# Wallsend Borough Theatre-Oct08



## **Mudlark** (Oct 23, 2008)

Good things come to those who wait.... and wait i have for quite some time for an openeing here, and recently, my patience has been rewarded 

Opened on Monday 1st of October, 1910... the Borough theatre was built to replace the old Royal theatre at Portugal Place that had burned down 4 years before. It was designed by architects J Fleming-Davidson and CD James, with an ornate front lobby and a huge marble central staircase, it had seating for 1'640 people.







Rumour has it Stan Laurel was a regular here (He was born in North Shields) before he got his big break in Hollywood. 

It was bought by the Gourmont chain in 1946 where it was altered to become a cinema. Now, being one of three in the area it struggled to compete and, despite rumours that it may be turned into a bingo hall, the cinema closed its doors in 1960.

The old cinema was modified to house an amusement arcade and Impulse recording studios where Lindesfarne recorded alot of their early stuff. but when the amusement chain went bust in 2005, the building has stood empty. 
And it looks like the previous owners left in an awful hurry. 

This was a very opportune explore and my pics, unfortuantly are far from good...... with no tripod and my hands shaking like mad, i soon forgot about taking pics at all and just immersed myself in the explore. The area around the recording studios was totally pitch black, i was relying on the flash from my camera phone to get around! 
Straight up the stairs i came to this........






an open door at the end of a corridor and just, blackness. All i could see were the holes in the roof and i could feel the cold draught running through the place and somehow you know that you are standing on the edge of a huge open space.... and iron ladders with a huge ass hole in the bottom! It took my eyes a while to adjust and the camera saw more than me, It was obvious that this was the space above the auditoruim.... but how do i get there??






The lines across the pic are what is holding up the false ceiling. They were bolted right in to the original plasterwork on the ceiling :O
A scramble in the dark later and i was into the auditoruim and i wasnt dissapointed! 











Sorry, CRAP pic but my hands were shaking so bad i could hardly hold the camera!!! 






A bar, ON the stage, and someone who likes Newcastle Amber Ale... 






The stage. The huge curtains were sat there to rot, the screen is nowhere to be seen. 






infront of the stage, where the seats should have been seemed like it had been concreted over, and looked to be an arcade machine graveyard!!! 
















There were some lights on as i made my way out of the theatre and into what looked to be the offices for the arcades. Very 70's retro.... i loved it! Last thing you want though, if to be dived bombed by several frantic pidgeons... especially when you are on your own!!! 
new pants please........
 




















I think, my fave shot of the day (Had composed myself a little by this point!) 






original toilets? they were at the end of a long and very dark tiled corridor.





I called this room 'pidgeon central'  a while ago when we had some strong winds, the door was blown open, and is still not quite secured, 1 floor up, perfect pidgeon house! For anyone that drives past, this is the room behind the balcony doors at the front 
The place really was a mess, you can't see the floor in some places for stuff, old tapes, cd's.... a box full of ladybird books even! 

So, upstairs exhausted i moved onto the ground floor and the amusements. With only the emergency lighting on this was really atmospheric..... my feet were squelching in the waterlogged carpet, i could hear the sounds of life going on outside......i could have spent all day here!!





sorry, another crap one but this was the reception for the arcade. 











So, there you go sorry about the crapness of some of the pics.... was my first solo explore and i have to admit, i was getting severley spooked! Fighting against the feeling to just get out, and at the same time feeling like a kid in a sweet shop!
This place totally warrants a return visit,my pics are crap, and i never did find that marble staircase!!!

Watch this space 

She.


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## Exploretime (Oct 23, 2008)

The pics arent there.


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## Seahorse (Oct 23, 2008)

Not even IMG tags in the source to give us a clue, ye wee tease.


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## **Mudlark** (Oct 23, 2008)

sorted 
d'oh!


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## Seahorse (Oct 23, 2008)

Twas worth the wait for me too. Fantastic write up, and the pics are not as bad as you imagined.


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## Exploretime (Oct 23, 2008)

Nice one. The pics are fine. well done for being patient and eventually gettin in.Happy days. Thanks.


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## BigLoada (Oct 23, 2008)

Wow Amber ale! How long is it since they stopped making that! Looks like a nice place to visit, I like the safe


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## Sabtr (Oct 23, 2008)

I see you finally got in.  Good stuff. I bet there's a lot more to see in there - take a torch next time!

Is it me or has the safe landed on a poor pigeon?


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## Seahorse (Oct 23, 2008)

Poor pigeon, my arse! 

Kill them all, says I.


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## **Mudlark** (Oct 23, 2008)

Sausage said:


> I see you finally got in.  Good stuff. I bet there's a lot more to see in there - take a torch next time!
> 
> Is it me or has the safe landed on a poor pigeon?



lol, the room was littered with dead pidgeons, in fact it wasnt until i got home that i reaslied i had taken a photo of one!!! 


A return visit is certainly on the cards as i am in the (daft) process of attempting to get the building listed. I will need to gather as much information on it as possible to put together a bid to ahve it saved. Speaking to the development company that are attempting to sell it, the owner is in dire financial straits and there is a possibility that it may be sold on at auction. Without anything to protect it, most likely it will be torn down and developed upon.
There are an awful lot of original features in there, and i neeeeeeeed to get back in there with a camera, tripod, and an industrial power torch! 
With further investigation i'm damn sure you can get up onto the roof, and down into the basement via the bar but my entrance was precarious to say the least and i didnt want any company!
Has anyone ever tried, just as a matter of interest, to have anything listed??


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## Sabtr (Oct 23, 2008)

Dunno bout buildings but tree preservation orders are a basic process. I guess many of the things needed for listing will be the same though. A good example of the building, internal features, historical significance, how it fits in with it's surroundings etc will be some of the factors needed. Someone on here will know better though!


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## Foxylady (Oct 23, 2008)

she_geordie said:


> .... was my first solo explore and i have to admit, i was getting severley spooked! Fighting against the feeling to just get out, and at the same time feeling like a kid in a sweet shop!



Nothing quite like it, eh!  Well blinking good for you, she g, that's a cracker of a place to go solo in.


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## Richard Davies (Oct 23, 2008)

The bar sides seem to be covered in carpet.

There's also some polish there in case someone want the job of cleaning up!


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## johno23 (Oct 24, 2008)

Excellent work,especially as you were solo,I know how spooky old theatres can be myself,but there is nothing quite like them for atmosphere and nostalgia.Strange how they attract hordes of pigeons also,thats how I got part of my signature.My stomach has never been the same since I stood on an "ex"pigeon in Derby Hippodrome,never smelt anything like it.

Look forward to your return visit pics


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## **Mudlark** (Oct 25, 2008)

Foxylady said:


> Nothing quite like it, eh!  Well blinking good for you, she g, that's a cracker of a place to go solo in.



thankyou foxy  i do get this nice rosy smugness every time i pass the place now! 



Sausage said:


> Dunno bout buildings but tree preservation orders are a basic process. I guess many of the things needed for listing will be the same though. A good example of the building, internal features, historical significance, how it fits in with it's surroundings etc will be some of the factors needed. Someone on here will know better though!



Looks like i have some homework to do in that case.... 



johno23 said:


> Excellent work,especially as you were solo,I know how spooky old theatres can be myself,but there is nothing quite like them for atmosphere and nostalgia.Strange how they attract hordes of pigeons also,thats how I got part of my signature.My stomach has never been the same since I stood on an "ex"pigeon in Derby Hippodrome,never smelt anything like it.
> 
> Look forward to your return visit pics



  !!!!

Looking to get back pretty soon, legit though to get pics for the listing bid


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