Located on Fratton Road, this building has a long and varied history. Originally opened in 1934 as the Troxy Cinema, it was a classic Art Deco-style picture house, part of the boom in British cinemas during the 1930s. Operated by the small independent chain Portsmouth Cinemas Ltd, the Troxy had seating for over 1,000 people and was known for its grand façade and stylish interior. However, like many cinemas of its era, it struggled against the rise of television and eventually shut its doors in 1960.
After closure, the building was repurposed multiple times—first as a bingo hall, then later as a furniture store, before finally becoming United Footwear, a discount shoe retailer that served the area for decades. It remained in business until I think around 2017/2016, when it finally shut down for good, leaving the site abandoned.
The Explore:
With United Footwear closing down, the building has been sitting empty for a while now. From the outside, it still retains elements of its former cinema days, especially the curved frontage and some hidden remnants of its past beneath the later shop fittings. Gaining access was relatively straightforward - a door on the 1st floor around the back, nice climb..
Inside, it’s a mix of eras. Most of the United Footwear setup remains—rows of empty storage shelves, a counter which i presume to be the till, However, towards the back, behind plasterboard walls, some original cinema features are still visible. Parts of the old projection room are still intact and im SOO GLAD the original projector was still there.. that has been on my list for a while now, and the ceiling above the retail space has some of the original moldings from its days as the Troxy.
Unfortunately, much of the original cinema detailing has either been stripped or buried under decades of modifications, such as Bingo ball decals on the upper balcony overlooking where the stage use to be, but it’s still a cool spot to explore considering its history and how local i am.
Future of the Site:
It looks like redevelopment plans are already in motion. As of early 2025, Portsmouth City Council has listed the site for potential demolition or conversion into flats. Given its location, it wouldn’t be surprising if it gets turned into another generic block of apartments in the near future.
Find more at:United Footwear -
the cctv monitor im guessing
the beams the lights were on - at first i thought it was for a lowerd ceiling but that was it
for emergency lighting or smoke detector i think
stock room for footwear shop
balcony for cinema
stock room on 1st floor - at back was the kitchen and bar
till
meeee
the original projector
After closure, the building was repurposed multiple times—first as a bingo hall, then later as a furniture store, before finally becoming United Footwear, a discount shoe retailer that served the area for decades. It remained in business until I think around 2017/2016, when it finally shut down for good, leaving the site abandoned.
The Explore:
With United Footwear closing down, the building has been sitting empty for a while now. From the outside, it still retains elements of its former cinema days, especially the curved frontage and some hidden remnants of its past beneath the later shop fittings. Gaining access was relatively straightforward - a door on the 1st floor around the back, nice climb..
Inside, it’s a mix of eras. Most of the United Footwear setup remains—rows of empty storage shelves, a counter which i presume to be the till, However, towards the back, behind plasterboard walls, some original cinema features are still visible. Parts of the old projection room are still intact and im SOO GLAD the original projector was still there.. that has been on my list for a while now, and the ceiling above the retail space has some of the original moldings from its days as the Troxy.
Unfortunately, much of the original cinema detailing has either been stripped or buried under decades of modifications, such as Bingo ball decals on the upper balcony overlooking where the stage use to be, but it’s still a cool spot to explore considering its history and how local i am.
Future of the Site:
It looks like redevelopment plans are already in motion. As of early 2025, Portsmouth City Council has listed the site for potential demolition or conversion into flats. Given its location, it wouldn’t be surprising if it gets turned into another generic block of apartments in the near future.
Find more at:United Footwear -
the cctv monitor im guessing
the beams the lights were on - at first i thought it was for a lowerd ceiling but that was it
for emergency lighting or smoke detector i think
stock room for footwear shop
balcony for cinema
stock room on 1st floor - at back was the kitchen and bar
till
meeee
the original projector
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