This ones been on my list ever since I started urban exploring. After many failed attempts the opportunity arose and I couldn’t resist.
I’ll touch on some brief history because it's been done so many times you probably already know it.
The grade two listed ABC designed by William R. Glen and Alfred Ernest Shennan was built and opened in 1931 for £200,000 as the “Forum Cinema”.
Right clearly I’m no good at this history shit here is some info I’ve pulled from. http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6521v
“The auditorium, in a semi-Atmospheric style, depicted Venetian scenes, contains an amazing proscenium treatment consisting of a vast curved canopy over the arch and the side boxes. Indirect light light was a feature, except for a huge ‘sunburst’ light fitting above the balcony.
A shallow stage was provided together with a Compton 3Manual/12Ranks organ on a lift in front of the stage, which was opened by organist Reginald Foort.
Because of the relatively small width of the site the 1,835 capacity was achieved by having a huge circle containing 750 of the seats.
It was re-named ABC from 17th February 1971 and due to its opulence and excellent location the cinema survived intact until 1982 when it was converted to a three screen operation by installing two mini-cinemas under the balcony seating 272 and 217 seats.
c95b67c8e53b1e5c97cb450cb3ea2196--oh-my-liverpool by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
From 1986 it had been re-named Cannon. It closed on 29th January 1998 with a special screening of Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”, when a special admission fee of 50p was charged.
There were proposals to convert the building into a conference centre, but these stalled and the building has stood empty since closing. Proposals were put forward in late-2007 to convert it into a ‘boutique’ hotel and supper club, with plans going to Liverpool City Council in July 2008 and if permission was granted, work could start in late-2008. The building remained unused and was de-tripled in 2016. 22 years after closing, the building still sits unused in 2020.”
lastshowabc by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
Onto the explore I visited twice, the first time the rather easy access had only been open for a week or two so the interior was mint. The first place I’ve been without graffiti, I then visited again a few weeks later and sadly we noticed graffiti and some stuff had been smashed up and sadly our explore got ended quickly when the local druggies came in and explained how they lived here followed by them cooking up some cooking heroin so we quickly left.
The first visit the lights weren’t on and it was raining so we didn’t feel like turning them back on, the second time the lights were thankfully on, which explains why some photos look decent while others look terrible. Most of the photos were shot with the pissy little flash on top of my camera, I need better loghts.
Anyway, enjoy
Shot on Sony a6400 + E 16-50mm 3.5+5.6 + Sigma 30mm 1.4
Forgot to grab an external so here's a phone shot
PXL_20220312_093005812 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC036362-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC036413-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04800-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC03644-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC03639-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04808 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04773 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04778 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04789 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04781 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04817 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04924 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04944 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04940 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
Shoddy MICC job on this old DB
DSC04942 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04806 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04898 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04905 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04900 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04894 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
I’ll touch on some brief history because it's been done so many times you probably already know it.
The grade two listed ABC designed by William R. Glen and Alfred Ernest Shennan was built and opened in 1931 for £200,000 as the “Forum Cinema”.
Right clearly I’m no good at this history shit here is some info I’ve pulled from. http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6521v
“The auditorium, in a semi-Atmospheric style, depicted Venetian scenes, contains an amazing proscenium treatment consisting of a vast curved canopy over the arch and the side boxes. Indirect light light was a feature, except for a huge ‘sunburst’ light fitting above the balcony.
A shallow stage was provided together with a Compton 3Manual/12Ranks organ on a lift in front of the stage, which was opened by organist Reginald Foort.
Because of the relatively small width of the site the 1,835 capacity was achieved by having a huge circle containing 750 of the seats.
It was re-named ABC from 17th February 1971 and due to its opulence and excellent location the cinema survived intact until 1982 when it was converted to a three screen operation by installing two mini-cinemas under the balcony seating 272 and 217 seats.
From 1986 it had been re-named Cannon. It closed on 29th January 1998 with a special screening of Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”, when a special admission fee of 50p was charged.
There were proposals to convert the building into a conference centre, but these stalled and the building has stood empty since closing. Proposals were put forward in late-2007 to convert it into a ‘boutique’ hotel and supper club, with plans going to Liverpool City Council in July 2008 and if permission was granted, work could start in late-2008. The building remained unused and was de-tripled in 2016. 22 years after closing, the building still sits unused in 2020.”
Onto the explore I visited twice, the first time the rather easy access had only been open for a week or two so the interior was mint. The first place I’ve been without graffiti, I then visited again a few weeks later and sadly we noticed graffiti and some stuff had been smashed up and sadly our explore got ended quickly when the local druggies came in and explained how they lived here followed by them cooking up some cooking heroin so we quickly left.
The first visit the lights weren’t on and it was raining so we didn’t feel like turning them back on, the second time the lights were thankfully on, which explains why some photos look decent while others look terrible. Most of the photos were shot with the pissy little flash on top of my camera, I need better loghts.
Anyway, enjoy
Shot on Sony a6400 + E 16-50mm 3.5+5.6 + Sigma 30mm 1.4
Forgot to grab an external so here's a phone shot
DSC04800-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC03644-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC03639-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04808 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04773 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04778 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04789 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04781 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04817 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04924 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04944 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04940 by Jacob Kelly, on FlickrShoddy MICC job on this old DB
DSC04942 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04806 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04898 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04905 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04900 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04894 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr
DSC04865
DSC04858
DSC04830
DSC04950
DSC04953
DSC04960
DSC04963
DSC04968
DSC03635-SharpenAI-softness
DSC036266NOISEGONNE
