BBC Big Screen
Encyclopedia
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games), and local councils
Local government in the United Kingdom
The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved...
. 25m LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
screens with sound systems are situated in prominent locations in city centres. The premise on which the screens are operated is as a platform for all, to provide local information, and to allow film-makers and other visual artists a platform on which to display their work. The screens are run by the BBC in accordance with its editorial guidelines and are known as 'Big Screen (city name) e.g. Big Screen Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
There are 21 Big Screens in UK cities..
Belfast
Big Screen BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
is in Donegall Square by the City Hall. Installed in May 2011, it is the first Big Screen in Northern Ireland.
Birmingham
The Big Screen was temporarily installed adjacent to the Birmingham Town Hall during its refurbishment.The Big Screen in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
was removed from Chamberlain Square
Chamberlain Square
Chamberlain Square or Chamberlain Place is a public square in central Birmingham, England , named after Joseph Chamberlain.Its features include:*Birmingham Central Library*Paradise Forum...
on 19 September 2007 after the renovation of the Town Hall was completed.It was then erected in Victoria Square in November 2007. Some controversy has existed over the screen in terms of the number of objections to the renewal of its planning permission. Three years after it was due to be switched back on it has finally been fully activated.
Bradford
Big Screen BradfordBradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
is situated in Centenary Square
Centenary Square
Centenary Square is a public square on Broad Street in central Birmingham, England, named in 1989 in celebration of the centenary of Birmingham achieving city status in 1889....
, at the heart of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
City Centre. Adjacent to City Hall and the new urban park development.
Coventry
Big Screen CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
is situated at the Coventry Transport Museum
Coventry Transport Museum
The Coventry Transport Museum is a motor museum, located in Coventry City Centre, England. It houses a collection of British-made road transport. It is located in Coventry because the city was previously the centre of the British car industry...
, Millennium Place.
Derby
Big Screen DerbyDerby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
has been up and running since 2007. The screen is a partnership between the BBC, Derby City Council, the University of Derby and LOCOG and is located in the Market Place next to the Assembly Rooms.
Edinburgh
Big Screen EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
is located in Festival Square. It's right across the road from the cultural trio of Usher Hall, Lyceum and Traverse Theatres and just a short walk from Princes Street and the imposing Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
Castle.
Leicester
Big Screen LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
was unveiled in January 2010 and is located in Humberstone Gate.
Liverpool
Big Screen LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
is situated in Clayton Square, in the heart of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
's retail quarter.
Manchester
Big Screen ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
was the first Big Screen within the pilot project to be launched in May 2003. The BBC had already explored screens in relation to events such as Proms in the Park, the 2002 World Cup and the Manchester Commonwealth Games. For the Queen's Golden Jubilee ten temporary screens were installed in major cities around the UK. Due to their success, Manchester became the first permanent screen and from this the project has grown. Big Screen Manchester is housed in Exchange Square, a busy public area regenerated after the IRA bomb in 1996. A new Big Screen was installed Spring 2010, replacing the 7-year-old original.
Norwich
Big Screen NorwichNorwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
is situated on Chapelfield Plain which is in the heart of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
City Centre.
Portsmouth
Big Screen PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
is at the heart of Portsmouth city centre in Guildhall Square, next the Civic Offices, Portsmouth Guildhall
Portsmouth Guildhall
Portsmouth Guildhall is the biggest events venue in the Hampshire city of Portsmouth in England. The building, completed in 1890, was designed in the neo-classical style by architect William Hill, who had earlier been responsible for the design of the town hall in Bolton...
, and only a few minutes walk to the City Centre & Portsmouth & Southsea Railway Station
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre....
.
Swindon
Big Screen SwindonSwindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
is sited within the town's main shopping centre at Wharf Green. The screen was bought for Swindon Borough Council by the New Swindon Company as part of a project to redevelop the Wharf Green area in 2008.
Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest is an outer London borough situated north east of the city. The Big Screen is located in WalthamstowWalthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
Town Square, installed in time for the Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
2008 Olympics.
Woolwich
The Olympic borough of GreenwichGreenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
is where one of the newest Big Screens resides, in General Gordon Place, Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
. The Big Screen is currently switched off whilst General Gordon Place is redesigned. The work is due to be completed in Spring 2011.