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Report - - Pinebanks, Norwich, July 2013 | Leisure Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Pinebanks, Norwich, July 2013

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Zyge

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
This is Pinebanks, the former Norwich Union (now Aviva) Sports and Social Club closed in 2008. The core of this complex is the original villa constructed between 1880-82 and extended substantially in 1907. As it has several new buildings added to it since, it is not listed and due for demolition to make way for a new housing estate. Pinebanks is an unusual place, as it comprises of several locations: this the main complex, Taylor’s Folly and the Indoor Rifle Range. The main complex has very little in these days but is an absolute maze with several equally empty ancillary buildings,the age of the place made it quite a nice explore.

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The meeting room with Taylor’s Folly in the foreground which was explored previously

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The Pinebanks logo on the door to the badminton court

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The main tower of the original hall

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There are many “lounges†which make up the original hall

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The Pool Room with rather nice fireplace

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A close up of the Pool Room fireplace

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Between the old hall and the new part of the complex was a rather strangely position gate

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The Ballroom looking from the stage area, bar at the end of the room

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Bet you can’t scratch with this record player!

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Just off the Ballroom was a loading area, very dark and strangely 2 coloured balls on the shelf

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Near one of the smaller doors of the loading area was a box containing an old Lightmaster control unit

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Back to the old hall, a very 80’s decorated lounge to the front of the complex

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There was a very ornate fireplace in this lounge

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In a courtyard within the complex, a second tower. I did not climb it however

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The one and only Squash Court

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In the fitness room

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An interesting way to keep a door open

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So upstairs, there was no one in here really…

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… although those of a pale skinned disposition must beware!

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Looking down into one of the Badminton Courts

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Back to the old hall up these fantastic stairs

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There are some nice examples of the stained glass windows in this part

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Tower to Tower: From inside the main tower of the old hall

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A creepy find of some wooden children’s blocks in the attic…

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… with a rather unusual chalk drawing on the floorboards. That’s the end of the main building, time to scoot about the grounds.

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The bowling green and ancillary building (no access to this however)

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The tennis courts, can you imagine Andy Murray vs. this bush?

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The astroturf pitch (to be renamed the “Moss Covered Pitchâ€)

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The New Pavilion and cricket scoring hut

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The Officials Changing Room in the New Pavillion (where they must have watched each other shower!)

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No explore is complete without a key shot (New Pavilion)

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Old Pavilion

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The Man Bath for men (Old Pavillion)

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This made me chuckle

Explored with the usual gang from Norwich. Big shout out to Sageman for the heads up.
 

Five.Claws

General Nuisance
28DL Full Member
It really is remarkable to compare Pinebanks from how it was in your report to how it ended up just a couple of years later. You really did have great find here; sad to see some really wonderful architecture end up as a pile of ashes for the most part. Part of the fun of this report is trying to work out which room is which compared to the condition I explored the place in a number of times until its' recent demolition.
 
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