Walton-on-Thames: Former Birds Eye offices at Walton Court (2)

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 23 Oct 2011

Walton Court was built in 1960/1 as the headquarters office of Birds Eye to the designs of the architectural practice of Sir John Burnet, Tait and Partners. It was one of the first "out of London town" prestige offices to be built for a major company, and its high architectural quality has merited Grade II Listed status. It is based on a concrete frame with glass cladding and natural anodised aluminium on dark blue vitreous enamelled infill panels. In the centre of the building are two internal courtyards, where Birds Eye used to keep flamingoes and penguins to entertain employees! For a glimpse inside at the time please see the preview of the British Pathé video newsreel http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=2600 There is a view of the opposite end of the building here Image and a close up of the sculpture at that end here Image The sculpture is also shown at the start of the newsreel clip. Walton Court was subsequently occupied by Unilever, but its approximate 175,000 square feet or approximate 16,000 square metres of space is sadly currently empty. The building's website is here http://www.waltoncourt.co.uk/ The building was constructed on the site of a large plot of allotment gardens on Station Avenue, and very close to Walton-on-Thames station.

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