Mecca Bingo Hall Swindon,feb 2010

[klempner69]

This started out as the Regent Theatre opening in 1929,then changed its name to the Gaumont Theatre in 1952.Another name change occurred in june 1963 when it became the Odeon.After being bought out by Top Rank,it then turned into a Bingo Hall where it happily thrived for over 30 years,but then with the arrival of the smoking ban in 2007,its members declined until it finally closed in 2008.Aquired by Swindon Borough Council,there is now a plan to turn the site into a Carling style live music venue.Please note,my pics were taken on an aging Kodak Easyshare,as this was a chance opportunity to look round,hope you find this interesting.

Exterior

Foyer

Stage,albeit where the caller sat

Ornate ceiling 1

Ornate ceiling 2

Ornate ceiling 3

Underneath the original seated tiered section

Bar

Eyes down!

Bored?


Took the Nikon back there today to widen things somewhat.

Looking toward where the projector room was once

Stage area

From the upper level

 

[diehardlove]

stu them pics are really well thought out and very nice and the features are amazing this place is one place i wished i would have seen before i went,

 

[Lightbuoy]

Great old Cinema -there's something about the interior colour screens which I like. The ceiling features are wonderful -look like they were only painted last week!

Well done and thanks for sharing

 

[freebird]

Nice work. Its nice to see some of the ornate features in the place.

 

[Speed]

did you not get a chance to look for the interesting bits?

 

[kevsy21]

some nice features,good pics,well done

 

[drypulse]

nice photos mate, looks like you had a good explore!

 

[Pincheck]

yeh mate looks a bit dull on the exterior but the interior makes up for it

 

[TK421]

Jeez, I really like that, those ceiling plasterworks are excellent. Did anyone else notice in the 2nd photo, the counter on the right hand side looks like a face!

Really like this explore, even if the people who design Bingo hall decor really need locking up on the grounds of bas taste

 

[tommo]

nice one stu the places looks lovely, the ceiling looks amazing

 

[Foxylady]

I put off looking at this one because bingo halls are something that always sounds boring to me! (Sorry, Stu. No offence meant. ) What an interior, though! Fantastic ceiling and plasterwork. Very nice pics.

 

[klempner69]

Cheers one n all

Many thanx for taking the time to look at my **** one and all......as always your comments are appreciated.

Stu

 

[Potter]

Great condition. That first wide shot is superb.

I can't see the 'face' myself.

 

[spacepunk]

Yeah, just how I remember. I used to work in a club like this, nice pics.

 

[klempner69]

Spacepunk,maybe you can explain what the battery room was used for in Tommos report..some kind of backup system?
Thanx for all the comments folks

 

[spacepunk]

Bit of a mystery mate, we never had anything like that, could go back to when it was a cinema, and as you say, some kind of back up system.