real time web analytics
Report - - ABC Cinema, Liverpool - Jan/Feb 20 | Theatres and Cinemas | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - ABC Cinema, Liverpool - Jan/Feb 20

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

UrbandonedTeam

the north
Regular User
Another one of those that I've had on the radar for a few years, since we begun exploring. With it's position in close proximity to our arrival point in Liverpool, we always found the time to check it and in late January after countless attempts, we finally succeeded. Visited with @The Excursionists and again with @albino-jay and a non-member.

ABC Cinema

49704305101_e56c7f3d97_n.jpg


It's been covered numerous times over the years so here is some brief history. The ABC is a grade two listed building designed by William R. Glen and Alfred Ernest Shennan for £200,000 and opened in 1931 as a Forum Cinema. The building has an impressive interior, noted as one of the architect's best, boasting Italian marble lining the walls of the foyer and second floor, the notorious 'sunburst' design on the lower floor ceiling as well as in chandelier form on the towering arched ceiling and a decorated proscenium. The building was renamed to ABC Cinema in 1971 and then split into three individual screens to show films more frequently. In 1986 it was renamed Cannon Cinema before closure in 1998. Sometime in 2016, the main hall was de-tripled showcasing the beautiful original design once more.

The power functioned on the lower floors are partly into the foyer on our first visit, which is when the lit up shots were taken. If you left the lights on for more than 3-4 minutes, a loud alarm would go off so we saved turning them on to the end of our visit. On our second venture, the lights wouldn't work at all. I heard someone else went following us and got them back on again though, so I'm not sure how the situation with them truly is. Both visits worked out really well however, and it was eye-opening to see how sound most Liverpudlians are - where else could you drop down onto someone's personal balcony, only for them to say 'Areet mate, spare a spliff?'

We'll start with the main highlight. Hardly anything has changed from 1939, apart from recent signs of deterioration.

49703773108_e906586de8_n.jpg


49704280361_4e36be3a75_b.jpg


49704593422_1f6731a2ab_b.jpg


49688854797_f5aa4e078a_b.jpg


A closer look at some of the seats, covered in dust.

49699123902_492ccfa84d_b.jpg


49698283583_db75355e44_b.jpg


The newer projection room. We missed the older one in the oval dome, which was definitely the better of the two.

49703757838_02be891131_b.jpg


49704602747_0eeb9222c2_b.jpg


Downstairs with the lights on.

49698281758_a0d09b953c_b.jpg


49703772508_047bbe738b_b.jpg


49704306081_57e9ae0e36_b.jpg


Looking back at the main hall from the stage.

49699123307_92fc02f0ea_b.jpg


Foyer

49698282913_35dba3d710_b.jpg


49704304896_72e6764e7e_b.jpg


49607114687_1bb7326733_b.jpg


The Playtime Popcorn machine still had bare bits inside.

49698281938_bb5264f817_b.jpg


49703757528_930ff6f5d3_b.jpg


I was very surprised that these goodies were still remaining. A storage room in the basement full of old lenses. I first saw this space in @meth 's report from 2009 but I never expected them to still be inside.

49704305071_15739ffe70_b.jpg


49704305296_4b018fe7b8_b.jpg


49699123077_1882b05ace_b.jpg


A few miscellaneous bits in the upper floors to conclude.

49704618852_026833243e_b.jpg


49704305621_1d4c1e724e_b.jpg


Here you can find our documentary styled video of this location. We cover the cinema's past, present and future through cinematics and narration:


Thanks for reading :)
 

albino-jay

g00n Buster
Staff member
Moderator
Nicely done mate. Good to meet you, thanks for sorting that grim access. Annoyed we missed bits, but then it was a mega long day for me.
 

Who has read this thread (Total: 227) View details

Top