I first went to the Festival Hall, during the Festival of Britain in 1951. Aged 7, my parents and aunt took me to a performance of Copelia [Coppelia] by the Royal Ballet [Festival Ballet??]. I remember standing on an outside veranda, overlooking the old "Shot Tower", sadly later demolished. The original 1951 cladding of the Festival Hall was so colourful and true to its festive nature. For me it has always been one of the great London landmarks.