Over a decade ago, I ran a short-lived campaign to restore this place as a performing arts venue, but after I had a look round I realised the building was f**ked - and it was looking a hell of a lot worse than that in these most recent pics. Quite how it was still even standing by the time the fire happened I'm not sure. I *think* the fire happened in the one still-reasonably-intact bit of the building, the ballroom, which was still in use the last I knew (albeit that's quite some years ago now). If that has been destroyed, it's awfully convenient and a likely justification for getting the place delisted to pave the way for its demolition. Which, at this point, is the best thing for it. The old heap was quite magnificent up to the end of its bingo days 15 years ago, but the day Franco Lumba bought it, drilled the floor up and took the roof off the stage was the seal of death for it, sadly. Time for it to go and make way for something useful that won't fall down through structural corrosion and resultant brick spalling.