Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

The clip you've seen is probably the one I uploaded, I was referring to the one with the police and the baptist church (don't think its been uploaded,but I could be wrong).I'll let you know when he gets back to me.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Your right C, he's more like my wingman :D

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

As I recall, the Church and The Berkley were joined at ground level but I don't remember there being a way through. Having said that, by the time I was involved, a lot of the Berkley's internal construction had been completed and was being plastered and decorated. The area where the join would have been was where the downstairs toilets were, when it was the Berkley but I am not sure if they remained there when they converted downstairs from the living accommodation to the bar.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Not sure but you can definitely peep into opium from a hole in the church wall.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I managed to get the video but my wing man doesn't want it uploading so I've had to edit it to show the back part of the church/opium.

here is the link:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFzS...c2RpoA&index=4

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Let,s get real about these lovely old buildings and realise that the future for them is grim,what can they be used for after enormous ammounts of money will have to be spent on them.Well the answer is NOTHING.Accrington is not the town to invest in luxury flats etc,or fancy night clubs and bars,the only real answer is demolition and make a car park to get shoppers into town.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Drove past the back of the Con yesterday, hadn't realised all the top windows are out and it's open to the elements. What a shame it must be in a right state.:(

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

It's a shame that so many wonderful buildings are being left to perish,there's certain deterioration phases that these buildings usually go through.

Phase 1. Boarded up and secured:-
This is done (usually) as soon as the property becomes abandoned.

Phase 2. Broken into:-
This is usually done by thief's,vandals or arsonist's.

This is also the best time for "urban explorers" who will exploit that point of entry and document the building (obviously without creating any further damage).

Phase 3. Roof/plumbing damage:-
Due to arsonist's and thieves these buildings usually end up badly water damaged through leaking roofs/plumbing or fire brigade.

Phase 4 left to the elements:-
This is the period (it can be years) were the building is left standing and open to the elements,the building will usually have missing windows/slates or holes in the walls.

Phase 4 Point of no return:-
After the owners not wanting or not being able to haemorrhage cash into their property it usually gets demolished.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I agree, the future for the con club is grim. But a car park is the last thing we need. We have plenty of car parks - but no shops to facilitate them!!

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

We will be losing car parks for the new bus station.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

We need something accy doesnt already have, not a pound shop, not a coffee shop, not a charity shop... something new.
Perhaps turn it into a casino? :)
Might get people coming in from blackburn and burnley. ;)

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Have heard it will be approx. 80 car parking spaces we will be losing when Crawshaw Street area is closed. The Arndale car park will be then become rather busy I should imagine.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

especialy if the rooftop is closed.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

The rooftop to the Arndale is closed?? News to me lol. x

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

It's to stop people jumping off.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Is the roof closed or are they thinking about it? Will they also shut the railway?

Re: Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I hope not, it's the only place I enjoy drinking myself to death in!

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

The barriers they have installed is obviously to stop people driving their cars off the roof. People can just walk past the barriers.
I am sure that we were told that consultations were in progress between the Council and the Arndale to prevent any further suicides - how much consultation is needed to put up weldmesh panels on all the floors. Surely it doesn't take rocket science to solve that although it is apparent that some brain power is required.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Many happy memories of leaving in the small hours when the bar was open.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Was Joe Morts owd haunt also.:D

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I had a look today and it looked pretty secure as far as jumping off goes (especially the top3 levels).However should you be in that mindset you could still jump from level3 or the viaduct.

Attachment 46417

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Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

But are those padlocks going to stop someone if they wanted to?

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

After watching that I think you need to reassess your opinion of "comedy" :P

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

If someone is in that mindset they'll find a way,them doors are also locked using a standard door lock as well as the padlocks.

I assume you didn't laugh before scrambling to get back to your gaming console :p

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Didn't I say before. Gaming PC.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I didn't laugh as video though categorised under comedy had no actual comedic content and even if I was playing games I wouldnt have to scramble anywhere, as I was watching on my GAMINGPC. Seldom I touch the console

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

My post which you referred to was posted on 30th November:rolleyes:

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

My comment was just a update Barrie,I wasn't having a go :rolleyes:

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I put that down to me not really giving a flying about the clip and not being computer savvy :)

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Had a look at the pictures of the Con Club in the Daily Mail, What a crying shame, the council are to blame for this, at least a developer could have turned it into apartments, or a hotel. To late now, gone the way of all the old musicians lately, popping of one or two a week.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Its been like that fer years now Al, a crying shame.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

How are the Council to blame? They don't own it and they only have certain powers to make the owners do things to it. Yes they can do the works themselves and put a charge on the building in some cases but it's money they would never get back so it's probably not a good use of our Council tax

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

When has that ever bothered them?

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Maybe not such a shame ... Apartments? Hotel? Nah, it would have been an even bigger shame if it had been converted into something it was never meant to be. Better that it lives on in the memories of those of us who had great times there ... even tho' many of the memories are confused by alcohol, raging hormones, and the Nosmo Kings thumping away in the background. I'll always remember that place: winning the jackpot, a whole pound!!!!, on the one-armed bandit with my last tanner, looking up from the snooker table and seeing the news report of JFK's assassination ... lotsa neat shiite. It's part of my growing up; and I wouldn't want some asshole of a developer [deleted] around with it.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Yesterday him and me looked at the photos on the ‘net of the innards of the Con Club and he couldn’t believe the state the building has been allowed to get into. My Accrington bloke was so incensed he said that in his opinion those responsible for allowing this to happen should be jailed and the key thrown away.

Beautiful building , a place that Accrington could boast about having. How can a building be allowed to deteriorate in such a way? It doesn’t happen overnight! An absolute disgrace.

Like for so many other people, that building holds lots of memories for him. He met his first real girlfriend there, and still remembers her! – had his first taste of Double Century Dark Ale at the bar, and spoke about the time his mate Jack Gee – the tailor mentioned in another thread – beat Billy Holden of Burnley F.C. fame at snooker. In those days Accrington Con was THE place to go to for a good night out. Many nights of dancing in the famous ballroom to well-known bands – and probably many more girlfriends…..

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

OK then, in the past has anyone put plans in for a development and the council knocked them back. We can still have our memories and have the building, We have memories of the Cavendish, built in the 1960s and demolished 40 years later, the Con isn't a concrete box like the Blackburn shopping center, the new one is an even a bigger pile of crap. OH well I'll leave it at that, maybe Eric is right.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Was talking to jack a couple of weeks ago in town dotti, tell yer hubby hes not in bad nick.;)

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Thanks, Cashie. Will do. They ring each other regularly, so his nibs keeps in touch with what's going on in Accrington. Even after all these years in Australia he still thinks of Accrington as home.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I think there have been a few plans, this is a link to just one of them Accrington Conservative Club ballroom faces demolition (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

As far as I know for it to be turned into apartments to achieve planning consent there would also have to be sufficient parking - which I don't think there is?

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

On fire this morning, suspected arson.
IN PICTURES/VIDEO: Huge fire at former Accrington Conservative Club after suspected arson (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Its been dead but wont lie down for years, seems now its the end. was a great dance hall in 60s.:(

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

At least the old girl went out in a blaze of her former glory.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

And the '50s Cashy, had some fantastic nights there.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

A sad end to a once-imposing building that held lots of happy memories for many people. My Accrington bloke (an old ‘rocker’ from way back) remembers great evenings spent there in the 50’s. A piece of political and social history gone forever.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Just watching the contractors try and push the archways over the top of the windows over.

A bit comical really, they are in a cage on a crane pushing themselves backwards - it wont go as easy as modern buildings do.

What a shame..

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Yes, it is a shame that this beautiful and majestic building was allowed to get into such a terrible state of disrepair.
It deserved to be used and enjoyed as it has been in the past.
It is true to say that we only value things when they are no longer here.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

i suppose at least now the matter is resolved its been derelict for years.It was only a matter of time before someone torched it i thought it would have happened long ago

i really dont see the point of having a listed building if the building isnt going to be looked after and rules , fines or powers to seize if need be arnt in place to ensure its upkeep


theres a lot of cctv in the area you would think it would have seen something

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Well the old boy is in one of his pensive moods having just spent a very nostalgic 87 minutes watching a DVD recently sent to us by friends and called ‘A Night To Remember at “ACCY CON” ‘– which covered the last night of dancing held there (The Last Waltz) - Friday 13th March 1987. Made by Gordon and Benita Moore, and probably already seen by most of you.

Has brought back lots of great memories of times spent in that once-beautiful building, the Con, like it did to those on the DVD.

It also brought the question has anyone been charged with the Con’s final destruction? Also what is happening to the site now, if anything?

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

There's a link here to a report in this weekend's Accrington Observer......Accrington Conservative Club arson investigation ends due to lack of evidence - Accrington Observer

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Thank you for the link JCB. Unfortunately not a very satisfactory outcome as far as apprehending the culprit/s.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

120 people have signed a petition to save a useless facade, better if the lot goes now, let it rest in pieces, find a use for the land it used to stand on.
Perhaps a modern day con club? Or a Liberal club or a Labour club?
Or maybe Council offices?

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I loved the place, but certainly refuse to sign a petition for the ruin thats left, it just highlights the stupidity of some people to me,:rolleyes:

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

The back of it looks a mess now as it's just been left since being made safe. Shame they didn't clear the whole site

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Free used bricks anyone? :)

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

They should clear the site, level it and plant a giant redwood in memorium.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I liked this post, how do I make it a half like?

I liked the clear the site bit, I don't like the plant a tree bit.

I don't want my decedents volunteering to improve the area, then finding they are conned by taking an unpaid job, which leads to something that blames them when the tree needs cutting down.

Trees do at times need cutting down just as the land such as where the Con club was, need clearing and using again.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

Perhaps we (the People) or at least 95% of us should be allowed to think that our children's future means more than our past?

Surprise, surprise, I think Neil would do more for our community than our present M.P. has done so far.

Re: Accrington Conservative Club
 

I've seen some hard high places come down to smoke and ash.
Catching up after months of absence.
So sad!