Pelham Arcade

Pelham Arcade

Length	180 feet
Construction
Completion	18 August 1825
Landmarks
Designer	Joseph Kay

Sometimes referred to as the Royal Pelham Arcade. This was a rectangular room long occupied by almost thirty shops situated beneath Pelham Crescent, and was possibly the first purpose-built shopping-mall in the United Kingdom, opening in August 1828. As one of the largest spaces in Hastings at the time, it was often utilised as a lecture or concert-room. The space is now sub-divided into plots corresponding to the shop fronts on Pelham Place, the sub-division taking place pre-1947 on the whole.

Parry describes Pelham Arcade thus; "This is a fine room, lighted in the ceiling, 180 feet long, and occupied by twenty-eight shops, in the style of a bazaar, the centre also forming a musical promenade in the evening; in another part of the basement is a coffee-room. The terrace is ascended by a handsome flight of steps."

It is believed that at least some of the shops had cellars, such as that utilised by Ellis Son and Vidler in their adjoining premises.

Original design based upon contemporary drawings

Contemporary drawings of Pelham Arcade by William Moss and Thomas DW Dearn depict the interior, which was laid out with stalls within tall arcades, in eleven bays, on the north and south sides of a central space. The arcade was top-lit by a canted roof-light of presumably timber small-paned lights supported on segmental arched iron trusses; the central bay appearing to have an octagonal ceiling vent. At each end, the northern arcade was canted and reduced in scale, to account for the profile of the crescent and the church crypt. Shops are shown set back within the arcades, each having a projecting counter. At the east end was a lobby with a groin-vaulted roof and lit by a semicircular Diocletian overlight. At the west end was a similar vestibule with an entrance to the western end of the ramp. The drawings suggest that there was a principal entrance to the west of the centre of the concourse, shown on Moss's interior view, and in varied form on external views, breaking forward from the main façade, and in some cases under an enriched panel. It appears to have been balanced by a smaller entrance towards the eastern end of the facade. Both artists show a timber plank floor.

Modifications from original

The arcade was modified in the 1860s to open up the southern range of stalls to the street, first at the eastern end of the arcade, and then by 1863 into the south wall of the ramp. The main basement to the western end was excavated as early as 1860/61 by wine merchant Joseph Arnold. By 1881 Gothic fronts had been added to two bays of the façade. C20 and early C21 individual shops disguise the façade and internal plan of the southern arcade.

1910 Fire

The section below was found by Helena Wojtczak

EXCITEMENT AT PELHAM ARCADE.

Considerable excitement was caused last Saturday morning by the news that a fire had broken out at the Penny Bazaar at Pelham-arcade.

It appears that a plumber was doing some repairs connected with a cistern on a shelf at the back of the shop, when he upset a candle and set fire to some straw. He endeavoured to extinguish the flames with buckets of water, but they spread too rapidly.

The alarm was communicated to the Hastings Volunteer Fire Brigade, and No. 2 Section, under Lieut. E. H. Glenister, with Pioneer Geldup, arrived with a hose-reel. As the Sections were not at full strength, half the Brigade being on holiday, Lieut. Glenister deemed it advisable to call out Sections 1, 5, 6, and 7. Mr. L. O. Glenister (formerly captain of the Brigade, and now an honorary captain) was present, as were also Foremen Paine, Winser, and Dyer.

The departure of the engine from St. Leonards aroused much excitement and enthusiasm in London-road and the vicinity. The fire had, however, been so quickly extinguished that it was out before the engine arrived.

Pelham-arcade was the scene of great activity, some of the neighbours beginning to move their stock, in fear that the fire might spread. They were quickly reassured. AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT was that an elderly man named Muggridge, who was carrying boards, fell or was pushed down in the crowd, and sustained a broken leg. He was conveyed to the Hastings, St. Leonards, and East Sussex Hospital, where he has since been progressing very favourably.

The damage was confined to the rear of the shop. The structure and contents of the premises suffered, but not to a very serious extent. The premises and the contents are insured in the London and Lancashire Office.

To the Editor of the Observer. SIR, — Edward Muggridge, of 86, Stonefield-road, a “sandwich man,” while passing the scene of the fire, was knocked down, and his leg broken. Muggridge, who is very deaf, and partially crippled, has an invalid wife dependent upon him. We have made strict enquiries, and find him to be a thoroughly respectable, hardworking man. We appeal to the charitable public to assist him in his time of trouble. Any subscriptions received by us will be acknowledged in your columns.

Yours truly, H. N. CRUTTENDEN, Captain, E. H. GLENISTER, Secretary, Hastings and St. Leonards Fire Brigade, 34, Priory-avenue, Hastings. July 25th, 1910.

Plans to partially re-open arcade

Interior of Arcade 2023 ( (c) Baker Architectural)

In March of 2025, Hastings Borough Council approved plans to convert at least part of the surviving arcade into a food hall with 'pop-up' booths providing catering from different cuisines. Although the Listed Building details state that the original structure of the arcade is 'fossilised' behind the partitions and wall of the more-recent shops, severe decay is evident in the timber structures supporting the original vaulted ceiling of the arcade revealed by the stripping out phase of this project as can be seen by photographs included with the planning application. The works to open the arcade out behind numbers 9 to 11 would appear to go some way to remediate this, however it may be supposed that the remaining shops forming the frontage of the arcade conceal similar decay.

Exposure of the arcade caused by building work Oct 2025

Late in September 2025, some of the glazed roof panels above the arcade were removed by builders, leaving the arcade open to the elements. A series of photographs were taken by urban explorers (History Hunters UK) showing the interior. Following a number of Facebook posts locally on the subject revealing the danger and risk of further damage to the arcade, the council took steps to secure the roof.

Grade II* Listed (Historic England listing 1043389)

Images & Features

N.B. The 'features' tab, whilst returning buildings and business premises in this road is not operating correctly, therefore a 'Dev.Use' tab is in place to explore alternative ways of retrieving this data.

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Images

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  Page197-Pelham Arcade c1825 - Hastings of Bygone Days and the Present

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  Pelham Arcade Interior

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  Pelham-Crescent-and-the-rear-of-Beach-Terrace.-1843.

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  Pelham Arcade 2023

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  HS LB 24 00340-EXISTING FLOR PLAN - POST STRIPPING OUT-1026392

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  Pelham Arcade 2025 - 3

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  Pelham Arcade 2025 - 1

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  Pelham Arcade 2025 - 2