Report - Flamingos/The Empire Nightclub, MK Lesiure Plaza, Milton Keynes - Aug 2013

[Landie_Man]

I heard about this place on The Grapevine, namingly through Northern_Ninja. The Milton Keynes Leisure Plaza was built in 1990 and housed a Bowling Alley (Megabowl), an Ice Rink (Planet Ice, formally Bladerunner), an Argos and a Homebase store and a Nightclub (The Empire, formally Flamingos).

The nightclub closed in 2004 and has set ever since. The Bowling Alley and Ice Rink closed this summer for re-development. It appears the ice rink is being left, but everything else here is being demolished. The Leisure Plaza has been through a lot of changes in the last 23 years but has slowly diminished and development is necessary.

The Nightclub here appeared to have several themed bars and also a café. Expiry dates of 2004 on a box of crisps gave ideas of closure time. For a derpy place, its actually quite picturesque!

I could not find a way into any of the other buildings sadly. I wish I could have done the ice rink, but you never know!

I solo'd this one, and the building made some un-nerving noises in the torrential rain!

More At:

Milton Keynes Leisure Plaza - a set on Flickr

 

[Mr Badger]

Great to see. I was at the opening night when the club changed to the Empire. From memory Alexander O'Neill played live! Like the tiles in the toilets - First Leisure Group (the owners at the time) put the tiles up crooked to make the happy drinkers feel like they were a bit happier! The same was true of Lexington Avenue (also a First Leisure nightclub) in Hull now demolished.

 

[Landie_Man]

Major bump but thank you! In a way that's what it's all about, not Only exploring and seeing amazing places and documenting them, but invoking other people's memories. It's always nice. When was this? Mid 90s? The place shut in 2004

 

[Urban vermin]

Would have been late 90's, it was still flamingos around 1995 when I went there.

 

[mrwhite]

excellent, u got in there before its too late. least you captured something.

 

[Landie_Man]

Was a rather long time ago now. Did planet ice next door too.

 

[WildBoyz]

Great report that. Judging by the great big hole in the wall, I'm guessing it's gone by now.

 

[sinner85]

This part of the site now gone, its now a slab of concrete and a walk way to Morrison's supermarket. The Ice Rink was re-developed and re-opened last October.

 

[sinner85]

The nightclub has since gone, replaced by a path and some plants and a fire exit for the newly built Morrison's. The Ice Rink was redeveloped and re-opened last October.

 

[Landie_Man]

Indeed!

 

[Chewie]

Would have been late 90's, it was still flamingos around 1995 when I went there.

I loved that club! I met my wife in there 24 years ago!.