Whitesales’ ability to recreate the scale and architectural detail of an original 374m2 1930s rooflight in a contemporary, high performance version is what helped them secure the replacement contract at the iconic Grade II listed Apollo Victoria Theatre, in London’s West End – currently home to the musical Wicked.

The glazed rooflight is a key element in the design of the Art Deco building because it lets light shine through onto a spectacular glass ceiling spanning almost the whole of the vast auditorium and illuminating its interior.

After almost a century, the original rooflight needed to be replaced with a new, open ended continuous glazed ridgelight which would satisfy the requirements of the conservation officer. Whitesales’ highly experienced technical team liaised closely with the team at engineering consultancy Power Plan Services to supply detailed drawings of the rooflight at the design stage, including how it would fit to the existing steelwork and abut the walls to each end. These were accepted by the conservation officer, along with Whitesales’ plans to replace nine smaller hip-ended lanterns and ridgelights over the offices and stairwells with modern upgrades featuring a mix of louvres and opening sections for ventilation.

As well as meeting 21st century Building Regs, the new rooflights also incorporate Class 2 non-fragile glass throughout to protect anyone walking on the nearby roof walkways.

Whitesales worked closely with the roofing contractors GF Holdings on the fitting of the ridgelight to the upstand and even had some bespoke stand-off brackets fabricated to ensure that the ridgeline and slope of the new rooflight were ‘true’ and any trace of sagging was eliminated.

At the time of the replacement, the theatre was closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This gave the Ambassadors Theatre Group which owns the Apollo the opportunity they needed to carry out the work, but it also meant that all the suppliers and contractors on the project had to overcome considerable logistical challenges.

The property management team at the Ambassador Theatre Group responsible for the Apollo Victoria are delighted with the outcome, and the fact that the lavish Art Deco interior can now be seen in all its glory.

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