Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.
Past Times

Party like it’s 1929: The grand opening of the Art Deco Aberdeen Beach Ballroom

When the Beach Ballroom opened in 1929 with a magnificent masquerade ball and carnival, it was the crowning glory in the council's masterplan to make Aberdeen 'the Brighton of the north'.
Kirstie Waterston
1948: A view south of the Aberdeen Beach Ballroom and Beach Baths. Image: DC Thomson
1948: A view south of the Aberdeen Beach Ballroom and Beach Baths. Image: DC Thomson

The year was 1929. The roaring ’20s, a decade of exuberance, fun and freedom, was drawing to a close, and Aberdeen Beach Ballroom threw open its doors to the city’s bright young things.

The ballroom remains one of Aberdeen’s iconic Art Deco buildings, perched at the end of the boulevard overlooking golden sands and the steely North Sea.

Years in the planning, the beach ballroom was part of the city council’s progressive ‘beach improvement scheme’ in the 1920s.

1948: A view of the Beach Ballroom with the sea and harbour mouth in the background. Image: DC Thomson

It was the crowning glory of a vision that aimed to make Aberdeen the ‘Brighton of the north’.

And it is testament to its design that it’s the only part of that project still standing today.

Beach Ballroom part of scheme to make Aberdeen ‘Brighton of the north’

The beach improvement scheme first began in the early 1920s with the extension of the esplanade.

A tourist leaflet from the 1950s advertising Aberdeen as Scotland’s leading holiday resort. Image: Submitted

And in the following years, more ambitious proposals were added with a view to “bringing Aberdeen Beach into line with the leading seaside resorts of the kingdom“.

The council wanted to create amenities for pleasure-seekers that included a dance hall, variety pavilion, blocks of shops with space left for a future concert hall.

Planning began in earnest in 1926 when architects were invited to submit plans for a dance hall to accommodate 500 people.

The shortlisted proposals for Aberdeen Beach Ballroom, variety pavilion and shops submitted by architect Leonard G Hannaford, Liverpool, in 1926. Image: DC Thomson

Renowned Glasgow architect John Keppie, president of the Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, described the beach as the city’s “greatest asset” as he oversaw the plans.

But the council was on a very strict budget of £50,000 (approximately £2.7m today) for the whole improvement scheme.

In July 1926, Keppie joined councillors at the art gallery to narrow down 21 submissions.

The winning proposal for the design of Aberdeen Beach Ballroom, variety pavilion and shops, submitted in 1926 by architects Thomas Robert and Hume, Bathgate. Image: DC Thomson

All were over budget, but seven were put forward for consideration for amendment and curtailment to fit the brief.

Iconic ballroom could have looked very different, but Art Deco design won over councillors

The new dance hall was to be located north of the Beach Baths, between the esplanade and Broad Hill.

And the final scheme was narrowed down to two: one submitted by Thomas Roberts & Hume of Bathgate, and another by Leonard G Hannaford of Liverpool.

Aberdeen Beach Ballroom under construction in 1928 showing the steel roof structure. Image: DC Thomson

The unmistakably Art Deco Roberts & Hume plans clinched it on the basis they could be amended to fit the budget.

In the end, the ballroom cost £24,288 with additional costs including a restaurant at £7,811, variety pavilion at £7218, eight shops at £3200 and roadworks at £200.

Keen to make progress, plans were signed off the following February and construction was well under way by October 1927.

1958: The elegant entrance to Aberdeen Beach Ballroom with two cars parked in front. Image: DC Thomson

Regarded as a rare survivor of the era, elements of the ballroom are very typical of the Deco style.

But it is regarded as more unusual because of its octagonal shape and pyramidal roof, which is set back from the wings and main entrance.

The structure itself has a granite base, from which layers of harled brick and stone rise to create the silhouette so familiar to generations of Aberdonians.

1948: A view south of Aberdeen Beach Ballroom and the Beach Baths. Image: DC Thomson

Meanwhile, the symmetrical and elegant entrance features ionic columns, standing like sentries at either side of a short flight of stairs leading to a glass-panelled door.

Inside, the famous sprung ballroom floor was made of maple wood and floated on 1400 steel springs, although the maple was replaced in 1955.

Ballroom opening in 1929 was ‘red letter day’ for city

Aberdeen Beach Ballroom was officially opened by the Lord and Lady Provost Lewis and the city’s magistrates on the afternoon of May 3 1929.

1929: Isabel Carnegie and her brother outside the ballroom in February 1929, before it had opened. Image: Submitted/Isabel Carnegie

And celebrations continued into the evening with a fancy dress carnival ball.

Entitled ‘The Art of Dressing Up’, the Press and Journal society pages were abuzz with anticipation.

It was described as a “full-fledged civic affair” and a “red letter day in the history of Aberdeen’s beach improvement schemes”.

1929: The opening of the beachfront restaurant, left, and the fancy dress ball at the ballroom with Lady Provost Lewis in an outfit inspired by Louis XIV’s Court. Image: DC Thomson

Upon opening, the ballroom was co-run by the town council and John Henry Iles, an entrepreneur and musician.

Iles had a rich pedigree of successful amusement parks. He established the famous Dreamland in Margate before setting his sights on Blackpool, Great Yarmouth, London, Manchester, Berlin, Brussels, Cairo, Paris, Petrograd – and Aberdeen.

Therefore, it was no surprise the evening ball was “organised on a magnificent scale” with 1000 masked guested and dancers in attendance.

1946: Crowds dancing at the ballroom in 1946. Image: Submitted/Margaret and John Masson

The P&J reported the ballroom opened “in a blaze of glory” and “made a brilliant spectacle” rarely seen in Aberdeen.

Hundreds of people gathered outside to watch the arrival of dancers and masqueraders, with police creating avenues through the sea of spectators to make way for cars.

Ballroom would ‘bring Aberdonians together with strangers’

Lady Provost Lewis looked as though she’d stepped straight out of King Louis XIV’s Court in elegant attire inspired by French royalty.

1948: Elegant dancers take to the famous sprung dance floor at the Beach Ballroom. Image: Submitted/Aberdeen City Libraries

She cut a “charming figure” as she glided gracefully over the dancefloor towards a crimson ribbon across the orchestra platform.

Cutting the ribbon, the lady provost, joined by her husband, Mr Iles and his wife, declared the dance hall open.

She said “Aberdeen had, in its beach and magnificent promenade, an asset of the highest value”, with entertainment to interest “all classes”.

1945: An exterior view of the timeless facade of the Beach Ballroom. Image: DC Thomson

Lady Provost Lewis added: “Aberdeen is not only a beautiful city, with a wonderful and romantic history, but, as a health resort, its claims are unrivalled.

“And it is in the happy position of being able to combine, in a way unexampled elsewhere, the refreshment of the body with the culture of the mind.”

She said the ballroom would bring Aberdonians together with strangers “in a delightful comradeship”, and enable visitors to enjoy the “privilege” of a brief holiday spell as a citizen of Bon Accord.

Champion ballroom dancers Eddie and Betty Maitland dancing at The Beach Ballroom in the 1950s. They were winners of the Star Arena Final. Image: Submitted/Eddie and Betty Maitland

The floor cleared, and dancers swarmed onto the spacious floor where there were “audible exclamations of delight” when they found it bounced along with the rhythm of their movements.

Striking hues of varied fancy dress costumes merged in the maze of dancing, beneath the twinkling limelights.

In the immense domed roof, “fleeting colours seemed to chase one another”.

1955: George and Jessie Fraser in prize-winning form in 1955 during the National Championships at the Beach Ballroom. Image: Submitted

Vortex of dancers swirled around fountain on dancefloor

There was a “swirling vortex” of dancers, mainly participating in foxtrots, one-steps, charlestons and waltzes.

But one eight-some reel was arranged and dancers descended into “wild abandon” with hooches to the skirl of the bagpipes.

The P&J reported how much of the charm of the ball was the masked identity of guests.

1952: Cars lining up along the esplanade in front of the Beach Ballroom. Image: DC Thomson

And it was a “weary but happy” crowd that departed at 1.30am to the mile of motor cars lining the promenade.

Every penny spent on the evening went directly to the city’s fundraising to build Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The following day, dignitaries returned to admire the dancehall by daylight.

1958: This view of the Beach Ballroom looks rather different today as it has been enveloped by development. Image: DC Thomson

Its handsome frontage giving only a hint of the “magnificence” inside.

The dancefloor was circular with a fountain in the middle, and the walls with fluted columns rose to a vaulted dome.

While the colour scheme was a combination of gold, black, pale blue and salmon.

1963: The interior of part of the Beach Ballroom after the ‘star ballroom’ extension. Image: DC Thomson

In true Miami Beach Art Deco style, the orchestra platform – set into an alcove – was flanked by stately palms.

Ballroom takes pride of place in new masterplan for Aberdeen Beach

Following a successful opening, councillors were a step closer to their vision of a beach resort comparable to those down.

In autumn 1929, a town council meeting heard how there was a very real prospect of Aberdeen Sea Beach “rivalling in attractiveness in course of time, the sea fronts of England’s most famous holiday resorts”.

1973: Good weather brings out the crowds outside the Beach Ballroom. Image: DC Thomson

And in the heyday of ballroom dancing, Aberdeen attracted the very best dancers from across the UK.

The ballroom’s reputation saw Aberdeen overcome the disadvantages of being far from the dancing areas like the Midlands and London.

But, it was not only dancing that brought the crowds to the dance hall, particularly as the popularity of ballroom waned in the 1960s.

The Beatles at the Beach Ballroom in 1963 – their first and last gig in Aberdeen. Image: Submitted

The ballroom was, and continues to be, a popular concert venue in Aberdeen.

Over the years, it famously hosted many bands, including The Beatles’ one and only gig in Aberdeen, in January 1963.

Other top acts that followed in their footsteps included Pink Floyd, The Kinks and The Who.

1977: The scene at the Beach Ballroom as couples dance to the sound of Syd Lawrence Orchestra. The atmosphere was heavy with nostalgia as the venue had re-opened after a two-year, £150,000 facelift. Image: DC Thomson

Although 95 years have passed since the ballroom opened under a burst of optimism, it still takes centre stage.

Now a B-listed structure, the Art Deco landmark will undergo a facelift as part of the city council’s beach masterplan.

Its surrounding amenity will be sympathetically enhanced with a pedestrian plaza, lighting and water features.

If you enjoyed this, you might like:

Conversation