I’ve always liked bandstands – that’s a childhood spent watching Trumpton for you – so it has been particularly satisfying watching this one come back to life. This is Sheffield’s only surviving Victorian bandstand. It has been restored as part of the major works undertaken in Weston Park. It’s not quite finished, but it’s back in business.
I do have a ‘before’ photo somewhere, but I’m pretty sure that was taken with actual film (remember that?) and I can’t find it. Suffice to say it was a mess, boarded up and rather run down, it was a sad little bandstand. Not any more.
March 30th 2008
Most of the bandstand is elsewhere being refurbished, rebuilt and (in parts) replaced.
April 21st 2008
The framework for the roof has been put in place. This is so exciting that it gets reported in the local paper. But then again, the local paper does have a lot of space to fill.
May 25th 2008
The new zinc roof is gleaming. I don’t remember that beautiful metalwork, but it looks reet smart (as we say round here). The new panels are piled up waiting to be installed. These will hold sash windows, that can be lowered to ground level.
June 1st 2008
A very important detail has been added – there’s a band! Everyone sits around on folding metal chairs, in the traditional manner for enjoying a concert in the park. The bandstand isn’t quite finished yet – there are a few gaps above the panelling into which stained glass panels will be fitted in the next few weeks.
I don’t remember stained glass panels, or a weathervane, but the bandstand was already in a pretty bad state when I arrived in Sheffield, so they probably weren’t there. It’s looking good now though.