About the Bandstand
Background
In March 2021, a local musician, Stephen Williams, had three ideas: how to honour the NHS, key workers and volunteers who have helped us through the Pandemic and how to remember those who had lost their lives; and how to create a much needed, new, open air performing venue in the heart of Dorking.
Joined by two friends, Nick Wright and Tony Earnshaw and with the support of several councillors, the group formed a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) to realise this vision.
Location and nature of the venue
The site for the venue is in Meadowbank Park, in the centre of Dorking, where there is good access with parking and facilities nearby. This will also provide a further focus to the park, which has seen a number of new developments by Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) in recent years, including a new playground, a skate park and a café.
Even “conventional” bandstands come in many shapes, sizes and configurations and are increasingly used for a wide variety of purposes, as our research has shown. The pandemic has also seen their use increase dramatically as people seek outside but protected spaces in which to perform and hold their activities.
Dorking had its own Edwardian bandstand until it was demolished in the early 1960s. We are re-creating this in a similar style, but incorporating modern technology and features to enable the wider uses to which bandstands are now being put, from music to drama; sports to promotion and beyond.
Plans for “Music in Meadowbank”
One of the main uses of the bandstand will be for a series of free, Sunday afternoon concerts which we intend to stage over the summer months, from May to September. These will mainly be acoustic performances – jazz, brass ensembles, small orchestras, folk singers, choirs etc – designed for a wide audiences including families with children.
The bandstand will also be available for other events during the week and for a limited number of larger, full scale commercial performances.
Technical information for performers and users
The bandstand will be about 8 metres across the sides of the octagon; it is being built with access ramps on four of the eight sides, and it will have an electrical supply as well as ambient roof lighting.
Controlled vehicular access across the park is available, with main car parking in St Martin’s Walk car park. For more detail on practical issues, please contact our events officer using the “events” contact form.
Next steps
Work started on building the bandstand just after Easter. We are planning for the groundworks and plinth construction to take about 4 weeks, for the erection of the bandstand itself to take another 4 weeks, and with finishing works, for the bandstand to be ready for use in early June 2026.
Our opening concert is planned for 14th June!
Costs and Timescale
It is estimated that the project will need around £250,000 – £260,000 in total to build the plinth, buy and erect the structure and provide for running and maintenance costs in the early years while a programme of events is developed. We have already received grants of £20,000 from MVDC and just under £210,000 from Your Fund Surrey, as well as donations from benefactors, to whom we are very grateful. They are listed on our funding pages.