Dulwich Hospital Demolition

[Captain Marvel]

Is the remaining wing really being demolished?

[Angelina]

They're only keeping the main red brick entrance of the original building

[DulwichFox]

Dulwich Hospital used to do X-Rays and Blood Tests.

They stopped doing X-Rays years ago.

They still do Blood Tests unless that has recently stopped.

The New wing currently being developed will supposedly be doing X-Rays and Blood Tests.

DulwichFox

[Rosetta]

They still do blood tests.

[Nigello]

The blood test facility is very good. The staff are really quick and friendly (no waiting times at all when I have been the last three or four times) and it is genuinely painless. The area itself is a bit shabby but it's clean. It is much preferable to going to King's but given that it is usually empty I wonder whether it will last.

[Penguin68]

but given that it is usually empty I wonder whether it will last.

That very much depends, in my experience, on when you come. First thing it is often very crowded as it has people who go to work, and people who have had to 'starve' before the test. By about 10:45 you often have to wait only one or two people, but there is a steady throughput - enough to occupy 2 and sometimes 3 phlebotomists. I've never seen it completely empty or gone straight in without at least a one-person wait. That's actually ideal and shows it is effectively staffed. Neither the patients', nor the phlebotomists' time is being wasted.

[Nigello]

I have been three times when I have walked in and no other cubicle has been being used. The other time I was seen immediately but one other cubicle (of three in all, I think) was used. Perhaps I was lucky in my choice of time. Busy or not, the staff are good at what they do and are cheery and this is important.

[Captain Marvel]

Back to the thread. Why is it being demolished?

Does anyone have any facts?

[Siduhe]

There's a number of old threads which you may be able to find which discuss the planned demolition - here's one that has some useful links and background. https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,999444

As I understood it back in 2012/13, the existing structure was found to be too expensive to maintain and renovate, as well as not being fit for modern use, so the decision was taken to retain the entrance way and replace the rest.

https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,999444

[Captain Marvel]

Yes it looks like the barbarism is unstoppable. I just tried to get it listed but I couldn't locate the planning permission details

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/apply-for-listing/

If anyone feels like giving it a go

[James Barber]

The main 'chateau' entrance building is remaining and will be an integral part of the school. The wings will be demolished. Talking to the one of the past NHS architects who drew up plans 10 years ago. The original hospital was constructed under the Poor Law and built to a low standard such as one brick thick. The cost to renovate those wings would be astronomic.

Several previous attempts have been made previously to have it listed 'Save the onion domes' being one of them. Listing was refused - https://www.dulwichsociety.com/journal-archive/91-summer-2012/723-dulwich-hospital

[se22cat]

It's my favourite building in the area. An utter travesty and crying shame the way it's been treated.

[Captain Marvel]

Plenty of money around for resurfacing roads that don't need it, for banners on lamp posts and propaganda magazines.

No money to renovate a wonderful old building

Welcome to Southwark

[fishbiscuits]

Captain Marvel Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Plenty of money around for resurfacing roads that

> don't need it, for banners on lamp posts and

> propaganda magazines.

>

> No money to renovate a wonderful old building

You think the costs of renovating a poorly built Victorian hospital are comparable to putting down a bit of tarmac?

[Captain Marvel]

Poorly built? It's over a hundred years old and the only thing bringing it down is the wrecker's ball

[BolivarIsMissing]

If it's only one brick thick then the heating costs must be astronomic?

Is the whole of the hospital site going to be part of the school? I hope so, as it's looking very squished at the moment!

[Penguin68]

Poorly built? It's over a hundred years old and the only thing bringing it down is the wrecker's ball

It was robustly built, but without false floors and ceilings through which to run cable, pipework etc, etc. to support a modern 'connected', heated and cooled, establishment, and being built in a way which was not consistent with the zero-carbon/ fully insulated mind-set of today, creating a modern health establishment inside its shell would be a very expensive option. It is, of course, a lovely building, and would still be fit for many purposes, but not, I suggest, a modern health centre offering quasi hospital services. I would tend to agree that it wasn't 'poorly built' certainly for the standards of the time and even now, but it is no longer appropriately built.

[Captain Marvel]

'It is, of course, a lovely building, and would still be fit for many purposes'

Exactly. Some things just need preserving for their own sake. In East Dulwich, there are precious few old buildings and one of them is to be levelled without so much as a whimper

Pulling that down is vandalism and demonstrates the same poverty of imagination that permits the construction of identikit flats all over the borough

[George Orwell]

Captain Marvel said "poorly built? It's over a hundred years old and the only thing bringing it down is the wrecker's ball"

How I agree ! However fit for purpose, super insulated and environmentally friendly together with being supposedly low maintenance I can absolutely guarantee that it won't last 50 years.

[SteveD]

I used to go there for blood tests but it got progressively worse. The last straw was three misses in one arm and an offer to try the other. Kings is so much better.

[Sue]

I go to both.

No probs at either.

[ed_pete]

Whilst I accept that preserving our heritage is important, in London where land and property prices are very high compared to other parts of the country and there is a demand for services which I feel should be housed in modern, fit for purpose premises, we need to be less sentimental about old buildings. A building designed for the needs of healthcare in the 19th century is not going to be state-of-art for 21st century. It?s running costs, maintenance requirements and carbon footprint are all going to be higher than the modern equivalent.

IMO, the retention of the central ?chateaux? is a pure concession to assuage local outrage but it was opined by James Barber that retaining it was a ?a key aspect to get planning permission?. Perhaps these are one and the same. Anyways it?s use as part of the school is unclear.

We should take pictures, videos and maybe even use VR technology to create an archive of the building, inside and out so that future generations can see what was there, even if they are unable to experience it for real. Then we should get rid of it.

[Captain Marvel]

Oh well, never mind

You don't know what you've got till it's gone

[Pugwash]

Having worked for many years in Dulwich Hospital - when the wards were there and afterwards when wards transferred to Kings, some of the facilities were basic. Toilets which needed to be updated, windows which were difficult to open. Temperamental heating, lifts which were not operational at times. Not all water taps were for drinking and water tasted metallic.

[seenbeen]

Some of my babies were born there- end of an era