Regal entrance for Royal Albert Hall
Sinatra sang here and Muhammad Ali fought here. This podium has seen performances by the Beatles and the Bolshoi Ballet. The Last Night of the Proms would be unthinkable without it ... the Royal Albert Hall, first opened in London in 1871. In August 2003, the Hall will have a new, regal entrance, built by HBG.
For over eighteen months now HBG Construction has been working on the new south porch of the Hall, being built in the original style. The project is part of a major renovation and extension programme begun in 1995 and due for completion at the end of 2003. For instance, on the south side of the Hall, underground facilities have been built in recent years for scenery movements in and out of the building, for dressing rooms and for workshops. The only way of creating more room above ground – without spoiling the look of the Hall – was to build a porch matching in scale and design those on the north, east and west sides of the building. The contract value to HBG is €2.7 million.