The Headland Event Space

History

The amphitheatre on Hartlepool’s headland, known locally as the Headland Bandstand, is a landmark site for Hartlepool. Created in the late 1800s as part of the sea defences to protect old Hartlepool, it created a place for civic, community and cultural life. Visual records of the site show events of all types taking place, from small musical performances to sporting events and community celebrations. For a large part of its life, a traditional bandstand sat on the site at the north-west end, giving the amphitheatre its name of the Headland Bandstand. 

The Bandstand and Promenade, circa 1900 (from Hartlepool Then and Now website; donated by Hartlepool Library Service).

Lots of great images of the Headland Bandstand amphitheatre can be found on the Hartlepool History Then and Now website here.

Restoration

The restoration of the event space was first proposed in 2019. A structural survey of the site identified that the terraced structure that retains and protects the upper promenade was in need of repair and had to be replaced. After years of being unused there was support for it to be restored for community and cultural events on the Headland.

The planned works will replace and renew a large section of the terraces that creates permanent seating in an amphitheatre arrangement. Restoration is due to be complete in autumn 2021. For more details on the restoration project, go to the regeneration pages on the Council website here.

This is an artist impression of the scheme, animated to show scale and a suggestion of activity.

Community and Cultural Events Programme

The event space will be managed by the Council as a performance venue alongside the Borough Hall and Town Hall Theatre. The Cultural Services department will deliver open air concerts and performances in the summer season and support community groups to use and hire the space for community events and activities. A diary for events will be managed so people can see when the space may be available for other hires or use.

General information on the hiring of the Headland event space for large scale events will be available in due course.