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Report - - ABC/Forum Liverpool - March/April 2022 | Theatres and Cinemas | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - ABC/Forum Liverpool - March/April 2022

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Liverpool Urbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
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.

51993090736_9c084bb498_o.jpg
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.”

51993036881_d0f49e56bc_o.jpg
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 :thumb

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

51991757077_4411564d0f_o.jpg
PXL_20220312_093005812 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

51993297210_906ee31651_o.jpg
DSC036362-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

51992754906_c386a7f4ca_o.jpg
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
 

Liverpool Urbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
DSC04865 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04858 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

51993299550_83b76b6db4_o.jpg
DSC04856 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04830 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04950 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

The Sparky in me was creaming at this
DSC04953 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04960 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04963 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04968 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

Finally the view from the top!

DSC03635-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC036266NOISEGONNE by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

Cheers for looking!
 

mikecawood

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
DSC04865 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04858 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

51993299550_83b76b6db4_o.jpg
DSC04856 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04830 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04950 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

The Sparky in me was creaming at this
DSC04953 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04960 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04963 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC04968 by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

Finally the view from the top!

DSC03635-SharpenAI-softness by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

DSC036266NOISEGONNE by Jacob Kelly, on Flickr

Cheers for looking!
This report is so slow loading so no like from me.
 

Deltic15

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
I love the fire record, 'Colonel Bogey'. Presumably the staff were trained to evacuate the place if they ever heard that record. It must have been a bit awkward when they were showing 'The bridge on the river Kwai'.
 

Shades

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
I love the fire record, 'Colonel Bogey'. Presumably the staff were trained to evacuate the place if they ever heard that record. It must have been a bit awkward when they were showing 'The bridge on the river Kwai'.
The more common fire record was “Three blind mice”, certainly for Odeons.
 

Endling

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Went in here the other night, can confirm there's people (probably smackheads) living in here now. No-go for a while I think.
 

HomeAtLast

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Thats one stunning building. Im a big fan of the Art Deco style (more subtle stuff than this but still very nice). A lot of these old cinemas / theatres are long gone but thankfully, I can still remember them from my youth. Most of the ones I loved were still operating into the 80s but now appear to be either gone or Wetherspoons pubs,

Thanks for the report etc,

Cheers Steve
 

Liverpool Urbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Went in here the other night, can confirm there's people (probably smackheads) living in here now. No-go for a while I think.
Echoing this. I visited again and there were aggressive smackheads living in there. Also the nice chandler has been ripped down. Had a good run but the foolproof access here now has, unfortunately, let it into the hands of others.
 

Liverpool Urbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Thats one stunning building. Im a big fan of the Art Deco style (more subtle stuff than this but still very nice). A lot of these old cinemas / theatres are long gone but thankfully, I can still remember them from my youth. Most of the ones I loved were still operating into the 80s but now appear to be either gone or Wetherspoons pubs,

Thanks for the report etc,

Cheers Steve
Cheers mate!
Rapidly declining slate now sadly, after it's done so well over the years.
 

drhowser

Bespectacled & irrelevant
Regular User
Ha, I see the massive box of vacuum tubes has gone, somebody made a killing there!
 

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