Pelham Arcade was built between 1823 and 1825 by Joseph Kay, at 1–12 Pelham Crescent in Hastings, East Sussex.[1] It is believed to be one of the UK's oldest shopping arcades.[2] Pelham Arcade was intended to mimic the style of Burlington Arcade in London,[3][4] in particular, the use of arches between shops.[5] Pelham Arcade and Pelham Crescent are named after Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester, who built terraced houses in the area in the early 19th century, and owned Hastings Castle.[6]
In the nineteenth century, the arcade contained around 30 shops, including coffee shops, cigar shops, a library,[7]: 30–33 French china shops, jewellery shops[8] and shops selling foreign wines.[9] The arcade also contained assembly rooms,[10] and had evening performances for one shilling.[4] In the summer, musical shows were performed on the promenade outside the arcade.[7]: 39–40 In 1857, a Russian gun captured during the Crimean War was displayed on the seafront near Pelham Arcade. In the 1930s, the gun was moved to the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery.[11]
In the 20th and early 21st century, Pelham Arcade became run down, and suffered from damp and structural problems.[1] In 1988, it became a Grade II listed building.[12] Pelham Arcade was also listed on the Heritage at Risk Register.[2] In 2011, the arcade was upgraded from Grade II to Grade II* listed building status.[2] Between 2010 and 2014, Pelham Arcade was renovated, with new shop fronts and arches in the original style,[2][13] and fixes to the roof in order to stop it from leaking.[3] In 2014, the arcade was removed from the Heritage at Risk Register, to represent the fact that the arcade was no longer in decline.[2][3]
