The Visit
Visited with @ChooChooM8ty in search of a UFO. Very soon after arriving we realised we'd come well unprepared for the amount of lighting we needed, as a result I've got few decent photos of the main bingo hall. But other than that this was a decent little explore. We spent a good 4-5 hours in the building with a quick dash to the car to top up the parking. Besides a few leaks the building is in good condition with a lot of the original plasterwork still in place, The bingo hall seems like it hasn't been touched since it closed nearly 19 years ago.
History
This Grade II listed building was originally constructed in 1923 as a garage and car showroom, the building was converted into a cinema around 1938 by architect George E. Tonge. The Grand Cinema opened for business on 14th November 1938 with Arthur Tracy in "Follow Your Star". The cinema was designed for and operated by an independent operator throughout its cinematic life.
Seating was provided in a stadium plan with a sloping floor at the front (known as the Pit stalls and stepped floor at the rear which was known as the Royal stalls and Grand stalls. An unusual feature was the provision of a balconette which was attached to each sidewall. Seating was provised in pairs all along towards the proscenium. There were decorative grilles each side of the proscenium opening which contained the organ pipes of the Compton organ which had an illuminated console on a lift, in the centre of the orchestra pit. The organ was opened by Herbert A. Dowson. In the ceiling was a large shallow dome which had a central Art Deco style light fixture. There was a cafe provided for patrons.
The Grand Cinema closed on 2nd July 1966 with Sean Connery in "Thunderball" and Peter Cushing in "Hound of the Baskervilles". It was converted into an independent bingo club, and the Compton organ was played to bingo players at the interval during the first few years. The bingo hall was last operated by Gala Bing who closed the venue on 2nd June 1999. The casino located on the 1st floor continued to operate for may years, until finally relocating to a new venue on the sea front in 2013. Since then the building has sat empty and forgotten.
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Cheers for looking.
Visited with @ChooChooM8ty in search of a UFO. Very soon after arriving we realised we'd come well unprepared for the amount of lighting we needed, as a result I've got few decent photos of the main bingo hall. But other than that this was a decent little explore. We spent a good 4-5 hours in the building with a quick dash to the car to top up the parking. Besides a few leaks the building is in good condition with a lot of the original plasterwork still in place, The bingo hall seems like it hasn't been touched since it closed nearly 19 years ago.
History
This Grade II listed building was originally constructed in 1923 as a garage and car showroom, the building was converted into a cinema around 1938 by architect George E. Tonge. The Grand Cinema opened for business on 14th November 1938 with Arthur Tracy in "Follow Your Star". The cinema was designed for and operated by an independent operator throughout its cinematic life.
Seating was provided in a stadium plan with a sloping floor at the front (known as the Pit stalls and stepped floor at the rear which was known as the Royal stalls and Grand stalls. An unusual feature was the provision of a balconette which was attached to each sidewall. Seating was provised in pairs all along towards the proscenium. There were decorative grilles each side of the proscenium opening which contained the organ pipes of the Compton organ which had an illuminated console on a lift, in the centre of the orchestra pit. The organ was opened by Herbert A. Dowson. In the ceiling was a large shallow dome which had a central Art Deco style light fixture. There was a cafe provided for patrons.
The Grand Cinema closed on 2nd July 1966 with Sean Connery in "Thunderball" and Peter Cushing in "Hound of the Baskervilles". It was converted into an independent bingo club, and the Compton organ was played to bingo players at the interval during the first few years. The bingo hall was last operated by Gala Bing who closed the venue on 2nd June 1999. The casino located on the 1st floor continued to operate for may years, until finally relocating to a new venue on the sea front in 2013. Since then the building has sat empty and forgotten.
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[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
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[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
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Cheers for looking.
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