# Officer's Mess, RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire, February 2016



## HughieD (Feb 9, 2016)

This is the former Officers Mess and Accommodation Quarters at RAF Syerston. Since the building of the new A46 dual-carriageway these buildings have been separated from the rest of the station. The site was subject to a number of reports back in 2008 and 2009 but since then has attracted little attention due to the state of the buildings.

The RAF base itself was heavily connected with aviation legends such as Guy Gibson VC, Gus Walker and Bill Reid VC, who were all based there during the war. They used the officers’ mess which was built in 1940 for dining, drinking and accommodation. During his 11 months at Coningsby and later Syerston Gibson flew 20 more operations. He went on to complete 170 sorties and was promoted to Wing Commander and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), all by the age of just 24. Gibson was later chosen to lead the Dambusters and took command of 617 Squadron and given the authority to pick his own new Squadron. He was awarded the Victoria Cross and went on to be the most highly decorated pilot in the RAF and a national hero. Sadly he was shot down in 1944 during a bombing raid on Rheydt.

The site was put into care and maintenance after operations at RAF Syerston ceased in 1970. The complex was then sold off by the Ministry of Defence and the Al-Jamia Al Islamia School opened in 1994. In 1997 Ofsted inspectors criticised hygiene, safety and teaching standards and the buildings themselves were starting to deteriorate. In the same year a roofer fell off the roof and broke his back. The school was judged to be culpable and the roofer obtained an order banning the sale of the buildings and the land until he was paid compensation. His claim was settled in January 2007 and the school shut later that year.

One of the school’s trustees, Mr Zaheer Rahman, stated their plan was to recoup money for the private investors from the UK Islamic community, who had previously given unsecured loans to the former trustees in order to try and keep the school open. The land was put up for sale and was due to be auctioned at a guide price of £250,000 but was then withdrawn as the trustees could not be sure how much land had been acquired via a compulsory purchase order to widen the A46. In 2009 a suspected arson attack badly damaged one of the wings. The buildings have been in a derelict state since then and have deteriorated further.

So given the state of this place perhaps no surprise this no longer on the to-do list of many explorers and the reports have dried-up. I was in the area so thought I’d take a look. It is easy access and you can get inside but I copped-out given the poor condition of the place. The lower floor is dark due to it being boarded up and the upper floors in a very poor state. So more of an up-date of where the place is rather than a set of high-end urbex photography. On with the pictures.

The complex is a big one with over 51 rooms:


img3540 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3525 by HughieDW, on Flickr

It’s in a pretty dire state, especially the roofs:


img3539 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3538 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3524 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3542 by HughieDW, on Flickr

With the roof in such a poor state many of the floors are starting to come through:


img3537 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The rest is pretty trashed and featureless:


img3534 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3536 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3530 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And not without its dangers:


img3529 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The long shed outside is pretty far-gone too:


img3532 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img3528 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3527 by HughieDW, on Flickr

With just a few bits of graffiti to hold your attention:


img3526 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3522 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## Newage (Feb 9, 2016)

Wow that place is a wreck, it looks like one wrong turn and it's goodnight Irene.
It's amazing weather effects untended buildings.

Cracking pictures mate.

Cheers newage


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## HughieD (Feb 9, 2016)

Newage said:


> Wow that place is a wreck, it looks like one wrong turn and it's goodnight Irene.
> It's amazing weather effects untended buildings.
> 
> Cracking pictures mate.
> ...



Cheers mate. Pretty far gone innit? Must be due for demolition....


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## smiler (Feb 9, 2016)

Looks about ready for the wrecking ball, worth a careful nose though, Thanks


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## Sime83 (Feb 9, 2016)

HughieD said:


> This is the former Officers Mess


...certainly is a mess haha. 

I bet it was a great place to explore just after it closed, nice photos Hughie


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## Rubex (Feb 9, 2016)

Cool explore HughieD  great photos!


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## HughieD (Feb 9, 2016)

Sime83 said:


> ...certainly is a mess haha.
> 
> I bet it was a great place to explore just after it closed, nice photos Hughie


Ha ha...cheers mate. If you look at the old reports even back then it was pretty trashed. The local low-life moved in fast!



Rubex said:


> Cool explore HughieD  great photos!



Cheers Rubex!


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## noiseboy72 (Feb 9, 2016)

Very interesting! I used to pass by on my college bus and then my drive to work back in the 90s.

Just one thing, these buildings were always on the other side of the A46 to the rest of the base. At one time there was a low chain link fence, but the base has always been fairly open - much more so than many.


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## MD (Feb 9, 2016)

im amazed its still standing ! must have been 2007 when i went 
nice to see an update


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## Mikeymutt (Feb 9, 2016)

Nice set hughie..even if it looks slightly trashed


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## Sam Haltin (Feb 9, 2016)

That looks like a death trap. What a mess considering its history.


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## HughieD (Feb 10, 2016)

Hugh Jorgan said:


> That looks like a death trap. What a mess considering its history.



Yup....a mess of a mess.


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## The Wombat (Feb 10, 2016)

Someone told me that this had all been demolished. 
Otherwise i would have had a look when last at Newton 
Thanks for sharing Hughie


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## tazong (Feb 10, 2016)

i loved the pictures but i have to say your write up on the place was excellent.
A+ that man or woman


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## HughieD (Feb 11, 2016)

tazong said:


> i loved the pictures but i have to say your write up on the place was excellent.
> A+ that man or woman



Ha ha...cheers Tazong. 

P.S. how many women do you know called Hughie ;-)


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## UrbanX (Feb 15, 2016)

Shame its so trashed, that could have been nice. 
Still, cracking set of pics. Thanks for sharing


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