The Bargate Shopping Centre, Southampton - and what an explore this was.
History:
The Bargate Shopping Centre, named after Southampton's prominent Bargate landmark, was opened in 1989.*The centre focused on being a collection of specialist outlets rather than a mainstream shopping centre, and boasted a number of technology-related stores, a sweet store, a nail salon, a photographic studio and a*Sega Park*arcade. It was set out over two levels and to a very simple design of a single mall leading to an atrium although there was an internet cafe on the lower ground floor of the*atrium. Also off this atrium is the largest unit in the centre, originally occupied by The Reject Shop and then the Sega Park arcade from 1996 until closure. The Bargate Centre also contained a multi-storey car park.
Explore:
This was a one of the more personal explores to me - it was the local hangout as a kid. Many hours were spent in the arcade with bags of sweets purchased from the sweet shop. After spending over a year with my eye on this and casing the joint (sound like a bank robber here ) it was annoying to see someone had sold it out to local newspapers. Knowing it would probably get sealed soon, we gave it our all - and it certainly paid off. We made our way to the stairwell and up to the roof, we opened the door and was greated by a rather unpleasant sight.. our access covered in heras, 2 security guards facing the other way and a fatttt german shepard in the boot of a car. We slowly backed out and went the long way.. probably the sketchiest access ever (bar the car mine of course) but after a while we were in. Spent about 45 minutes in here shooting before we discovered some rather new looking CCTV cameras, and 5 minutes later 2 security come bounding in with world's friendliest guard dog. Had the typical walk of shame, but in a way I was more than happy as it saved a monumental climb back out.
As always, thanks for looking!
History:
The Bargate Shopping Centre, named after Southampton's prominent Bargate landmark, was opened in 1989.*The centre focused on being a collection of specialist outlets rather than a mainstream shopping centre, and boasted a number of technology-related stores, a sweet store, a nail salon, a photographic studio and a*Sega Park*arcade. It was set out over two levels and to a very simple design of a single mall leading to an atrium although there was an internet cafe on the lower ground floor of the*atrium. Also off this atrium is the largest unit in the centre, originally occupied by The Reject Shop and then the Sega Park arcade from 1996 until closure. The Bargate Centre also contained a multi-storey car park.
Explore:
This was a one of the more personal explores to me - it was the local hangout as a kid. Many hours were spent in the arcade with bags of sweets purchased from the sweet shop. After spending over a year with my eye on this and casing the joint (sound like a bank robber here ) it was annoying to see someone had sold it out to local newspapers. Knowing it would probably get sealed soon, we gave it our all - and it certainly paid off. We made our way to the stairwell and up to the roof, we opened the door and was greated by a rather unpleasant sight.. our access covered in heras, 2 security guards facing the other way and a fatttt german shepard in the boot of a car. We slowly backed out and went the long way.. probably the sketchiest access ever (bar the car mine of course) but after a while we were in. Spent about 45 minutes in here shooting before we discovered some rather new looking CCTV cameras, and 5 minutes later 2 security come bounding in with world's friendliest guard dog. Had the typical walk of shame, but in a way I was more than happy as it saved a monumental climb back out.
![25503447705_60b1892a88_b.jpg 25503447705_60b1892a88_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198595-25503447705-60b1892a88-b.jpg)
![25410645431_c5d7190a38_b.jpg 25410645431_c5d7190a38_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198596-25410645431-c5d7190a38-b.jpg)
![24872896414_847978a89c_b.jpg 24872896414_847978a89c_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198597-24872896414-847978a89c-b.jpg)
![25207842760_234de63ae3_b.jpg 25207842760_234de63ae3_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198598-25207842760-234de63ae3-b.jpg)
![25477327096_0b9a010bf1_b.jpg 25477327096_0b9a010bf1_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198599-25477327096-0b9a010bf1-b.jpg)
![24872889734_5fa640dd3e_b.jpg 24872889734_5fa640dd3e_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198600-24872889734-5fa640dd3e-b.jpg)
![25135903249_0e4f1d1670_b.jpg 25135903249_0e4f1d1670_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198601-25135903249-0e4f1d1670-b.jpg)
![24876710163_aa143c48e7_b.jpg 24876710163_aa143c48e7_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198602-24876710163-aa143c48e7-b.jpg)
![25135926639_82df13fded_b.jpg 25135926639_82df13fded_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198603-25135926639-82df13fded-b.jpg)
![24876694833_6cb6f99ea5_b.jpg 24876694833_6cb6f99ea5_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198604-24876694833-6cb6f99ea5-b.jpg)
![25410622261_7ed0b4eb64_b.jpg 25410622261_7ed0b4eb64_b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/198/198605-25410622261-7ed0b4eb64-b.jpg)
As always, thanks for looking!