 2006
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17-12-2007 08:22 PM
There is a group on facebook trying to organise a collective take-over of the ballroms, raising money by selling shares in the business (click here if you are on facebook)
I did point out that even with their target of 2,000 shareholders, each would have to contribute ?5,000, so not much of a starter
Anyone else think that the figure of ?10m is a little fishy? It seems incredibly high to me, whether for developers or someone looking to keep the business going. Is he fishing for high offers?
There is talk of getting the interior (but not the exterior) listed but the effect would be to massively devalue the property for the current owner so I'm not sure how much they'd thank us for it.
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robwinton
Posts: 335
Joined: Jun 2006
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robwinton
Posts: 335
Joined: Jun 2006
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30-12-2007 06:22 AM
Curioser and Curioser ...
http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com/2007...eline.html
I now hear that supporters have managed to get the interior of the building listed with English Heritage! This is great news for preserving the ballroom, but I'm not sure what it does to the value for the owners.
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baggydave
Posts: 390
Joined: May 2004
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30-12-2007 02:45 PM
Good news - particularly after the loss of the Hammersmith Palais. As for NIMBY residents I believe that the wonderful Clapham Grand had to limit its hours, and the moaning minnies around the posh estate whinge about noise from Hornimans (if I hear music, it reminds me to get off my backside and visit).
But did any of us ever go to the Rivoli?
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SophieBee
Posts: 46
Joined: Oct 2007
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30-12-2007 08:01 PM
Good news - particularly after the loss of the Hammersmith Palais. As for NIMBY residents I believe that the wonderful Clapham Grand had to limit its hours, and the moaning minnies around the posh estate whinge about noise from Hornimans (if I hear music, it reminds me to get off my backside and visit).
But did any of us ever go to the Rivoli?
I went earlier this year, to one of the monthly jive nights that are held there. It was great fun and obviously very popular, with loads of people (obviously regulars to these nights) dressing the part. Some seriously good dancers there too, who were a real joy to watch.
I also heard that the White Stripes played a gig there in June. Plus I think there have been one or two pop videos filmed there, so there is obviously a market, albeit niche. I hope they manage to keep it running for similar activities.
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Sherwood
Posts: 1,422
Joined: Mar 2005
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30-12-2007 08:19 PM
I have been to the Rivoli Ballroom.
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ontheedge
Posts: 31
Joined: Dec 2007
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30-12-2007 09:39 PM
Saw the White Stripes there they were fab. Fab interior but extremely warm and not best venue for a gig due to slope in floor.
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MartinH
Posts: 6
Joined: Dec 2007
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31-12-2007 11:31 AM
Saw the White Stripes there they were fab. Fab interior but extremely warm and not best venue for a gig due to slope in floor.
What has that got to do with it?
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Sherwood
Posts: 1,422
Joined: Mar 2005
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31-12-2007 06:00 PM
I don't remember a slope in the floor.
How many drinks did you have?
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BT
Posts: 163
Joined: Jul 2003
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01-01-2008 08:25 AM
Curioser and Curioser ...
http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com/2007...eline.html
I now hear that supporters have managed to get the interior of the building listed with English Heritage! This is great news for preserving the ballroom, but I'm not sure what it does to the value for the owners.
The Lewisham Odeon was listed but it didn't stop the council destroying it when it wanted to build the roundabout.
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Brockley Nick
Posts: 10
Joined: May 2007
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03-01-2008 11:49 AM
Curioser and Curioser ...
http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com/2007...eline.html
I now hear that supporters have managed to get the interior of the building listed with English Heritage! This is great news for preserving the ballroom, but I'm not sure what it does to the value for the owners.
The Lewisham Odeon was listed but it didn't stop the council destroying it when it wanted to build the roundabout.
Full story now on Brockley Central, but the listing has been confirmed by English Heritage.
http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com/2008...itage.html
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