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Report - - The Grand Pavilion / Gaiety Amusements, Ventnor, Isle of Wight - March 2016 | Leisure Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - The Grand Pavilion / Gaiety Amusements, Ventnor, Isle of Wight - March 2016

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b3n

onehundredandthirtythree
Regular User
The current state of Gaiety Amusement Arcade -

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The Grand Pavilion was built in 1896 as a theatre venue for seaside entertainment, skating and dances. The building was rather grand at the time with a large domed roof covered with fish scale like tiles and smaller domes either side of the entrance.

The original building can be seen back right of this old photo (Thanks to Truffle Pig for digging this one out!)

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During the first world war the hall was used to assemble aircraft parts and following this the theatre became an amusement arcade, one of the first in the country.

The top of the dome was removed in the 80's and the arcade closed a few years ago. At the back of the site is a flat which was occupied by a caretaker, and below this various maintenance rooms. The caretaker's glass windowed living room overlooked the main arcade and was often used for after hours poker games. The front housed the main hall, a small cafe and dodgems.

Since the arcade closed the false ceiling has been removed revealing the stunning original ceiling. It'll probably be knocked down soon for flats, another piece of history gone.

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booth.jpg


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Very old photo hidden in a wall cavity

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cafe.jpg


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roof.jpg


Safe porn:

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dweeb

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Wow, that is quite a ceiling! Beach tray deposit disc is a nice find too.

I'd quite like a mooch there myself actually...
 

b3n

onehundredandthirtythree
Regular User
Wow, that is quite a ceiling! Beach tray deposit disc is a nice find too.

I'd quite like a mooch there myself actually...


Yeah it was one of those where from the outside it looks nothing special, thought it would be a shithole but had an evening to waste so went for it, and was very happy with what i found!

Plenty down here to fill a few days, i'm posting the more recent stuff at the moment but there's lots more..
 

guzz

28DL Member
28DL Member
I always did wonder what was in that dome on top - wow! Ventnor was a regular holiday destination for my family growing up, so I've spent many hours and countless 10p pieces in this place over the years. I remember playing the hydraulic Space Harrier ( https://goo.gl/BLKcWs ) here, and so many other classic coin-ops. Great report but, man, seeing it like this I feel like you just punched me right in the childhood! :/
 
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