Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

Victoria Hall was constructed as an annex to Hanley Town Hall in 1888, as part of the town's celebrations for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. It was built in red brick and terracotta, and designed by local borough surveyor Joseph Lobley. Conductors who have appeared at the hall include Edward Elgar who conducted the first performance of his composition King Olaf (Op 30). In 1996 Donald Hunt conducted the BBC Philharmonic and the Ceramic City Choir in a revival to mark the centenary of the premiere. Recordings made in the hall include the live album by Slash Made in Stoke 24/7/11. ==Facilities==

Originally the building had a capacity of 2,800 people, but this has since been reduced considerably to 1,467 as seating replaced wooden forms and benches. As an adjunct to the town hall, the building originally had minimal front-of-house facilities. To remedy this, an extension was constructed in 1999 as part of the development of a "Cultural Quarter" in Hanley. This building interlinks with the hall, providing a new entrance space with better facilities for the audiences and performers along with access for the disabled to all parts of the house. ==References==