Friars Walk Shopping Centre, Reading, February 2011

Visited with Landie Man, Mookster & True British Metal. The whole day was spent in Reading and we visited Friars at night, was a really good explore & the airsoft guys were brilliant. I cannot stress enough though do not enter this site illigetimately - this place can be done with permission & its really unfair on the airsoft people as they have had a lot of trouble in the past with people breaking in (they recently had all the electrics for the lifts stolen & fire hoses set off making a lot of the place damp).
Unfortunately I lent my torch to the others so many of my photos did not come out well, I will share what I have though.

On a lighter note, this is the location that I punched True British Metal in the face! (By accident, honest!) It's a really good explore & great fun, very "post-apocalyptic", empty shops can be rather creepy!

On with the pictures.


The old entrance to the shopping centre on the high street, it was great fun peeping through the holes in the paint and knocking on the window, scaring the **** out of any passers by!


The old mecca bingo, we were very fortunate to see this but again it was very damp & dark.


Lots of exterior graffiti, suprisingly little inside though.


It appeared that there were only three shops open when the place closed (either that or the signs were stolen).


It seems they used to have fish! There were quite a few nicer features, it's really a wonder as to why this place closed.


The vast open spaces make for a great airsoft arena, I will definately be booking a game.


The iconic massive clock, when the time comes for this place to go I will seriously be considering trying to get this (legally).


I couldn't find any lonely chairs so I made do with a lonely wet floor sign.


The play area was strange - very quiet but very colourful, took me straight back to my younger days although a torch is definately needed.


These staircases made a cold echo when you walked down them, a definate contrast to when they would be full of people with their shopping.


Only one of the Mecca Bingo i'm afraid, we only had about 20 minutes in here & once again as I lent my torch out I was stuck wandering around in the dark.


And finally, Mookster doing god-knows-what!

Thanks a lot to those who came & those who've had a read I would really welcome your comments.

Brilliant stuff Z! I remember going into this place so often a few years ago, and I still pass it every day when I step off the train and head for work.

A

I remember the bingo hall as the Top Rank Ballroom and the Last time I went there was in the late 1970's to see Altered Images (Clare Grogen?) The stage was on the left of the photo and there was a lounge area up on the balcony's. Also remember there being some wicked fight's (beer glasses flying) in the place when rival scooter gangs from Reading , Oxford and Slough met up. I felt it was a sad day when it became a Bingo Hall.

It really does look an epic place.