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Beehive (Gatwick Airport)
Encyclopedia
The Beehive is the original terminal building
at Gatwick Airport
, England. Opened in 1936, it became obsolete in the 1950s as the airport expanded. In 2008, it was converted into serviced offices, having served as the headquarters of franchised airline GB Airways
for some years before that. It was the world's first fully integrated airport building, and is considered a nationally and internationally important example of airport terminal design. The Beehive is a part of the City Place Gatwick
office complex. The 20000 square foot former terminal building is located on a 2 acre (0.809372 ha) site.
in the parish of Charlwood
, a village in Surrey. In 1891, a racecourse was built on the land to replace one in nearby Croydon
, and the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
provided a railway station to serve it. Growth in the popularity of aviation in the 1920s resulted in London's first airport being established at Waddon
, near Croydon; soon afterwards, land next to Gatwick racecourse was developed as an airfield as well. It received an aerodrome
licence in 1930, and was called Gatwick Aerodrome because of its proximity to the racecourse.
A. M. (Morris) Jackaman, who owned several light aircraft, bought the aerodrome in September 1933. He had bold ideas for its future, such as expanding it to make it suitable to use as a relief aerodrome for London (Croydon) Airport
and providing a regular service to Paris
using de Havilland DH.84 Dragon
aircraft. Overcoming resistance from the Air Ministry
, which was concerned about the cost of draining the clayey land and diverting the River Mole, he oversaw Gatwick's transition to a public aerodrome, licensed for non-private flights, in 1934, and planned a proper terminal building linked to a new railway station on the adjacent Brighton Main Line
. (The former farmhouse on the land used for the aerodrome had been converted into a clubhouse and terminal.) He put great importance on the design process: he, and contemporaries, considered terminals at other aerodromes to be impractical and unsuitable for expansion.
Jackaman developed the idea of a circular terminal building—reputedly in response to a throwaway comment by his father—and submitted a patent application
for the concept on 8 October 1934. Advantages claimed for the design included efficient use of space and greater safety of aircraft movements. Telescopic
"piers" or gangways would provide covered access from the building to the aircraft. A subway
was recommended as the best method of bringing passengers into the building from outside.
Jackaman raised money by floating his company, Airports Ltd, on the stock exchange
. The Air Ministry also paid for the right to use Gatwick as a diversionary destination at times when Croydon Aerodrome was inaccessible; and in 1935, Hillman's Airways—months before its merger to form the company now known as British Airways
—made Gatwick its operational base, increasing its commercial viability and providing more finance. The aerodrome closed on 6 July 1935 to allow the terminal to be built. The contracted opening date of October 1935 was not met, partly because of ongoing drainage problems, but a new railway station was provided on time in September of that year. This was linked to the terminal when it did open.
The terminal was completed in early 1936. Although the airport was officially reopened on 6 June 1936, flights to various destinations began in May. Jackaman's proposed service to Paris was included: three flights were operated each day, connecting with fast trains from London Victoria station. Combined rail and air tickets were offered for £
4.5s
, and there was a very short transfer time at the terminal (on some flights, as little as 20 minutes was needed).
Gatwick Airport, as it had become, was requisition
ed for military use during the Second World War. Afterwards, it was eventually agreed upon as the site of London's official second airport, behind Heathrow
, after other contenders were ruled out. The Government announced its decision in July 1952. Substantial redevelopment started in that year with the acquisition of more land (including the parts of the racecourse site which had not yet been developed) and the diversion of the A23
around the new boundary of the airport. A large new terminal was built between 1956 and 1958, the 1935 railway station closed and a new station was built within the terminal complex, on the site of the old racecourse station. The Beehive was thus cut off from transport connections and the airport at large, although it was still within its boundaries and was used for helicopter
traffic for several more years.
The Borough of Crawley was extended northwards in 1974 to include Gatwick Airport and its surrounding land, at which point it moved from Surrey into West Sussex. The Beehive has been in Crawley since then. The county of Surrey had not always been accommodating towards the airport: for example, in 1935, the local council in which the terminal would be built (Dorking and Horley Rural District Council
) was concerned about possible compensation claims from local residents and the threat of facing liability for accidents; and it "could see no benefit" to allowing further development.
, Marlow and Lovett in accordance with the design concept provided by Morris Jackaman. It was built from steel reinforced concrete
frames with internal brickwork walls, and has been described as a good example of the 1930s trend whereby concrete was used instead of steelwork as the main material for buildings intended to project a "modern" impression. A Vierendeel girder with six supports runs around the first floor roof.
As originally built, the interior consisted of concentric
rings of rooms and offices with corridors between them, designed to keep arriving and departing passengers separate. Six telescopic covered corridors led from the main concourse, allowing six aircraft to be in use at one time. A subway led from the terminal to the new station, 130 yards (119 m) away, ensuring that passengers arriving by train from London stayed undercover from the time they arrived at Victoria station until the time their aircraft reached its destination.
The building rises from one storey in the exterior ring to three in the centre. This central section originally contained a control tower
, weather station and some passenger facilities; the main passenger circulating area surrounded it on the storey below. Baggage handling also took place on this floor. A restaurant and offices were on the ground floor in the outermost ring. The ground and first floors have windows of various sizes at regular intervals, while the former control tower was glazed all around. Changes have been made to the internal layout since the conversion of the building to offices.
The design is frequently described as innovative and revolutionary, and The Beehive is recognised as having been the UK's first integrated airport building, combining all necessary functions in a single structure. It was the first airport to give direct, undercover access to the aircraft, and the first to be integrated with a railway station.
, established in 1931 as Gibraltar Airways by Gibraltar
shipping group MH Bland
, moved its headquarters and operational base to The Beehive. in 1989.
When EasyJet
announced its purchase of most of GB Airways
's assets in 2007, the Beehive was not included. The employment base at The Beehive closed, with 284 job losses. After the purchase by easyJet occurred in January 2008, the building was retained by GB's former parent company, Bland Group
. The offices it now consists of are being offered to tenants requiring serviced office accommodation. Joseph Gaggero
, president of the Bland Group proposes to convert the building into a "service centre" for the group's operations in the United Kingdom.
The Beehive was listed at Grade II* on 19 August 1996. It is one of the 12 Grade II* buildings, and 100 listed buildings of all grades, in the Borough of Crawley.
It is currently occupied by Meridian Aviation.
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
at Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
, England. Opened in 1936, it became obsolete in the 1950s as the airport expanded. In 2008, it was converted into serviced offices, having served as the headquarters of franchised airline GB Airways
GB Airways
GB Airways was a UK airline; prior to its dissolution it was headquartered in "The Beehive," a former terminal building, at City Place Gatwick, London Gatwick Airport in Crawley, West Sussex, England. It operated scheduled services as a British Airways franchise to 30 destinations in Europe and...
for some years before that. It was the world's first fully integrated airport building, and is considered a nationally and internationally important example of airport terminal design. The Beehive is a part of the City Place Gatwick
City Place Gatwick
City Place Gatwick is an office complex located on the property of London Gatwick Airport in Crawley, West Sussex, England. The complex includes four buildings: The Beehive, an approximately former terminal building at Gatwick Airport located on a site; the BT building, a facility on a site, 2...
office complex. The 20000 square foot former terminal building is located on a 2 acre (0.809372 ha) site.
History
Gatwick was a manorManorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
in the parish of Charlwood
Charlwood
Charlwood is a village and civil parish in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England. It is immediately northwest of London Gatwick Airport in West Sussex, close west of Horley and north of Crawley. The historic county boundary between Surrey and Sussex ran to the south of Gatwick Airport...
, a village in Surrey. In 1891, a racecourse was built on the land to replace one in nearby Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, and the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
provided a railway station to serve it. Growth in the popularity of aviation in the 1920s resulted in London's first airport being established at Waddon
Waddon
Waddon is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, to the south west of central Croydon on the borders of the London Borough of Sutton. Waddon has an older area with 19th century properties, some even older, close to central Croydon. Further south is a large estate of Council-owned homes and a...
, near Croydon; soon afterwards, land next to Gatwick racecourse was developed as an airfield as well. It received an aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
licence in 1930, and was called Gatwick Aerodrome because of its proximity to the racecourse.
A. M. (Morris) Jackaman, who owned several light aircraft, bought the aerodrome in September 1933. He had bold ideas for its future, such as expanding it to make it suitable to use as a relief aerodrome for London (Croydon) Airport
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
and providing a regular service to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
using de Havilland DH.84 Dragon
De Havilland Dragon
|-See also:-References:Bibliography ISBN 0-85177-813-5...
aircraft. Overcoming resistance from the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
, which was concerned about the cost of draining the clayey land and diverting the River Mole, he oversaw Gatwick's transition to a public aerodrome, licensed for non-private flights, in 1934, and planned a proper terminal building linked to a new railway station on the adjacent Brighton Main Line
Brighton Main Line
The Brighton Main Line is a British railway line from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. It is about 50 miles long, and is electrified throughout. Trains are operated by Southern, First Capital Connect, and Gatwick Express, now part of Southern.-Original proposals:There were no fewer...
. (The former farmhouse on the land used for the aerodrome had been converted into a clubhouse and terminal.) He put great importance on the design process: he, and contemporaries, considered terminals at other aerodromes to be impractical and unsuitable for expansion.
Jackaman developed the idea of a circular terminal building—reputedly in response to a throwaway comment by his father—and submitted a patent application
Patent application
A patent application is a request pending at a patent office for the grant of a patent for the invention described and claimed by that application. An application consists of a description of the invention , together with official forms and correspondence relating to the application...
for the concept on 8 October 1934. Advantages claimed for the design included efficient use of space and greater safety of aircraft movements. Telescopic
Telescoping (mechanics)
Telescoping in mechanics describes the movement of one part sliding out from another, lengthening an object from its rest state. In modern equipment, this is often done by hydraulics....
"piers" or gangways would provide covered access from the building to the aircraft. A subway
Subway (underpass)
In England and Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong and some Commonwealth countries , the term subway normally refers to a specially constructed underpass for pedestrians and/or cyclists beneath a road or railway, allowing them to reach the other side in safety.The term is also used in the...
was recommended as the best method of bringing passengers into the building from outside.
Jackaman raised money by floating his company, Airports Ltd, on the stock exchange
Stock exchange
A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...
. The Air Ministry also paid for the right to use Gatwick as a diversionary destination at times when Croydon Aerodrome was inaccessible; and in 1935, Hillman's Airways—months before its merger to form the company now known as British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
—made Gatwick its operational base, increasing its commercial viability and providing more finance. The aerodrome closed on 6 July 1935 to allow the terminal to be built. The contracted opening date of October 1935 was not met, partly because of ongoing drainage problems, but a new railway station was provided on time in September of that year. This was linked to the terminal when it did open.
The terminal was completed in early 1936. Although the airport was officially reopened on 6 June 1936, flights to various destinations began in May. Jackaman's proposed service to Paris was included: three flights were operated each day, connecting with fast trains from London Victoria station. Combined rail and air tickets were offered for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
4.5s
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
, and there was a very short transfer time at the terminal (on some flights, as little as 20 minutes was needed).
Gatwick Airport, as it had become, was requisition
Requisition
A requisition is a request for something, especially a formal written request on a pre-printed form.An online requisition is an electronic document, which can be originated by the requester and then using the company workflow or hierarchy rules, can be submitted to the subsequent levels, until it...
ed for military use during the Second World War. Afterwards, it was eventually agreed upon as the site of London's official second airport, behind Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
, after other contenders were ruled out. The Government announced its decision in July 1952. Substantial redevelopment started in that year with the acquisition of more land (including the parts of the racecourse site which had not yet been developed) and the diversion of the A23
A23 road
The A23 road is a major road in the United Kingdom between London and Brighton, East Sussex. It became an arterial route following the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1750 and the consequent improvement of roads leading to the bridge south of the river by the Turnpike Trusts...
around the new boundary of the airport. A large new terminal was built between 1956 and 1958, the 1935 railway station closed and a new station was built within the terminal complex, on the site of the old racecourse station. The Beehive was thus cut off from transport connections and the airport at large, although it was still within its boundaries and was used for helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
traffic for several more years.
The Borough of Crawley was extended northwards in 1974 to include Gatwick Airport and its surrounding land, at which point it moved from Surrey into West Sussex. The Beehive has been in Crawley since then. The county of Surrey had not always been accommodating towards the airport: for example, in 1935, the local council in which the terminal would be built (Dorking and Horley Rural District Council
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
) was concerned about possible compensation claims from local residents and the threat of facing liability for accidents; and it "could see no benefit" to allowing further development.
Architecture
The terminal was designed by architects HoarFrank Hoar
Harold Frank Hoar, FRIBA , was a British architect, artist, academic and architectural historian. Hoar first came to public prominence when, at the age of 25, he won a competition to design the first terminal building at London's Gatwick Airport in the 1930s...
, Marlow and Lovett in accordance with the design concept provided by Morris Jackaman. It was built from steel reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
frames with internal brickwork walls, and has been described as a good example of the 1930s trend whereby concrete was used instead of steelwork as the main material for buildings intended to project a "modern" impression. A Vierendeel girder with six supports runs around the first floor roof.
As originally built, the interior consisted of concentric
Concentric
Concentric objects share the same center, axis or origin with one inside the other. Circles, tubes, cylindrical shafts, disks, and spheres may be concentric to one another...
rings of rooms and offices with corridors between them, designed to keep arriving and departing passengers separate. Six telescopic covered corridors led from the main concourse, allowing six aircraft to be in use at one time. A subway led from the terminal to the new station, 130 yards (119 m) away, ensuring that passengers arriving by train from London stayed undercover from the time they arrived at Victoria station until the time their aircraft reached its destination.
The building rises from one storey in the exterior ring to three in the centre. This central section originally contained a control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
, weather station and some passenger facilities; the main passenger circulating area surrounded it on the storey below. Baggage handling also took place on this floor. A restaurant and offices were on the ground floor in the outermost ring. The ground and first floors have windows of various sizes at regular intervals, while the former control tower was glazed all around. Changes have been made to the internal layout since the conversion of the building to offices.
The design is frequently described as innovative and revolutionary, and The Beehive is recognised as having been the UK's first integrated airport building, combining all necessary functions in a single structure. It was the first airport to give direct, undercover access to the aircraft, and the first to be integrated with a railway station.
The building today
GB AirwaysGB Airways
GB Airways was a UK airline; prior to its dissolution it was headquartered in "The Beehive," a former terminal building, at City Place Gatwick, London Gatwick Airport in Crawley, West Sussex, England. It operated scheduled services as a British Airways franchise to 30 destinations in Europe and...
, established in 1931 as Gibraltar Airways by Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
shipping group MH Bland
Bland Group
The Bland Group Ltd. is made up of a number of small operating companies based in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.-History:The Gaggero family has been running the business since 1891 although the company began in 1810 when Marcus Henry Bland, from Liverpool began a shipping company from...
, moved its headquarters and operational base to The Beehive. in 1989.
When EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
announced its purchase of most of GB Airways
GB Airways
GB Airways was a UK airline; prior to its dissolution it was headquartered in "The Beehive," a former terminal building, at City Place Gatwick, London Gatwick Airport in Crawley, West Sussex, England. It operated scheduled services as a British Airways franchise to 30 destinations in Europe and...
's assets in 2007, the Beehive was not included. The employment base at The Beehive closed, with 284 job losses. After the purchase by easyJet occurred in January 2008, the building was retained by GB's former parent company, Bland Group
Bland Group
The Bland Group Ltd. is made up of a number of small operating companies based in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.-History:The Gaggero family has been running the business since 1891 although the company began in 1810 when Marcus Henry Bland, from Liverpool began a shipping company from...
. The offices it now consists of are being offered to tenants requiring serviced office accommodation. Joseph Gaggero
Joseph Gaggero
Joseph James Gaggero CBE KHS is a Gibraltarian businessman. He is president of The Bland Group of Companies, which concentrate their business in shipping, aviation and travel.-Early and personal life:...
, president of the Bland Group proposes to convert the building into a "service centre" for the group's operations in the United Kingdom.
The Beehive was listed at Grade II* on 19 August 1996. It is one of the 12 Grade II* buildings, and 100 listed buildings of all grades, in the Borough of Crawley.
It is currently occupied by Meridian Aviation.