A farewell to Soho
BECTU's Head Office is moving from Soho to Clapham in August.
It is planned the new Head Office will open on 18 August 2002 in Clapham, South West London. The current office at 111 Wardour Street will then close.
Since it was formed in 1991 BECTU's head office has been in the heart of media-land, in Soho's Wardour Street. Its predecessor union ACT had been in Soho Square since 1947.
The move south was foreshadowed some thirty years ago, when the former NATTKE moved from Brewer Street to Kennington. When it amalgamated in 1984 with the ABS (located near Paddington) to form BETA, that union moved into 181-185 Wardour Street.
Even before Soho Square ACT had had offices at 145 Wardour Street; in 1986 ACTT moved into 111 Wardour Street, a few hundred yards south of BETA. Geographical approximation was followed by amalgamation in 1991, and the staff of both unions somehow crammed into number 111.
In 1920 111 Wardour Street had been known as 81 Wardour Street, and was The Two Chairmen public house. The property included a store to the rear at 5 Berwick Street.
A redevelopment took place in 1935, with the incorporation of 6 Berwick Street, and a lease was granted to the Producers Distributing Company. This was assigned a year later to Twickenham Film Distributors Limited, who went into receivership shortly afterwards. The next leaseholder, in 1937, was Pathe Pictures (who also occupied number 109 Wardour Street).
The story during the 1940s and 1950s is unclear, but by 1962 the head lease was held by George Humphries and Co, and several sub-lets followed. These saw the incorporation of a preview theatre and film cutting rooms, and offices in turn for Television Reporters International, Planet Film Distributors and the Film Laboratory Association.
In 1977 a modernisation, including the shop front, took place, and the building thereafter became designated for office use only. After a series of sublets in the 1980s, the freehold was sold to ACTT in November 1985 for just over £1 million.
111 Wardour Street began as a pub and then became part of the media industry. The pendulum has swung back, and now Soho is again better known for its eating places than for the media.
In moving south of the river to Clapham BECTU will have among its neighbours the Musicians Union, Connect and the CWU.
Nevertheless, the departure from Soho is regarded with some regret by those with sentimental nostalgia for earlier, perhaps livelier, times.
The new BECTU Head Office address from 18 August 2002 is 373-377 Clapham Road, London SW9 9BT.