NATIONAL TREASURE SET TO BE PRIVATISED

11.03.01am GMT Wed 14th Jan 2004

Alexandra Palace set to be handed over to private company

Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes will later today attempt to prevent the privatisation of Alexandra Palace.

The House of Commons will debate new regulations which would hand over control of the Palace to a private company for at least 125 years following the disastrous handling of the national treasure by Haringey Council. Mr Hughes believes that the site could lose much of its historic importance by commercialising it rather than preserving the site.

Mr Hughes said:-

"The Alexandra Palace site is of huge significant historical importance and without careful scrutiny of the plans, it could be in danger of being lost as a national treasure.

"In 1900, Parliament set out an Act to make sure that Alexandra Palace would be 'available for the free use and recreation of the public forever'. Ministers are now set to scrap this and privatise the site despite pleas from the local community.

"John Logie Baird launched the world's first television broadcast from this site and heralded one of the most significant technological breakthroughs of the 20th century. To hand the site of this fantastic achievement over to developers who are lacking in inspiration and ideas could well be a grave mistake."

ENDS

Notes to editor

The regulation will be debated in the House of Commons at 14.30hrs today (Wednesday 14th January 2004) in committee room 9.

The Charities (Alexandra Park and Palace) Order 2003

"This Order gives effect to a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners for the Charity known as Alexandra Park and Palace, which is regulated by the Alexandra Park and Palace Acts and Order 1900 to 1985.

The Scheme empowers the trustees to lease the whole, or part or parts, of the Palace and its immediate surrounding area for a term not exceeding 125 years, subject to obtaining the consent, by Order made under the Charities Act 1993, of the Charity Commissioners. The Scheme does not amend the purposes for which either the Park or the Palace are held on trust."

Brief history of Alexandra Palace

Alexandra Palace first opened in 1873 as "The People's Palace" to provide the Victorians with a great environment and recreation centre. After certain financial difficulties, an Act of Parliament in 1900 created the Alexandra Palace and Park Trust, which was administrated by the local authorities in the area. The Act required the Trustees to maintain the Palace and Park and make them, subject to several provisions, "available for the free use and recreation of the public forever". From this point, the Palace continued to develop its organ concerts, shows, exhibitions and other events. This will now be removed via the Statutory instrument.

In 1935, the BBC leased the eastern part of the building from which the first public television transmissions were made in 1936. Alexandra Palace was the main transmitting centre for the BBC but after 1956 was used exclusively for the news broadcasts.

http://www.alexandrapalace.com/history.htm