Look inside Great Yarmouth's Winter Gardens as plans move towards securing its future

The Winter Gardens was once a hive of activity on the seafront.

Over the years, it has housed a ballroom, a popular skating rink and an arcade.

However, the UK's last surviving glass and iron winter garden was closed in 2008 amid safety fears and has remained an eyesore.

The old signage of the Winter Gardens remains intact. (Image: James Weeds)

Last year, Great Yarmouth Borough Council announced it had received £10m to secure the future of the building in a vision which aims to stay true to its original community use.

The council is currently working with local partners and community groups, including schools and colleges, charities, and advisory forums, to share their plans for the space and collect feedback on initial ideas for the Winter Gardens.

There is scaffolding securing the structure of the Winter Gardens (Image: James Weeds)

Community-led project Freshly Greated is working with the council to collect people’s stories about visiting the Winter Gardens and what the building means to them.

Following a social media campaign where they asked for people to share their memories of visiting the building, Freshly Greated was flooded with hundreds of comments, with people sharing stories of dances, first dates and roller-skating injuries.

Old lights laying on the floor inside the Winter Gardens. (Image: James Weeds)

On Saturday, October 15, some of these contributors were invited to the Winter Gardens to explore the inside, learning about the history of the building and discussing the council’s initial plans for the place.

Once the development stage is complete, a public consultation will take place in early 2023. The building is currently scheduled to reopen to the public in the summer of 2026.

Scaffolding, iron and glass remain inside the Winter Gardens. (Image: James Weeds)

In a joint statement councillors Carl Smith and Trevor Wainwright, leaders of the council’s main political parties, said: “It’s really exciting to have community groups and local partners involved in developing ideas for this iconic building, as they are the ones who will benefit from the restoration of this wonderful landmark.”

Back in August last year, the Winter Gardens was announced as one of five transformational heritage projects across the country to be awarded a Heritage Horizon Award from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The award will see the iron and glass structure restored to its former glory as a People’s Palace on Great Yarmouth’s seafront.

If you have a Winter Gardens story of your own, share them by taking part in Freshly Greated’s GY Stories project: https://www.facebook.com/freshlygreated/

The Winter Gardens. (Image: James Weeds)

Rotten wood and broken glass on a building attached to the Winter Gardens. (Image: James Weeds)

Old signs from its time as a softball play area remain inside the Winter Gardens. (Image: James Weeds)

The ironwork inside the Winter Gardens. (Image: James Weeds)

Inside the Winter Gardens with scaffolding in place. (Image: James Weeds)

A view of the Ferris wheel from the Winter Gardens. (Image: James Weeds)

COME AGAIN SOON: The Winter Gardens is expected to be open again to the public by summer 2026. (Image: James Weeds)