Alexandra Palace, Greater London

Flower Delivery to Alexandra Place by Clare Florist

Rain isn’t the only thing common in London . As a first class metropolis, it’s bustling with economic activity. The city is regarded as the leading hub for international business.

But England’s capital doesn’t just draw corporate executives and entrepreneurs. The cultural scene here is also something worth experiencing. As history books would tell you, this place has long been connected to literature and the arts. In the old days, plays were the main form of entertainment. People would dress up and ride hackney carriages to arrive at the theatre on time. Now, there’s much more variety. Events happen in the city all year round.

Want to watch a concert? Or perhaps go ice skating in spring? Londoners have a special place where you can do all this and more.

Alexandra Palace or the People’s Palace, is a historical venue situated between Muswell Hill and Wood Green. It was designed to be north London’s counterpart to the Crystal Palace, built on Hyde Park south of the city.

Popular Venue

Ally Pally, as it’s affectionately called, has been opened to the public for over a century. In all this time, it has been the venue of choice for many high profile events. This includes the following:

The Great British Beer Festival (1977-1980)
The Brit Awards (1993-1995)
The PDC World Darts Championship (2007 – present)
The Masters snooker tournament (2012 – present)

Well known musical acts like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, Suede and Bjork have also performed here.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also leased the eastern wing in 1936. It served as its main transmitting centre until 1956.

Raging Fire

Unfortunately, it also has its share of tragedies. Two enormous fires have ravaged the place. The first one happened occurred just sixteen days after its opening on 24th May 1873, which had already attracted over 120,000 visitors. It killed three staff members and destroyed some 4,700 pieces of English pottery and porcelain. A hastened reconstruction ensued. Less than two years, a new Palace was opened to the public. This time, it was centred on the Great Hall, where the Willis Organ can be found. This mighty instrument was driven by bellows and two steam engines.

The second happened during Capitol Radio’s Jazz Festival on 10th July 1980. The blaze, which begun beneath the great organ destroyed a big chunk of the property. This includes the Great Hall, Banqueting Suite, a former roller rink and theatre dressing rooms.

On both occasions, only the outer walls and some of the eastern parts survived. The People’s Palace had to undergo several renovations to achieve the look it has today. One balcony from the main theatre even had to be removed as a fire precaution.

Modern Use
Apart from exhibition halls and performance venues, a few attractions were added to Alexandra Palace over the years. For instance, an ice rink intended for public use was installed in 1990. This area was also utilised by hockey teams, including the Haringey Greyhounds and the Haringey Racers.

There’s also much to do in Alexandra Park (the grounds on which Ally Pally was built). Today, visitors can take in panoramic views of London or race colourful boats on a lake found within the property. There are also a host of outdoor dining choices like Bar & Kitchen and Grove Cafe.

Finally, people wanting to buy fresh produce can visit the Farmers Market on Sundays. Apart from homemade pies and smoked meats, look out for some luscious blooms too. If you’re looking for flowers in Alexandra Palace, this is the place to go.

However, if you are already living in North London and want to send flowers to someone abroad, opt for the services of a reliable online florist.

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