In September 1910, the building opened as the Somerset County Skating Rink on
North Parade Road. It was built on land that was part of the Bathwick Estate. During
World War I, the building was used for the assembly of airplane parts. After an unsuccessful attempt to sell the Bathwick Estate in 1921, the
Recreation Ground was purchased by leaseholders, and the skating rink remained occupied by "Aircraft Limited" until 1930. The building was purchased by the local City Council. It was renamed the Pavilion and reopened as a music concert hall in November 1930. In the 1960s, the Pavilion hosted some of the biggest names in
rock and roll such as
the Beatles,
the Rolling Stones,
Jimi Hendrix,
Pink Floyd, and
Led Zeppelin. During the
COVID-19 pandemic, the building was used as a
NHS vaccination site in 2022. == Notable performers ==