Report - Wakefield ABC - Regal cinema 13/12/07

[Converse1]

Hi everyone,

Myself, Silverstealth, Phill.d and Sam.h. payed a visit to the old ABC - Regal cinema in Wakefield on Thursday, and very nice it was too! This was the first time I'd met Silverstealth, Phill.d & Sam.h. and your all top blokes. It was a great night. Cheers!

The building in places is in very good condition but in others (the cellar) it's under 6' of water! The cellars are a no go and the front stalls are under 12 to 18" of water but with wellies and waders there are no boundaries!

Part of the 1970's drop wall conversion had collapsed into the stalls, this is probably because of the flooding, I remember seeing on the web a series of pictures taken by a guy who was looking to buy the place and he had to pump out the place and I think this was about seven years ago so it's spent a bit of it's time with water damage.

A bit of history:

The cinema was opened on December 9th 1935, as the Regal and formed the centrepiece for the council’s redevelopment scheme in that part of Wakefield. Apart from film shows it also held stage performances. It became the ABC in the 1960s. The cinema closed as the Cannon in 1997, in the face of competition from the newly opened multiplex Cineworld.

On to the pictures, Silverstealth, Phill.d & Sam.h. will add to it I'm sure

View from the stage. you can see the collapsed drop wall on the left. (no shit....!)

Footlights

Silverstealth going for a paddle in the stalls

Semi submerged chair

Flying cleats

Capturing the stage, proscenium and auditorium

switch gear for the tabs in prompt corner.

Top of the stairs in the fly tower

flying head block.

fire hydrant.

main auditorium

Then we went onto the roof!

Mr Silverstealth

rooftops o Wakey!

Mercury rectifiers

The main projection room. No equipment unfortunately.

Through the porthole


I'll leave it at that because I know Silverstealth & Phill.d have some crackers to post up.

Cheers Guys. Hope you like.

All pictures taken on Fuji 400 Superia xtra film


~

 

[phill.d]

Re: Wakefield ABC - Regal cinema REPORT 13/12/07

Yeah A great night out chaps. Good to meet you Converse... And Silverstealth we've been partners in crime on a few little trips now!

Sam brings round the half time ice creams!

The A.B.C now showing: Close encounters of the third kind!

This sign is at least 23 years old as the half penny was taken out of circulation in 1984, A useless and short lived coin that was only in circulation for 13 years. There were few people sad to see the back of it.
On the other hand hillards was a small North of England supermarket chain taken over in 1987 by guess who??..Tescos of course!

Me, George Clooney & Sam for the L.H.E.S strike again shot!

A bit of fancy light painting in the roof space.

Well past midnight in FREEEZZZING conditions we grabbed a few exterior shots & vanished silently into the night. A great explore lads. Cheers!

 

[Converse1]

Re: Wakefield ABC - Regal cinema REPORT 13/12/07

From the balcony it looks in good condition; then cue the shot wading in 12â€Â￾ water in the stalls. Always like seeing the old cinemas .

Yeah it was very odd. Old cinemas are my favorite too

One picture I wanted to post up in the first lot but couldn't cos the film was still in me camera two days later! was this one :

It's a ball of barbed wire at the back of the stage, I found it very photogenic and also slightly odd for some reason.

Cheers guys!