Project Description

Restoration and Relocation of an historic Hill and Smith Company bandstand.

Watford’s bandstand was returned to its original position in Cassiobury Park – more than a hundred years since it was first unveiled.

The local press reported the project as:

The project is part of the £6.5 million restoration of the park – The bandstand is being restored by Lost Art Limited of Wigan, led by Managing Director Dominic Liptrot – who was presented to the Queen earlier this year, after recreating a Royal Bandstand in Windsor as part of her 90th birthday celebrations.

Paul Rabbitts, Head of Parks at Watford Council, who has written several books on the bandstands of Britain, said: “It’ll take a team of four people more than a month to put this Bandstand up and back into its original position in the park.

"A particular challenge is the roof, which is octagonal, and which has to perfectly marry up with each of the columns."

Elected Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said “I can’t wait to see what the refurbished Bandstand is like – it was slowly rotting for years outside the Library, and it’ll be so good to celebrate its return to Cassiobury Park.

The money for the restoration has come from lottery grants.

The opening of the bandstand took place on Sunday 4th August. At this pont the reporting was as follows:

"The Bandstand has been beautifully refurbished and is now installed in its original position near the Char Cafe.

The event included live music, dancing and workshops for children.

It’s taken six months of work by a team of experts who recreated a bandstand for the Queen, funding from the Heritage Lottery and Big Lottery funds, and the support of Watford Borough Council to make this happen. Now Watford’s historic bandstand will be re-opened, on the spot on which it was originally built, in Cassiobury Park.

The bandstand was originally opened in September 1912, and attracted crowds of more than 1,500 people. Then in the seventies it was moved to the square outside the Library.
When Watford Council won funding to revamp Cassiobury Park, returning the bandstand to its original position was part of the plan. Elected Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said "We’re committed to protecting Watford’s heritage, and the bandstand is an important part of Cassiobury Park’s history. I’m so pleased to see it return to its original site.I’m looking forward to seeing the bandstand in all its glory"

Project Details