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In the context of changing consumer tastes, the concert hall, at the front of the complex, was re-purposed as a theatre in 1955. It was initially known as the "Maidstone
Municipal Theatre" and a local theatre group known as the "County Towners Variety Club" performed two variety shows a year. By the
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The newer part, at the front of the complex, was commissioned as a concert hall: it was designed in the neoclassical style, built with a stucco finish, and was completed in 1869. The design involved a main frontage of three bays facing onto Earl Street. On the ground floor, the central bay contained
308:, which holds the freehold on the complex, sold a 125 lease to a property company. It then rented the complex back on a short-term sublease. In 2009, Carolyn Williams unveiled a plaque at the theatre to commemorate the life of her father, the children's television presenter,
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The
Hazlitt Theatre offers seating for 382 people while the Exchange Studio offers seating for 200 people. The two venues taken together are known as the "Hazlitt Arts Centre". The venue continues to put on
225:, England. The oldest part of the complex, which is now used as a shopping complex on the ground floor, and as a theatre venue known as the "Exchange Studio" on the first floor, is a Grade II
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a doorway while, in the right hand bay, there was an opening providing access to the colonnade. On the first floor, there were three segmental headed windows, and at roof level, there was a
273:(two of which were blind), the central section was completely blind, and the right hand section was fenestrated by sash windows (none of which were blind). The architectural historian,
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in three sections: seven bays in the north section, four bays in the central section and seven bays in the south section. On the ground floor, the bays were separated by
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in the late 19th century. The ground floor was re-purposed as a series of boutique shops, while the assembly room on the first floor became the "Exchange Studio".
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finish and was completed in 1835. The design involved a long frontage of 18 bays running down the right hand side of the complex. It featured a
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The complex was built in two parts. The older part, at the rear of the complex, was commissioned as a
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The use of the rear part of the complex as a corn exchange declined significantly in the wake of the
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The old corn exchange, also known as the "Market
Buildings", which forms the rear part of the complex
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columns supporting arches, while, on the first floor, the left hand section was fenestrated by
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619:"Hazlitt Theatre to continue in hands of Parkwood Leisure, Maidstone council decides"
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540:"Victor Young recalls the County Towners shows at the Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone"
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436:"The Hazlitt Theatre and Exchange Studio, Earle Street, Maidstone, Kent"
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514:"Remembering the County Towners at The Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone"
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460:'The Great Depression of English Agriculture 1873-1896' in
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Biographical
Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840
566:"The life of the controversial writer William Hazlitt"
671:"Hazlitt Theatre Sleeping Beauty Panto Press Launch"
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mid-1980s, it had been re-named after the essayist,
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392:. London: Yale University Press. p. 1041.
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673:. Maidstone Borough Council. 14 October 2022
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699:Commercial buildings completed in 1835
594:The Companion Guide to Kent and Sussex
704:Buildings and structures in Maidstone
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207:Hazlitt Theatre and Exchange Studio
35:Hazlitt Theatre and Exchange Studio
24:Hazlitt Theatre and Exchange Studio
367:National Heritage List for England
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709:Grade II listed buildings in Kent
645:"Memorial unveiled for TV artist"
597:. Companion Guides. p. 167.
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466:. London: Methuen. p. 31.
729:1955 establishments in England
489:"A Brief history of Maidstone"
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462:British Agriculture 1875-1914
419:. Penguin Books. p. 393.
362:"Market Buildings (1086298)"
312:, who was born in the town.
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413:Pevsner, Nikolaus (1969).
217:complex in Earl Street in
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714:Corn exchanges in England
335:Corn exchanges in England
306:Maidstone Borough Council
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739:Grade II listed theatres
457:Fletcher, T. W. (1973).
493:Local Histories website
416:West Kent and The Weald
591:Spence, Keith (1999).
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97:Architectural style(s)
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570:Great British Life
255:neoclassical style
251:John Whichcord Sr.
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157:Reference no.
101:Neoclassical style
73:51.2745°N 0.5216°E
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623:Kent Online
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518:Kent Online
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52:Coordinates
693:Categories
341:References
316:Facilities
149:Designated
135:– Grade II
61:51°16′28″N
323:pantomime
310:Tony Hart
263:colonnade
253:, in the
219:Maidstone
64:0°31′18″E
46:Maidstone
677:23 April
655:23 April
649:BBC News
629:23 April
576:23 April
550:23 April
524:23 April
498:23 April
442:23 April
373:23 April
329:See also
287:pediment
41:Location
283:cornice
233:History
215:theatre
213:, is a
161:1086298
107:Website
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259:stucco
89:Built
679:2023
657:2023
631:2023
599:ISBN
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468:ISBN
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394:ISBN
375:2023
223:Kent
205:The
92:1835
118:.uk
116:.co
112:www
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
