Celebrations of Bromley’s rich heritage is back in town with Open House Festival getting underway. New venue The Royal Bell joins returning favourites Scadbury Moated Manor and Crofton Roman Villa.
This year an impressive list of almost twenty fascinating venues will open for free across the borough for Open House Festival from Saturday 13 September to Sunday 21 September.
Bromley’s festival programme for 2025 includes a celebrated local landmark, the Royal Bell. Visitors will get a sneak peek at the Grade II listed hotel that has been closed for several years, and will get an opportunity to see the beautiful mosaic floors, ornate ceilings, a grand carved staircase and a ballroom. This historic building was designed in 1898 and is now set to re-open as a boutique hotel and private members club in the heart of Bromley.
Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing said: “It is great to see Open House Festival return to the borough, brilliantly showcasing the rich variety of historic buildings we have across the borough and also reflecting some of our ongoing work towards preserving Bromley’s valuable heritage. Thanks to dedicated organisers and volunteers, these events are available for residents to delve deeper into the illustrious history around us.”
Other great attractions include The Priory in Orpington, a grand medieval building built in 1270 that is rooted in fascinating history waiting to be explored; the Clockwise Offices at Bromley’s Old Town Hall, an iconic Grade II listed landmark home to offices and community spaces worth marvelling at; and St Mark’s Church in Biggin Hill, a stunning church built in 1959, known as ‘The moving church’ due to reusing materials from a Victorian church in Peckham.
Crofton Roman Villa, the archaeological remains of a 10-room house on former farmland, is also featuring in the festival as the council continues its ongoing efforts to refurbish the site.
Bromley Town Centre has been chosen as the borough’s Open House Neighbourhood for this year with the largest group of events which follows Orpington last year. In Bromley Town Centre, residents can visit the beautiful premises of Bromley and Sheppard's College and can also view 11 Elstree Hill, an early 1970’s self-build houses.
Bromley is a borough partner for Open House Festival, to find out more about these events, including how to book the activities involved, see the ‘Bromley’ area section on the Open House website.
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For media enquiries, please contact James George and Oluwatomisin Alao, Public Affairs, on 020 8313 4565 or email james.george@bromley.gov.uk