Accy Con Club
 

Has anybody covered this topic before? It's an absolute scandal that this building is being left to rot away. kids are in and out of it, along with the pigeons. Next thing you know it'll be on fire, just like the old Berkely (Opium). No one gives a damn anymore.

Re: Accy Con Club
 

Is that what was Churchills?

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It has been touched on in some of the 'back' threads, the people who own this building have let this building get into this state because the council kept refusing planning permission on the grounds that, 'the grand ballroom' be kept as it was. There was no way they could keep it that way and convert it into flats/offices, so the planners must shoulder some of the blame,it's time the shackles were removed and let the development procede, or it will finish up like the Hargreaves Wharehouse at Church.

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That's a real s.o.b. :mad: ... I remember that I was playing snooker there when the news of JFK's assassination came on the TV.

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In short yes,but it will always be referred to as the Conservative Club by the older end. It was in fact the largest 'Con' in the country.

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I've always known it as Churchills, i'm too young to remember it as the Con Club. lol. and i'm not suprised its the largest its huge!!!

Such a shame too because its a beautiful building.

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The "older end", mmm, I guess that's where I belong:mad: Nice to know one's place:D

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It surely is Lolly, it is a grade 2 listed building, this is sometimes a curse on old buildings as it restricts the type of planning that can be granted. They should let the owners get on with altering it, before it is completely in ruins. It is directly behind my bedroom window and I do not care what use they put it to, within reason, it was a club when I bought the house in 1964 so it makes no difference to me, as long as the noise is controlled etc.

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It's starting to make sense now!
I always wondered why there was a window missing on the top floor. You could see it from the railway station. Quite a cunning plan by the owner - remove a window, allow the bad weather to create so much damage that theres no longer a ceiling for the council to need to protect.
Or am I being cynical?

See the piccies.

Scandalous..:mad:

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It is scandalas that the place is being left to rot.

By the way did you ask the person who took them photo's if you could use them? Copyright and all that.

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such a shame, one of the best places i was ever thrown out of.:D

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I played drums there one night when it was the Berkley. One of the owners who played the organ, Jack Lowry invited me along as I had played with Jack at a couple of other venues many years earlier. I believe Jack also had a pub in Accy. Does anyone remember him?

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I went there every Saturday night as a teenager. Remember 'Eddie McGarry and his Broadcasting Band'.

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It was never the Berkley, that is on Willow Street Accy Con is on Cannon Street the next street up.

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the ballroom was the largest sprung
wood floor in uk i remember it took for ever walking round it
watching all the girls dancing around their handbags

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Wasn't Accy Con famous for having the largest sprung dance floor in the country?

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Beechy has just said that in message before yours:confused:

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Appologies. Must have been posting at the same time.:o

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You too, eh:eek:

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The ballroom floor came out of the Tower Ballroom Blackpool, when they delivered it an Irishman carried all the Maple flooring pieces up 2 flights of stairs and laid it perfectly. Yes Gary it is sprung and it still is, this ballroom floor and the plaster work on the ceilings are the reason the Council refused planning permission the last time. Unfortunately the window to the 'grand ballroom' was removed last October. I personally witnessed the window frame being removed,it was removed by a man and not the

weather. The object of this exercise was to 'wreck' the ballroom with the elements.
Just how much damage has been done I know not, but if it is nipped in the bud now, the building will probably be sound, as it is protected by the surrounding properties. This building deserves a better deal than it is getting, for all our sakes let us at least preserve the most important building in our town, after all it is the most grandiose Conservative Club Building in Great Britain.
Just what is this town coming to, when we write off our heritage with impunity, the 'Yanks' would give their right arm and leg for history that we choose to discard

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Sounds like you were thrown out of there too:D

But there is a long tradition of tossing out history .... I remember when the old cast iron fire place, with the warming ovens and all that neat s**t was thrown out to make way for one of those ugly tiled objects.:mad:

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Down 2 flights of marble steps and felt them all. As God is my judge I have worn dentures since that day.
I would give anything to be able to fit an old 'range' in my kitchen, as they heated the water warmed the kitchen and baked the bread. These objects were discarded willy-nilly by the demolition men they are now priceless and can be found nowhere.

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Chrismg, if you care to use my pictures, please ask, or at least have the courtesy to credit me or link to my site.

As someone who has been in the club recently, I can confirm that the interior is not in great condition. As can be seen from the pictures (taken in April) the window has fallen or been pulled inside. This has since resulted in part of the ceiling coming in, as can be seen on the third picture, taken by a friend a couple of weeks back.
Some renovation work seems to be ongoing, but I'd question the logic of plastering rooms lower down the building when the building is not watertight. Of more concern is the local youth who frequent this building, access is (or was) easy, and any empty building has a high likelihood of being visited by your friendly local firestarters.

Some more of my pictures are here, I can post some more up if required.

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spent many happy hours up con... especially monday nights watching local groups playing ie: FOUR PENNY'S tops they were .

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AndyM,
Fair play pal. I'd no idea that the 'urban explorers' where local. Didn't realise the etiquette of using pictures on the net.
Just trying to make people aware about the building thats all.

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So who owns it now, and why is it being allowed to get into this state?

Anywhere else in the country, and this fabulous building would be seen as an asset.

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I have seen sone of the ethnic minority rund the back in the past few weeks, they were doing some work on the back door so assume they are the owners though they could have just been workmen.

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Don't know Garinda, but Andm may know a little more .. have found him on another site with lots of interesting information, but daren't copy and paste without permission .. :D

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Try this one for owners in 2004:

Accrington Observer - Churchills paves way for future

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wonder what happened to those " ambitious plans" submitted over 3 yrs ago?:rolleyes:

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Hyndburn Council 'knocked' them back, because they wanted the Grand ballroom floors and ornate ceilings chandeliers etc etc etc keeping as they were, hence the missing windows mystery that just happened to 'fall' out. If the Council had have been a little more flexible it would have been done now.
I knew the guy who owned it, he may still do, he was an ok chap and allways considered us living so near it, the town could have had a nice development instead of a vandalised building. When are these intransigent Council 'planners' going to learn, nothing is forever, things have to change. Take a lesson from the Hargreaves Wharehouse at Church, you can't expect these owners to put/keep them exactly like they were and make them into a viable proposition!

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It's a shame it isn't on blackburn road, weatherspoon's would have been a likely buyer, they tend to like renovating large classical buildings that are packed with charachter.

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Chrismg, no worries. I'm not from Accy but am fairly local - I roam the county so I regard myself as a Lancastrian rather than pigeon holing myself. :)And I was tipped off about this thread by someone.

I've no other information about the place I'm afraid. I try to research the places I visit as it helps put them into context, but I've not had the chance to visit Accy again to find out more. I'd love to see the place preserved and restored to it's former glory.

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Latest pictures taken by a friend of mine.

REPORT , Accrington Conservative Club : Report , Charting the devastation - UK Urban Exploration Forums

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That is criminal, what was once a beautiful building left to rot like that. The council must know who owns the building surely, they should make them do something about it. The trouble is not many people live near it so it seems to be out of sight out of mind. Can we not get some sort of petition up from Accy Web?

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Nice one AndyM,
I've mentioned it to the council a couple of weeks backand also to the Accy observer. We'll have to wait and see if anything gets done about it.
I'll have to move on to the old Berkley (Opium) next to stop that decaying away to nothing (how long has the roof been missing)!
Don't even get me started on St. Johns Church.

I think I'm turning into Victor Meldrew of Accy!:eek:

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Or should that be Gryff Rhys Jones - Restoration!

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After they had the fire people started helping themselves to the roof. Is there no roof at all now?

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After they had the fire people started helping themselves to the roof. Is there no roof at all now?

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It is a pity because it is such a historic building. I remember it as the 'Con' but mainly as 'Churchills'................had some good times in there!

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The bouncers threw somebody down the steps when it was Churchills. It ended in a fatality, that was the final blow and the place was shut down, don't think there is any chance of there ever being a nightclub there again, but building should be looked after.:(

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beats me why i am still batting, been thrown down them and many more steps:D must be as thick as pigs***.

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You said it:D

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i always tell things as they are berny.:rofl38:

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If you hadn't said it somebody else would have, the comments on here just lately have been a bit near the knuckle:Banane11:

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I see the Accrington Observer have been reading my posts on accyweb, word for word exactly what was said, see this thread post 31, I have a good job to sue for copyright, this local rag is miles behind with this latest 'scoop'.
I have raised the plight of this once beautifull building on numerous occasions, they have also made the most basic of journalistic mistakes in not researching the subject correctly, they don't even know who owns the building, 'they only had to ask' yours truely.;)

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Go for the throat and demand a payment. ;)

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I have many happy memories of Monday nights doing the "Con-walk " and attending the annual J.T.Rothwell company Christmas function, seems sad the local 'poo-bahs' cant get together and preserve the building as a local performing arts center 'ala' King Georges Hall in Blackburn, I allways thought part of the remit of elected officials/civic societies was to take care of the local infrastructure, and I think the 'Con-Club' regardless of politics is part of that infrastucture.
Maybe the present Hyndburn (Accrington & district) leadership are too young to remember , but I remember as a young-un the old Thwaites Arcade in Blackburn and what can only be described, and looking back as the pure vandalism when it was torn down to build the 'modern-day' shopping center .
So to the elected and civic leaders of Accrington please find a way to save the 'Con-Club' , I don't know, but create a preservation district/ 'gas lamp' area in the town center area , including the Town Hall/market Hall, Library, the old original Liberal Arts college, on the street up to the railway station ( the for-runner of Accy Tech on Sandy lane.) and the Con club .
thanks

:confused::confused:

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OOPS!!
Sorry Ianto.W, blame me for tipping off the Observer to the building and all associated bits. I didnt think they'd quote anybody word for word! I assume theres something in this weeks paper, haven't seen it myself.

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It's ok Chris MG it has started the ball rolling, their building company started securing it yesterday(the owners), it is Hyndburn Council that are the villains here, tied down by stupid conservation law's, that just allow things to go to rack and ruin. The Council have to seek a way round them, or this building will have to come down as surely as the ones at Church, (Hargreaves Wharehouse) good for nothing because of it's close proximity to WM Blythes hazardous plant.

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Well done Ian.

One biting post on here, and there it is verbatim, on the front page of the Observer.

At least more people will know about this disgraceful situation.

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It was the journalist who wrote the article who tipped me off about this thread - they asked me a few questions about the place and also if they could use my pictures but when I said I'd want paying for their use, they lost interest.
Still, you can see the rest of them at The View From The North - Lancashire and The North West of England if you haven't already - there's been an awful lot of visits to the Conny Club gallery of late!:)

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The journalist actually quoted one of accyweb members, if you look back through this thread you will find what he wrote in a thread by Ianto;)

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just like they pinched my picture over the mayor affair allegdly:D:D

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I have noticed that people driving by are now taking notice of the Con Club so maybe something will be done about it now.

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Has anybody read the article in the Observer? HBC are said to have made the club secure and are seeking to claim the costs back off the owners. When I read this I went and had a look, as far as I can see it is no more secure now than it was at this time last week. Why oh why do they claim to have done something when they quite obviously haven't?:confused:

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If the building is listed, as reported, surely there are laws to protect it's upkeep?

They slap listed orders on damn power stations, it's a scandal this building is going to rack and ruin.

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It is down as listed and apparently they know who owns it now, though whether that is true I don't know. I will be having a proper look tomorrow and if no work has been done our local rag will be getting a strongly worded letter off me.:mad:

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I rember it before it closed and it was a beautiful place to be in. As usual they have let a treasure go to ruin. :(

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Perhaps the five people who voted they were Conservatives in our poll, could club together to buy and save it.:D

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I am begining to wonder if that is the plan, leave it till it isto late then pull it down. If you read the letters page in the Observer our neighbour has requested this, so they will get more daylight into their living room, can you believe the ignorance of some people?:(

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That letter made me laugh too.:p

He must have realised his house would be dark if it's next to the Con Club. After all it's stood there for well over a hundred years, it wasn't magically built there overnight by some pixies.

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He is just an awkward person' perhaps he deserves our pity, but the way things are going with that club he may well get his wish because it will end up being dangerous if left much longer:mad:

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I used to go up there in the 60's,(ha, im ageing myself). We used to go to the dances on a Saturday night, I remember they used to search our bags for booze, because we weren't allowed to drink. Great times!

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If they are that desperate for more light in their living room they should move to a farm get all they want then. They cant pull down Accrington's heritage just because of lack of light. Should have thought of that before they moved. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

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maybe I've been away from the area too long , but I can't remember any kind of residential properties around that area , they were all solicitor offices and stuff like that , with maybe an occassional flat above, but then again when I check the town out on Google earth there have been lots of changes , I tried finding the site of the old swimming baths and the whole area has changed
:confused: :confused: either that or early senility is setting in :eek:

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All change steeljack and some of it not for the better.

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See the observer like this story now, shame they didnt pick it up on the own accord. ;)

Just to note in this weeks observer it says built in 1981.:rolleyes:

This should be 1891.:D

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Well spotted, I read the story and didn't notice that error! :confused:

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Glad to see the council have secured the building. Just a small point, the whole reason I contacted both the council and the Observer in the first place was because of the missing window in the ballroom that lets the weather (and flying rats) to wreck the building.
Whats the one thing the council didn't do....Yes you guessed it
the window's still missing!

At least securing the building encouraged the local scumbags to move on to start destroying Lar de Dars! And all they got was a caution.
A*$ holes. They should be locked up.

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It is a disgrace leaving that window out. As I have said before in this thread it makes you wonder if it is being left like that intentionally so that there won't be anything that can be done to restore the building!:mad:

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Hi , appologies for resurecting this thread , but after the outrage and publicity generated last August

as i suspected at the time the " council action " was simply to board up the doors and windows , NOTHING has beed done to maintain / waterproof the building

and now , thanks to the further vandalism that the building has endured , today i was able to document the further damage that has resulted from 10 months of negect .

please read my rant , and view the pics at the 28DL urban exploration forum .

link

thank you

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Re: Accy Con Club
 

It would not surprise me to discover that Accrington does not even feature in the council's "Masterplan" which, if memory serves, is due for delivery in a couple of weeks.

This sad and completely unecessary waste of the borough's heritage is entirely down to HBC and its ridiculously inefficient and incompetant officers.

By the way, thank you Andyj for bringing this shameful situation to the attention of the public.

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thank you Andyj for the new photos, am totally dismayed at the state this once magnificant building has become. H.B.C. should HANG THEIR HEADS IN SHAME.:mad:

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Sort of. The Tories were forced into the Masterplan. However they are trying to disown it. At a public meeting of it's launch Clr Britcliffe said the Council welcomes (outside) ideas but he wanted to make clear they are not the Councils. This week he specifically said the masterplan had the new bus station behind Quik Save but that was not his view (just the view of the masterplanners) and did anyone agree with him.

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Silly question, but who owns the Con Club?

:confused:

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ya know i cant think where the con club is!


where is it:eek:

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ON Cannon St and here are a few photos.

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ooooooooh churchills!!!....ta bert:)

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If this is the councils idea of a revamp, tis the council officers who should be revamped!
Bet your life it comes down to lack of ideas, money, red tape and back handers!

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Britcliffe, legs akimbo, sat daintly on the fence?

Surely not.

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Bus behind quicksave? Yes lets move our customers further away from the market town we should be trying to regenerate. :rolleyes:

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Sorry Mr C, Councils dont have any shame, It will be all about money and development, looks like they havent learnt anything from the 60s.

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hi - as far as i can tell a firm called :

city pace limited

owned the building in 2006 , i have not been able to find out much about them - and undertaing a record search at the land registry costs money - so i did not persue it

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Thanks for that. The reason I asked the question was, I was wondering if the council was allowing it to fall apart so that they could buy it on the cheap or obtain a compulsory purchase order.

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civic vandalism by all political parties

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Had somebody ay my door a few weeks back asking if I had been troubled by squatters. He did leave a telephone number (just a mobile) to ring in case I was having any problems. Having seen the pics and how much the place has deteriorated over last few months think I will be trying to get in touch. It looks like the whole place is ready to come down and as I am just at the back of it I am quite concerned. HBC should be ashamed letting this beautiful building go to wrack and ruin!!!!

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Well I tried my best last August. I instigated the Observer story about the state of the place. I complained to the council about the missing windows in the ballroom. What has been done sweet f.a.
I think somebody at the council is in cahoots with the company that wants to develope the building into apartments. That would then make another craphole like the former cinema on Edgar Street now is.
I'm assuming that the once 1'largest sprung dance floor in the country' is now completely destroyed.
Glad I'm not in the country anymore.

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Wouldn't be suprised if your theory is right there Chris, many of our civic representatives have fingers in property pies.

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Somebody posted an old photo of the ballroom in its glory days. a couple of years ago but cant find it, maybe someone can remember which forum it was on, will be good to compare.

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We spent many a saturday night there in the 50s,,,,happy days

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At long last the ballroom window has been boarded up. Could it be that things are going to start moving???

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Does anyone have any idea what is going to happen to it?

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No must keep our eyes open for planning applications;)

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Hmmmm seems that I was wrong, the window is out of the ballroom again. It is a crying shame that this beautiful building is being allowed to just decay like this. What a damn shame:(

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Wonder if the owner reads accyweb, the window has been boarded up this afternoon:)

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No but there a one or two councillors that do Bernie:D

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it's a Tory club and so they should pay for it's upkeep from thier own pockets....maybe a nice building but you would'nt get me in there without a cross and some holy water!:D

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It aint been a Tory Club for 15 years, now go back to sleep and keep taking the happy pills Mancie theres a good lad:D