Millennium Complex Plymouth 4/09

[spikey]

Right this is the big one for me - the reason - last year whilst searching for info about millenium and why it closed i stumbled across this site and the thread about the exploration by Scotty and Co and now a year later im hooked If it wern't for that post, i would have prob not know about Urbexing and the closest thing i would have got to a explore, would have been cleaning out the kitchen cupboards

The building started it life as the Gaumont Palace and changed names plenty of times to Blonds, Munro's? etc before becoming Millennium Complex.

Bit of info

The Gaumont Palace in Union Street, Plymouth, was opened in 1931. The building's fluted columns and tiled foyer immediately attracted attention whilst inside the auditorium a mighty Compton organ had been installed at a cost of over £6,000. Mr Leslie James entertained the audiences on this during the intervals that week. The walls of the cinema had been covered by acoustic felt and fabric to prevent echo. Dressing rooms had also been provided.

Designed by Mr W H Watkins and built by Messrs McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd of Highbury Grove, London N5, the main structure was formed of a new material named Clinco-Compo which was manufactured at Pomphlett, Plymstock. This was faced with red brick from Reading, Berkshire. Seating for 2,252 people had been provided by Messrs W W Turner & Company of King's Heath, Birmingham. Heating was by warm air ducts and even the lighting was hidden behind grills on the walls.

The Gaumont's first manager and licensee was Mr R E Eady and the advertised prices were: front circle 2s; back circle 1/6d; front stalls 7d; back stalls 1s. There were continuous performances from 2 until 10.30pm.

Mr Maurice Leacey was the Chief Projectionist. Under him, in 1939, were four projectionists, Mr R Thomas (2nd), Mr C Charters (3rd), Mr C Peel (4th) and Mr E West (5th). The projection "suite" consisted of six rooms. Crompton-Parkinson generators supplied Hall and Connelly type R.4 H.I. arc lamps, which were installed with Gaumont R/S Eclipse projectors. On either side of the projectors were a "Premier" 75 amp spotlight and a slide lantern. The Duosonic Sound was provided by two 200 watt main amplifiers and two 10 watt input amplifiers, with a change-over switch.

The stage battens and floats and the proscenium arch lighting were all three-colour. These were all controlled by a dimmer switch with remote control conveniently located in the projection room. The screen curtains were also controlled from there but the house tabs were operated by hand from the prompt side of the stage.

So the day had finally come, i was going to explore the building which got me in to this cracking hobby

So on a very early morning, the team assembled at the arranged meeting point - Me, Scotty, Scrub2000, Underworld, Burt and Penfold. After a brief chat about 'Scotty legendary Urbex BBQ !!!' we headed excitedly to site

Lurking in the shaddows, one by one,using our ninja skills!! we entered the complex. Following our guide Scotty ( cos he been there before) we went out through one door, in through another, weaved around a few corridoors then opening a big set of double doors, we were there, in the centre of the club Wow - well it wasn't a wow more of 'WHAT THE HECK!' It certainly wasn't how i remembered it from my clubbing days, in there, prob the amount of pintage i drunk didn't help either. The place was a mess mold everywhere, bits of crap scattered all over the places and it felt alot smaller.

After the inital shock we got to work and what a good site it turned out to be, projection booth, the old teared seating,, the old club room i never knew about and i still think we missed bits.

So after a few hours of light painting,swearing and trying to get me 400d to auto focus we thought it prob the best time to leave and being such a big site, we thought it be best to follow Scotty and because of this we got us lost trying to find the exit. Our escape didn't got to plan either, after me and Penfold got out, we heard underworld shout out '#@$* were being watched,' i turned round to see a bloke watching us at the end of the road, '#@$* QUICK MOVE MOVE MOVE' Quickly as possible the guys excited, soon as the last one was out the bloke was gone then came the reply 'wheres he gone?' 'Dunno hurry up and get in the Bl***y motor!' We all jumped in and started the trip back to the meeting place but not before the comments 'POLICE CAR POLICE CAR' - ' THE BLUE LIGHTS AR'NT ON NUMNUT' and 'STOP DRVING LIKE YOU STOLE IT'.

Once the meeting place was reached and we had a brief chat and a pat on the back we went our seperate way in to the morning sunshine, appart from the choosen few who went back to Scotty's for a Fry up cheers M8.

So after the inital shock, it wern't a bad site im sure we missed bit and hopefully throught all the effort we put it i hope you enjoy the pics

Middle Room of Complex

DJ booth - seen better days

Lower Room of Complex

Top Room

Old teared seating - when it was the Gaumont

Projection Booth

Security Office

First Aid room

Hidden Club room was used for storage whislt under Millennium club name

CRACKING SITE WHATS NEXT ?????

 

[kernowexpeditionary]

nice one chaps nearly a year since i went, its dodgy but worth it!

 

[Badoosh]

Sounds like a cracking trip. Love the hidden club room, & it's ceiling decor! Top explore chaps

 

[dangerous dave]

STOP DRVING LIKE YOU STOLE IT scotty doing the driving again

 

[Scotty]

STOP DRVING LIKE YOU STOLE IT scotty doing the driving again

cheeky git!!
Hows your driving licence?

Also, scrub never turned up. he was tucked up in bed.

Not my best pics but its hard to take pics in a 100% dark club with no tri-pod. :
Hope you enjoy.

 

[plazzyman]

some really nice shots there ,love the ceiling in the hidden club, are you going to re do the dance academy as well? and someone has got to get in the old ritzy (zanzibar) at some point , i know its belled up to the eyeballs but no ones done it yet hmmm.

 

[Scrub2000]

Yer we've had a look, tis pretty well sealed atm........might be worth another reccee though

 

[spikey]

woohoo ninja time

 

[Underworld]

Thanks to everyone for getting this sorted. I have been looking forward to this for sometime.

Underworld

 

[beccy]

This is a great report with some fab photos!!
That sink looks DISGUSTING though! Lol

 

[spikey]

if you think that bad you should have smelt the toilets - i walked in there and then ran out

 

[beccy]

Oh NICE!
I wonder when was the last time they were cleaned!!

 

[Scotty]

Oh NICE!
I wonder when was the last time they were cleaned!!

Its when they was cleaned last, its more like when they was last used.

Underworld can answer that tho

 

[spikey]

aye the named person got caught short whilst exploring

 

[beccy]

hahahahaha!! oh dear!!

 

[crazyjon]

cool place

Great place to look at had a reccy few times myself loved to no how to get in got a general idea were just got to pick wright time, so good to see the projection room and wot looks like the old sgt peppers club as the hidden club store room and were the old stalls were have been fasinated with this place as a old raver used to go there lots when it was the original warehouse then glub oz amasing how much it has changed remember being in there on the first all nighter in plymouth great nights. A sugestion for who ever does dance academy see if you can get any pics of the old malthouse next door heard its in a right state since mamoush smashed the shit out of it and left it open to the elements at the back of the building and also see if you can get some pics of the old hotel bit above the malthouse its a massive building and apparently haunted to. And zanzibar ritzy builing good luck to anyone trying to get in sealed like fort knox when lasted looked around it outside keep on the plymouth thing plz

 

[Underworld]

hahahahaha!! oh dear!!

Yep

It's was quite nice to know that I was the last to use the facilities as it where......

Underworld