West End Centre, Aldershot
| West End Centre | |
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The West End Centre in Aldershot
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| Alternative names | The Westy |
| General information | |
| Type | Arts Centre |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Address | 48 Queens Road |
| Town or city | Aldershot |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Opened | 1975 |
| Other information | |
| Seating type | raked |
| Seating capacity | 106 |
| Website | |
| hampshireculturaltrust |
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The West End Centre is an entertainment venue and arts centre located on Queens Road in Aldershot. The centre features such events as classes, workshops and art exhibitions and promotes everything from heavy metal, blues, folk and punk music and stand up comedy to small-scale and intimate theatre.
Opening in 1975 in the former West End Junior School once attended by comedian Arthur English, the West End Centre (or the 'Westy') is described as "the creative hub of Aldershot and the surrounding areas". It was originally run by volunteers and faced closure in its early years until the Poet Laureate John Betjeman had the building listed. The Graeae Theatre Company was based at the Centre from 1981 to 1982.
When managed by Hampshire County Council the centre faced closure again in 2007 until public protests forced the decision to be reversed. Every year since 2006 the West End Centre has held the Summer Westival which creates an indoor music festival complete with real grass throughout the venue.
Performers who have appeared at the centre include Andy Parsons, Matt Forde, Sam Simmons, Roger McGough,Seann Walsh, Stewart Lee, Adrian Henri,Shappi Khorsandi, Miriam Margolyes, Omid Djalili, Dara Ó Briain, Jimmy Carr, Dave Gorman, Tony HawksDaniel Kitson,Simon Munnery, Nish Kumar, Phill Jupitus, Justin Moorhouse and Al Murray.
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