History and Heritage

During the Second World War the performances and events at the Pavilion were successful in boosting morale during, as well as raising money for the troops.

In September 1939 the first ever ‘Thursday at Seven’ concert was hosted in the Pavilion; this concert series continued uninterrupted throughout the war. The last ‘Thursday at Seven’ concert was hosted on 31st January 1946: it was the 333rd in the concert series, with around 350,000 residents and troops having enjoyed these weekly events.

Amongst the locally stationed troops were American soldiers; they received a special ‘Goodbye Feast’ when they left the area on 1st February 1944.

The first ‘Porthcawl’s Big Night’ was hosted in December 1940, with 1000 people attending the event.

The first ever Pantomime at the Grand Pavilion was staged on 20th December 1941 and was hosted especially for the child evacuees.

The programme also included informal concerts in the shelters of the Pavilion (the shelters are now the Pavilion offices and the Café). In August 1942 hundreds of people came to listen to Welsh hymns, with some impromptu solos sung by members of the public.

The 1950s saw the start of the ‘Battle of Britain’ week. In the Grand Pavilion these events included concerts, but also talent competitions and the ‘Miss Porthcawl Beauty Competition’.
There was also a special parade outside the Grand Pavilion, where members of the army, navy and air force were saluted.

Many of the concerts and performances were organised by local groups, such as the Royal Air Force Association. Local people of all ages had plenty of opportunities to develop their performing talent, which they could display in shows like ‘Porthcawl Steps Out’.

The first South Wales Miners Eisteddfod was hosted in 1948, organised by the South Wales area of the National Union of Mineworkers.

On 5 October 1957 a memorable concert was hosted in the Grand Pavilion as part of the Miners’ Eisteddfod. Singer, actor and activist Paul Robeson had been invited four times to the Pavilion, but as the American authorities withheld Robeson’s passport, a transatlantic concert was organised instead. It was performed by telephone with the help of Robeson’s son’s knowledge of technology and with funding from the Miners Eisteddfod.

Robeson started the concert by sending his “warmest greetings to the people of my beloved Wales, and a special hello to the miners of South Wales at this great festival.”

The concert also featured the Treorchy Male Voice Choir, and both at the opening and the closing of the concert the song ‘We’ll keep a welcome in the hillsides’ was dedicated to Paul Robeson.

The Miners Fortnight event was first held in 1948. The mines closed down for the last week of July and the first week of August, and miners and their families would visit seaside resorts like Porthcawl, Barry and Penarth.

The ‘Fortnight’ would develop over the years and became a vital part of the South Wales holiday scene during the 1960s. The Pavilion hosted entertainment every single evening of the week to entertain tourists: dances on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturday, variety concerts on Thursdays and plays on Fridays. On Sundays there would be a concert, which could be choral, orchestral or featuring a celebrity performer.

In November 1963 Billy J. Kramer, a famous pop singer at the time, performed at the Grand Pavilion. The concert included a performance by a supporting act ‘Tommy Scott and the Senators’. A few months later the frontman would start his solo career and change his name to ‘Tom Jones’, though of course he is Sir Tom Jones now!

June 1970 saw the first show produced by Stan Stennett at the Grand Pavilion. It was called ‘Summer Stars’ and featured stars such as Johnny Tudor and Lesley King, as well as amateurs. These summer shows were a great success and led to the first ever Pantomime produced by Stan Stennett: ‘Billy and Bonzo meet Robin Hood’. This pantomime was performed in December 1970 and January 1971, and featured Bryn Williams, as well as Stennett himself.

In 1971 Stennett would offer the role of Baron in the pantomime ‘Cinderella’ to renowned Welsh actor Richard Burton. Due to commitments (and for tax reasons!) Burton sadly had to decline the offer, but he complimented Stennett on his work, and even recalled some memories of his visits to Porthcawl:

‘Give my love to Rest Bay. I cannot tell you how many times I was lost in Porthcawl on Sunday-school "outings" crying for my sister.’

The Grand Pavilion has played host to a wide range of local school productions throughout the years. A performance of ‘Carousel’ by Porthcawl Comprehensive School in 1984 featured some very special local talents, when Rob Brydon and Ruth Jones took to the Pavilion stage.

Other ‘Gavin and Stacey’ stars to thread the Pavilion boards in their younger days include Steffan Rhodri and Robert Wilfort.

Wrestling was perhaps a more unexpected form of entertainment to be hosted in the Grand Pavilion: a number of wrestling competitions were hosted in the 1980s, with the ring constructed in front of the stage. A ticket to attend an evening of wrestling at the Grand Pavilion cost £2 in 1980.

Dance and ballet was also a popular entertainment, whether professional ballet companies or local ballet and dance groups. Local dance schools would often support Stan Stennett’s pantomime performances and other shows.

A variety of choirs also performed at the Grand Pavilion: the Porthcawl Male Voice Choir performed their first Grand Pavilion concert in November 1980.

There were some big changes in the Grand Pavilion in the 1990s. The open shelters either side of the entrance, designed so people could enjoy the sea views in all weathers, were developed to create the Pavilion offices as well as the Café.

In June 1998 the ‘Paul Robeson Room’ was officially opened by his son, Paul Robeson Jnr, who was particularly impressed by the coal bust of his father.

In May 1996 the Grand Pavilion hosted the Welsh Conservative Party Conference. This included a visit from then Prime Minister John Major and his wife. There were extensive security measures for this event, with roads cordoned off and armed police stationed on and around the Pavilion.

But performances and entertainment still reigned supreme, such as the 1996- 97 Pantomime ‘Snow white and the seven dwarfs’ featuring the Nolan sisters Maureen and Anne.

In 1999 the Pavilion welcomed Paul Daniels and his ‘Magic Show’, supported by his wife Debbie McGee.

And in 1998 the 50th anniversary of the Miners’ Eisteddfod was celebrated by adding a new element to the event: a Brass Band Competition.

A different type of entertainment came to Porthcawl, when the first ever Elvis festival was hosted in the town in 2004. The popular annual festival continues to be hosted in September and features a range of performances and competitions.

Further change came to the Grand Pavilion itself in 2004 when the basement hall (originally known as the ‘Lesser Hall’) was redeveloped and reopened as the ‘Stage Door’. This venue allowed more varied events, workshops and performances to be hosted at the Pavilion.

The Cole Porter musical ‘High Society’ was the 92nd production to be performed by the Porthcawl Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society in April 2004 to celebrate their 80th anniversary.

Another performing arts organisation to showcase local talent at the Grand Pavilion is Bridgend Youth Theatre. Its alumni include actors Aneurin Barnard and Amy Morgan, who performed together at the Pavilion in the company’s production of ‘Singing in the Rain’.

In 2007 the Grand Pavilion celebrated the 50th anniversary of Paul Robeson’s transatlantic concert with a very special concert featuring Sir Willard White.

Performances would continue under the new management, with many famous performers such as Katherine Jenkins, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Rob Brydon, Only Men Aloud, Cerys Matthews, Max Boyce, Sarah Millican, Jason Donovan and Eddie Izzard.

A wide variety of events have also been held at the Pavilion, from tribute bands and comedy clubs, to showing rugby matches and hosting Royal Wedding celebrations.

The Porthcawl Amateur and Dramatic Society also continued their performances, as did Porthcawl Comprehensive School, whose students even organised a fashion show, with clothes designed and modelled by the students.

In November 2017 Bridgend Youth Theatre, directed by Roger Burnell, developed and staged a special performance called ‘Robeson Remembered’. It was written by Louise Osbourne in honour of Paul Robeson and in tribute to his links with Wales and the Welsh miners.

The Covid-19 Pandemic, and the accompanying lockdown measures to protect public health, meant the unprecedented closure of the Grand Pavilion.

In this very challenging time for the whole country, including for the performing arts sector, the Grand Pavilion was unable to host its performances, including the annual pantomime. But the Grand Pavilion team still did its best to support local communities and boost morale by special lighting of its façade.

We celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Grand Pavilion in 2022, in the company of many visitors from far and wide, as well as our local friends. As we enter an exciting new chapter for the building, we look forward to its future and many more exciting events and performances to come.