Client: Auburn Group Ltd & Piper Hales Flooring Group
Location: Station Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
Product: BN1 Brass Stair Nosing, Antique Bronze
The Venue
Opened in 1964, Cliffs Pavilion is the largest purpose-built arts venue in Essex and the largest-capacity theatre in the East of England, seating over 1,600 across a full programme of touring shows, concerts, comedy and the annual pantomime. Its Art Deco-influenced foyer remains a defining feature of the building, and it’s the kind of venue where any refurbishment has to respect that heritage character while standing up to genuinely heavy public footfall.
That combination, a much-loved local landmark that also needs to perform, made this a project where getting the finish right mattered as much as getting it fitted right.
The Brief
The works formed part of a wider refurbishment across the Pavilion, taking in new stairs, a refreshed kitchen and restaurant, and other front and back-of-house areas as part of the venue’s ongoing modernisation. For the stairs specifically, the brief called for a brass nosing, but with a venue of this profile, “brass” wasn’t a straightforward pick-and-fit decision.
Getting the Finish Right
Antique Bronze is a distinctive finish, and matching it precisely to the design intent for the space took some back and forth. We sent Auburn Group and Piper Hales multiple samples to work through, helping the team settle on the right finish before committing to the full order. It’s a step we’re always happy to take on projects like this, a heritage venue undergoing a high-profile refurbishment isn’t the place to guess at a finish.
Once the sample was signed off, we specified our BN1 solid brass stair nosing in Antique Bronze, a durable, characterful choice built to handle the volume of visitors passing through the Pavilion on a typical show night.
On Site
Connor our Site Surveyor was on site to take measurements directly, working alongside the wider refurbishment programme and advising on the product as the stair works progressed. With new stairs going in as part of a broader fit-out, having someone on the ground to confirm exact dimensions made sure the nosings would sit flush and consistent once installed, no surprises once the flooring went down.
The Result
The refurbished stairs at Cliffs Pavilion now carry a brass nosing finish that suits the building’s character, backed by measurements taken on site to guarantee a proper fit. It’s a good example of what a bit of extra care at the sampling stage can do for a project where the finish is as important as the function.
