Report - Maidstone ABC cinema 17

[monk]

Been a while since this one's been on the scene, however it's still there, still derelict, still a cock to get into, but still pretty cool... and my photos are still shite

The Granada Theatre opened on 10th January 1934 with Tom Walls in "Cuckoo in the Nest" and John Barrymore in "Reunion in Vienna". Organist Alex Taylor opened the Christie 3Manual/8Ranks organ, which had a French style console. There was a stage, but no fly tower for scenery. There was a popular cafe-restaurant, and a car park.

The interior was designed by noted Russian theatre set designer Theodore Komisarjevsky. There were three decorative grilles on each side of the proscenium, which had a narrow frieze across its top, depicting charioteers.

The Granada Theatre was closed on 15th September 1968 due to flooding, and it re-opened the following week, using the 650 seat circle area only. The building was closed in April 1971, for converion by the architectural firm George Coles & Partners, into a Granada Bingo Club in the former stalls area and a twin screen cinema in the former circle and former cafe, using a new side entrance. Granada 1 & 2 opened on 26th December 1971 with 560 & 90 seats. The cinema was tripled, by twinning the former balcony in December 1974, with seating now provided for 258, 259 and 90. The Christie organ was removed and shipped to Australia, where it now resides at the Kelvin Grove High School, Brisbane.

Taken over by the Cannon Group in January 1989, it was re-named Cannon, it became the MGM in May 1993 and Virgin from July 1995. In May 1996, it was taken over by ABC and was closed on 15th April 1999. The bingo club still remains open in the former stalls area, and the building is now owned by Gala Bingo.

Tucked away behind a sign for 20 something years....

 

[Seagull]

nice work man

 

[silentwalker]

Nice one man, I didn't even know that was still there!

 

[obscurity]

good effort mate tried this a few times years back with no luck getting in!! still looks inb reasonabl nick to be fair, may have to stick my head in.

 

[monk]

good effort mate tried this a few times years back with no luck getting in!! still looks inb reasonabl nick to be fair, may have to stick my head in.

I was surprised how well it's held up over the years, exspectied to be a right shit pit in there.

 

[Urbanexplorationsquad]

Went here recently myself. An absolutly mad place. Right next to the active gala. You can hear the numbers being called XD have to be so quiet in the main corridor

Sick photos mate

 

[MattyMcDoodle]

I’m going to be going there next week.
Your post was from a few months ago now so was just wondering if you knew first of all if it’s still there and also any specific good ways in?
Oh yeah, and is security a problem?!

 

[MattyMcDoodle]

Went here recently myself. An absolutly mad place. Right next to the active gala. You can hear the numbers being called XD have to be so quiet in the main corridor

Sick photos mate

I’m going next week mate and to know you only went recently is reassuring. Is ‘security’ a problem and do you reccomened a way in?

 

[Urbanexplorationsquad]

No there is no securety but its tight next to a active bingo and right by a police station. I recomend checking round the side of the building and possibly the roof but its hard to get up there

 

[MattyMcDoodle]

I went the other day and there was no luck getting in. Only thing I could think of was the roof but I went in the day and I would’ve been seen climbing. Especially cause there are cameras right by the best climbing point

 

[Urbanexplorationsquad]

I went the other day and there was no luck getting in. Only thing I could think of was the roof but I went in the day and I would’ve been seen climbing. Especially cause there are cameras right by the best climbing point

Yeah. I remember recently one camera around there got broke. Possibly by someone climbing. Idk