Royal Albert Hall First Historic Building in Europe to Gain Facilities Operations Standard

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26 April 2022

The Royal Albert Hall has earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management through the International WELL Building Institute.

The WELL Health-Safety Rating focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to address a post-COVID-19 environment now and into the future.

Staff at the Grade II Listed Building had to provide detailed evidence across 15 criteria to obtain the rating, including clean air and water, high standards of cleaning and effective procedures for staff and customer welfare.

Anthony Winter-Brown, Director of Visitor Experience at The Royal Albert Hall, said that they were approached by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) whilst the theatre was closed during the pandemic. They saw it as the ideal opportunity to reassure staff and customers of their health and wellbeing measures:

“We are delighted to be partnering with the International WELL Building Institute and are overjoyed to have achieved the Well Health-Safety Rating with them. This achievement is even more special, as we are the first historic building in Europe to have gained this rating. It is the perfect way to help celebrate our 150th anniversary.” 

Picture: a photograph of a member of staff using a handheld barcode scanner to check a customer's ticket. Image Credit: The Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall’s Refurbishment – The Great Excavation

The Hall turned 150 years old in 2021, and to commemorate this anniversary, the building’s two-storey, double-height basement is being excavated.

The project will include the creation of dedicated public spaces to extend The Royal Albert Hall charity’s Education & Outreach work as well as giving extra space for archive items.

T

he project has been nicknamed  “The Great Excavation”, as a tribute to Prince Albert and Henry Cole’s historic Great Exhibition of 1851, the success of which funded the creation of the area we now know as Albertopolis in London.

Extensive renovation and cleaning on the North side of the building will also be undertaken.

Picture: a photograph from a performance of David Arnold’s “A Circle of Sound” in July 2021. Image Credit: © Christie Goodwin © Firewheel LLP

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 26 April 2022

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