The history of Bournemouth’s iconic Echo building


Ninety years ago, on a day much like today, the bustling seaside town of Bournemouth witnessed the dawn of a new era in its journalistic history. A magnificent Art Deco masterpiece, rising proudly on Richmond Hill, opened its doors to become the new home of the Daily Echo.

This wasn’t the paper’s first residence, of course. Its journey began modestly in 1900 at a building known as The Exchange, opposite the East Cliff Congregational Church on Holdenhurst Road.

Seven years later, it shifted to the more spacious Observer Chambers on Albert Road, a site then occupied by Bath Travel. But this move in 1934 was different. It was a leap into a future filled with promise and excitement.

Construction had begun the previous year, transforming a plot of land halfway up Richmond Hill into a spectacle of architectural grandeur.

Half a million bricks were laid, interspersed with gleaming white Monks Park Bath stone and Purbeck stone, the latter bearing the imprints of ancient shellfish

The Art Deco style, inspired by the unearthing of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the sleek lines of ocean liners, had taken Bournemouth by storm in the 1920s.

The Echo’s new headquarters embodied this trend perfectly, its sandy hues and hieroglyphic-esque decorations echoing the wonders of ancient Egypt, while its prow-like curves mirrored the majestic vessels that sailed the seas.

The transition to this impressive new abode was a feat of logistical mastery, carried out with clockwork precision over a single night – January 13 to 14, 1934.

As the old premises buzzed with the final flurry of activity, news and sports results continued to pour in via private wire until 7 pm on that fateful Saturday.

Then, the intricate process of transferring the telegraphic equipment began. Dynamos, transmitters, and tape printers had to be carefully dismantled, transported, and reassembled in their new home, ready for action by the next morning.

Adding to the challenge was a tempestuous storm.

Despite the howling winds and driving rain, the dedicated team pressed on, their determination unwavering.

On Sunday, test messages were sent through the private wire, confirming the successful re-establishment of the printer links.

Meanwhile, reporters huddled around telephones, diligently gathering details of the havoc wreaked by the overnight gale.

Come Monday morning, the scene inside the new building was one of organised chaos. Fifteen two-ton Linotype machines clanked and whirred, casting lines of lead type with remarkable speed and precision.

The Daily Echo, reborn in its dazzling new home, was ready to deliver the news to the eager public.

The Art Deco building served the Echo faithfully for three decades, but the ever-expanding paper eventually outgrew its stylish confines.

Southern Newspapers, the paper’s publisher, acquired the neighbouring New Royal Theatre to accommodate the burgeoning needs of its flagship publication.

The paper itself was growing thicker, demanding more space for production and storage. Moreover, the company had committed to providing its dedicated staff with a social room, games room, canteen, and kitchen – amenities that required additional space.

In 1960, the theatre’s Grand Hall was absorbed into the Echo’s expanding domain. But this expansion was more than just a matter of knocking down walls.

Two new printing presses, each weighing 50 tons more than their predecessors, necessitated the strengthening of the building’s foundations.

A ramp was constructed to facilitate the smooth flow of delivery lorries, allowing them to enter from Albert Road, load up with freshly printed papers at the dispatch department, and exit uphill onto Yelverton Road.

The challenge was to achieve all this without compromising the architectural integrity of the existing building.

The solution was an ambitious engineering undertaking: the installation of a concrete basement running the entire length of the building.

This involved constructing reinforced waterproof concrete walls, 18 inches thick and more than 20 feet high, and laying a concrete raft to support a steel framework capable of bearing the immense weight of the new presses and up to 300 tons of newsprint.

On September 18, 1961, amid much fanfare, the mayor, Cllr Deric Scott, was given the honour of pushing the button that set the first of the new presses in motion. A year later, its twin roared to life, marking the completion of the £500,000 underpinning operation.

The 1980s ushered in a technological revolution that transformed the newspaper industry. Computer-set pages began to replace the time-honoured hot metal technology.

The transition started with the TV pages, gradually spread through the features sections, and finally reached the “live” news pages. On November 25, 1987, the Daily Echo made history by becoming the first completely computer-set paper in its long and illustrious history.

The day before, in a poignant ceremony, stonehand Geoff Liddle laid aside his tweezers – the tools used to apply spacing to pre-set lines of type – symbolising the end of an era.

The horse racing results were the last vestige of the hot metal era, their final appearance in lead type a bittersweet moment for those who had dedicated their lives to the craft.

Ironically, the advent of technology meant that the Echo required less space, not more. New, faster presses, shared with other titles first in Southampton and later in Weymouth, could churn out papers at an unprecedented rate. This freed up a significant portion of the building, which was leased out and transformed into an award-winning restaurant, aptly named the Print Room.

While the Echo continued to occupy part of the building, changes were afoot. In the late 2010s, THAT Group, a property development company with a knack for revitalising iconic structures, entered the picture. They saw the potential of the Echo building, not just as a newspaper office, but as a vibrant hub for creative businesses.

The digital revolution continued to reshape the media landscape, leading to further streamlining of the Daily Echo’s operations. By 2021, the need for physical space had diminished even further, prompting another transformation of the iconic building.

THAT Group, recognising the evolving needs of the modern workplace, seized the opportunity to expand its presence. They embarked on a new phase of redevelopment, converting more of the building into spacious and contemporary offices designed to attract a wider range of businesses.

The Daily Echo building, a testament to the enduring power of the press and a symbol of Bournemouth’s rich history, continues to stand tall, its story forever intertwined with the town it has served for 90 years.



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