IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Belsize Avenue, LONDON, NW3 4BJ

Road off Haverstock Hill, developed in the 1870s. On the left is part of Hampstead Old Town Hall (see Image).

Built in 1877 to the designs of architects H.E. Kendall, junior and Frederick Mew. A Grade II listed building described at this https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1378818. Currently the home of Wac Arts, a charity providing creative arts and media programmes for young people.

A mixed residential/shopping parade completed in 1934 and named Hillfield Mansions on 1939 25 inch map. It was built on part of the grounds of Hillfield, a house once owned by the wine merchant Basil George Woodd, which was demolished in 1928. The central element (behind the tall section hidden by a tree towards the right of the photo) was an Odeon cinema which opened on 29 September 1934 and which until the opening of the Leicester Square cinema was the flagship of the chain. The architect was T P Bennett and Son. The cinema was badly damaged by a bomb in 1941 and remained closed for many years before being restored, again by T P Bennett and Son, in 1954. It finally closed in 1972 with the bulk of the building demolished, only the façade being retained. The central block is now occupied by a Budgen's supermarket, also incorporating a post office. Fittingly, the section on the far right of the photo is occupied by a small cinema, part of the Everyman chain.

Former town hall on Haverstock Hill, opened in 1878 as Hampstead Vestry Hall designed by the architects Henry E Kendall and Frederick Mew. in the 1960s Hampstead was incorporated in Camden Borough and the main council functions moved away in 1965 to St Pancras Town Hall, although the building retained a civic role. However these had ceased by the 1990s and with disuse the building had fallen into disrepair. However a successful campaign led to its restoration by Burrell, Foley and Fisher, with lottery funding, and it re-opened in 1999 as an arts centre. Grade II listed - see https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1378818?section=official-list-entry.

The building is a late C19 enlargement of an earlier vestry that had been used for local government meetings. It existed as Hampstead's town hall until reorganization in 1965 and is now used by groups running a variety of activities and classes. The impressive entrance hall, foyer and staircase are more likely to be seen thronged with youngsters in leotards than with worthies in mayoral chains.