Time & Envy (and a LOT more!), Portsmouth

[ImmortalShadow]

Awesome report and photo's, I wondered what a night club looked like when it hadn't been in use for ages! I was tense just reading that about the junkie, I would've been seriously scared!!

 

[tommyfox123]

its all been nocked dwn now

 

[Bad wolf]

Nice one!!am i correct in thinking that the building has now been demolished??.

 

[cogito]

I think it's still there (I don't live in Portsmouth any more but visited three weeks ago), Randomnut did it a few weeks/months back after contacting me. It's changed a lot, but still do-able I'd imagine if it hasn't been demolished. Best bet is PM him.

 

[Big_g]

Excellent report and pictures.Bet it made it more worth while after finding the plans for the other places Shame about the casino though.

 

[sheepie]

i was on the edge of my seat!!! love it what a find

 

[jackanakanory]

Its gone now...

I know as I work for the company that carried out the demolition.

Its sad as I met my wife there 10 years ago!

 

[cogito]

Cheers for the update, shame to see it go really.

Seems strange that looking at the pics of the building half torn down I recognise being in therooms that are visible.

 

[Urban Ghost]

Top report, can imagine that was a bit of a sting in the tail though.

 

[projectzip]

I love the before and after type shot!
Gives a good perspective of where you was!

 

[TheBigApple]

Fascinating pictures of this place.

I found this site after looking for some info on the night club 5th Avenue, which later became time. Me and a friend were on a bike ride and had to stop as we went past this location only to see it half demolished.

I found this old picture on the web which shows the Grosvenor casino entrance before it was blocked off.

As you can see, as well as Time (formally 5th Avenue) and the Casino, is Envy which I think used to be called Images. I remember the clubs always having separate entrances, however inside the two clubs were linked and you could walk between them both.

The always popular munchy bar just to the right of the picture has been there for years.

Just out of site to the right of the picture are two other nightclubs which I remember as Peggy Sue's and later Zoom, and next to that on the end was Joannas. We never went in Joannas but remember Peggy Sue's as being a bar with DJ upstairs and a nightclub complete with tiny sticky dance floor below. these were still standing but boarded up as we drove past. Not sure if they are to be demolished too.

 

[listerofsmeg]

Amazing report. Shame you could not get much of the casino, even bigger shame that its gone now!

 

[duckandcover]

It has all gone now, it would appear that the site was going to be turned into a modern beach front apartment block but the guy who owns the site (harry rednap) or however you spell it cant justify spending money on the site in the downturn. Interestingly enough a mate of mine who works in the local planning office informed me that the reason the flats next door were not demolished was because there is one sitting tennant who refuses to leave!
So they are going to do the place up around the guy, cant see why though as the whole area is a bloody mess.

It was an awseome visit when congito and i went in and i nearly had a brown trouser moment when the druggies came back in, they were stood oposite me (i was hidden behind a wall) i was looking at the guy in a mirror across the hallway and couldnt beleive he couldnt see me! Scary stuff

 

[j666eds]

Has anyone visted Lush & Bliss or Joanna's next door to this?

 

[cogito]

Nah, they're not accessible.

They were sealed very tightly as there was a problem with homeless people / druggies.

Although took them long enough to realise that that spread next door too!

 

[pixy-lajla]

That looked fun! i was curious about the casino...but hey, i`d have legged it too! if you aint going back, anonymously report that its become a junkie den, it`ll soon be sorted...

 

[gavnorfolk]

wow awesome explore and write up.Theres an empty Time near me thats been closed for about 4 years but its secured tighter than a ducks butt.

 

[beamer]

Looks like the club that Luminar replaced it with (Liquid And Envy) will be closing down soon too ...

http://www.egpropertylink.com/EGPLPROPERTY12645656.htm

Not sure if Luminar own the Drill Hall and have now decided to rent out the property to another company, or, they never owned it and have opted not to renew the lease with the owner.

Either way, unlikely that you'll be able to do any similar explore on this one, unfortunately :O(

Thanks for the report, brought back some good memories and explained a lot of the areas I had often wondered about.

 

[krela]

From what I've heard Luminar are struggling at the moment and they've replaced a lot of liquid/time/envy clubs with their Oceana brand. Glad I don't work with them anymore

The only ones I like are the one next to rollerworld in derby and what was the brunel rooms in swindon.

 

[lauraharri1]

Part 3 of 4, Luminar Group Holdings PLC offices

After Envy we called it a night again, but thanks to the maps we'd just found and a quick snoop, we located the building where these Offices (and a whole load of active flats, stealth was in order) were. Trouble was that all the Offices had little (HUGE) things called "windows" in them, so using any lights was out of the question. We had to go back during the day, so we did!

Whilst in there it very quickly became apparent that these offices were used for all sorts of work within the company. Everything from top level business strategies and marketing, through to graphic design of their media and in-house mock-up publishing.

34. The one shot I took when we found our way through to the Offices at night, you can see why it's not torch friendly.
View attachment 9130

35. Lots of paperwork, also note the megaphone on the right and the Champagne on the desk.
View attachment 9131

36. The General Manager's office, complete with projector screen and inflatable banana.
View attachment 9132

37. More Champagne, this time a massive bottle! Also keys, flyers etc.
View attachment 9133

38. These clubs weren't just going to disappear, despite the publics initial fears... The company had the new club planned all along. Now Liquid Envy in Portsmouth City Centre.
View attachment 9134

39. There seriously is stuff everywhere in every room, nothing is missing or destroyed.
View attachment 9135

40. Boxes of promotional media including flyers, stickers, posters, beer mats, everything!
View attachment 9136

41. Storage room, complete with dishwasher remains, dismantled lights and filter gels.
View attachment 9137

42. Old CCTV equipment, although all the rest is still in place in the clubs.
View attachment 9138

43. Office tea room.
View attachment 9139

44. If you look REALLY closely, you can see this brochure is resting on an old photocopier. []
View attachment 9140

There's so much stuff in these offices, way too much to show close ups of the interesting details. These photos have barely covered all the rooms that are there, there are a fair few missing.

Part 4 of 4, Groesvenor Casino

We had virtually everything down on the "to do" list, but after 3 previous visits I'd still not found a way through to the elusive Groesvenor Casino. In all honesty I never realised there had been a casino there until I saw the plans! I don't remember it being there when all this place was open. The plans that we'd uncovered in the workshop revealed some potential on the casino. After checking a few things out all that happened was we found ourselves in hidden cupboard. "B*gger" we thought, til we got the torches on and opened a door. "Holy cr*p!" We were in!

Much like the little underground workshop that we'd come across, some of the lights were on, it was no biggy and no cause for concern. This place had eluded me for 3 whole visits and we'd finally cracked it! But all was not as it seems...

45. Looking from the top of the stairs that go down to the Casino (it's underground) all seemed fine:
View attachment 9141

46. Looking from the back towards the reception area through those doors... Yep that's pretty normal looking.
View attachment 9142

47. The Reception. Alarm bells started ringing in my head, all was not right... BLue plastic bags from local 24hr Convenience Stores and the backdoors were marginally ajar letting light in:
View attachment 9143

48. But there as no more signs of life round in the Canteen area, which was round a few dark snaking corridors.
View attachment 9144

49. Until we hit this.
View attachment 9145

Sh*t the f*cking bed! We're getting outta here, now.

We snake round the dark winding corridors, pacing as quickly and stealthily as we could, our hearts pounding harder with each and every step. We were literally just coming to our "secret cupboard" entry point, when our feet froze in mid air.

"JOHN, IS THAT YOU MATE?!"

F*ck! There's f*cking junkies in here! It was literally less than a minute ago that we were in the heart of their lair, I daren't think what would have happened if we stayed just a few more seconds.

By this point we were frozen solid, too scared to move a muscle, stood in complete darkness staring out to the illuminated back entrance to the reception. My heart is literally tearing through my chest, it's the only part of me still moving when we catch a glimpse...

We see the junkie in the reflections of the glass at the reception enterance, he's stood in the light fumbling around and we can see him clearly... Thank god for our cover of darkness. My accomplice inches his way into the cupboard trying to keep silent whilst shaking like a leaf. He's in! But I'm left with several feet to cover and this guys is getting closer, I take no chances.

I dive for the cupboard and through our impossibly narrow access point, my accomplice follows, there's another cry from the junkie. "Sh*t!" We fumble frantically through the hole not daring to look back, only stopping once we reach our secure blanket of darkness.

Seconds feel like hours... My heart is in my mouth. Silence.

He's gone, must have thought we were security. Thank christ for that...

We take no chances, quick-footing our way back through the darkness until we find a safe point.

Explore over, we're outta here... And I ain't coming back. Ever.

really enjoyed reading your report and looking at the pics! I spent so many nights here back in the day! did you get any pics of the other 2 clubs that never were! I never knew there was a casino there but my friends dad used to go there all the time