Beach Ballroom

The Beach Ballroom is an art deco building on the beach boulevard of Aberdeen, Scotland.^[1] It was built in 1926, and is a Category B listed building.^[2] It is noted for its dance floor which is supported by 1,400 steel springs.^[3][4]

Beach Ballroom

Front of the Beach Ballroom
Location	Beach Promenade, Aberdeen, Scotland
Owner	Aberdeen City Council
Operator	Aberdeen City Council
Type	Multi-purpose venue
Genre(s)	Concerts, sporting events, dinner dances, weddings, conferences, corporate events, weddings
Capacity	1,000 (Main Ballroom) 150 (Star Ballroom) 100 (Northern Lights Room) 50 (Promenade Room)
Construction
Opened	3 May 1929 (1929-05-03)
Renovated	1970s
Expanded	1963
Construction cost	£50,000
Architect	Thomas Roberts and Hume
Website
Beach Ballroom Website
Listed Building – Category B
Official name	Beach Ballroom
Designated	12 January 1967
Reference no.	LB20314

Famous acts to appear at the Beach Ballroom include the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Who,^[5] the Small Faces, Cream, Joe Loss, Ken Mackintosh and more recently the Ordinary Boys and Twin Atlantic.^[6] Like many buildings in Aberdeen, it is made from granite.

The Beach Ballroom is owned and operated by Aberdeen City Council^[7] and has a webcam that faces south along the beach towards Footdee.^[8] The Ballroom is connected to the more modern Beach Leisure Centre via an indoor walkway.

The main dance hall is octagonal and originally had a domed ceiling, though this has since been covered over with a suspended ceiling. The smaller Star Ballroom extension was opened in June 1963.^[9]

The Ballroom underwent a refurbishment from 2008 to April 2010.^[10][11]

Looking up the beachfront to the Beach Ballroom

References

1. "Beach Master Plan Report Appendix B: Beach Ballroom" (PDF). Aberdeen City Council. 25 August 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
2. Historic Environment Scotland. "The Esplanade, Beach Ballroom (Category B Listed Building) (LB20314)". Retrieved 28 March 2019.
3. Waterston, Kirstie (18 August 2024). "Party like it's 1929: The grand opening of the Art Deco Aberdeen Beach Ballroom". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
4. "Remembering 90 years of the good times at Aberdeen Beach Ballroom". The Scotsman. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
5. Drysdale, Neil (9 March 2022). "Aberdeen's Beach Ballroom: Do you remember 'the place where boy met girl'?". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
6. Lenthall, Mark (23 May 2024). "Review: Twin Atlantic Make Waves at the Beach Ballroom, plus full setlist". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
7. Hebditch, Jon (18 June 2019). "'Sad day' as Aberdeen City Council looks at new operators to run legendary Beach Ballroom". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
8. "Aberdeen Beach Webcam". Aberdeen Webcams. Aberdeen City Council. 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
9. "Aberdeenshire Council Historic Environment Record - Aberdeen City - NJ90NE0173 - BEACH BALLROOM". online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
10. "Beach Ballroom". Brintons Carpets. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
11. "Brintons recreates art deco design for ballroom". The Shuttle. Kidderminster. 28 July 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2022.

57.1553°N 2.0798°W / 57.1553; -2.0798