Spin, also known as the Gaity is a building in Cardiff that has a varied history, and has housed everything from cinema, bingo, bowling and a drinking venue. Post abandonment it became home to a group of activist squatters who’s aim was to turn it into a community centre. Now the building is void of any life other than a colony of rats and a few rough sleepers. The future of the building is debated, with plans to demolish it announced every few years which never come to fruition. Some people however would like to see it revived, citing the historical merit of the building, given that it is over a hundred years old and holds a lot of local history.
The Gaity cinema opened in 1912, and held only one floor, with a steep row of seats leading down to the screen, and was remodelled multiple times during its stint with the silver screen which lasted until 1961 when it was turned into a bingo hall. The building officially became a bowling alley, bar and restaurant in 2001 and was split into two floors as it became Spin. This endeavor however, was not long lasting and Spin closed its doors for the last time on the 12th of February 2006 and has been left to rot ever since.
Now the building does retain a handful of its features, the bar still stands, as does the basement full of pumps for the alcohol, you can still go into the lift, see the small food lift and climb the staircase with its original decorative railings and see snippets of the colourful carpets that are very reminiscent of an early 00s bowling alley. Spin now also holds evidence of twenty years of abandonment, with evidence of rats everywhere, layers of graffiti, the remnants of fires and lots of evidence of the anarchist squatters on the top floor. There are a few rough sleepers residing in the building, however they didn’t bother us once they realised we had no intention of bothering them.
As well as the typical dangers/risks of an abandoned building there is a lot of used needles strewn about so id be especially careful if touching stuff/ where you step. Luckily my platform doc martens are essentially glued to my feet so I managed to mostly mitigate this. You can supposedly get to the roof of the buildings, however we didn’t feel like taking the risk with the sinking, wet floor of the room with access to the roof.
Overall this was a cool explore even if the building wasn’t much more than a shell holding a few original features it was made interesting by the evidence of the buildings history before and after it was abandoned.
The Gaity cinema opened in 1912, and held only one floor, with a steep row of seats leading down to the screen, and was remodelled multiple times during its stint with the silver screen which lasted until 1961 when it was turned into a bingo hall. The building officially became a bowling alley, bar and restaurant in 2001 and was split into two floors as it became Spin. This endeavor however, was not long lasting and Spin closed its doors for the last time on the 12th of February 2006 and has been left to rot ever since.
Now the building does retain a handful of its features, the bar still stands, as does the basement full of pumps for the alcohol, you can still go into the lift, see the small food lift and climb the staircase with its original decorative railings and see snippets of the colourful carpets that are very reminiscent of an early 00s bowling alley. Spin now also holds evidence of twenty years of abandonment, with evidence of rats everywhere, layers of graffiti, the remnants of fires and lots of evidence of the anarchist squatters on the top floor. There are a few rough sleepers residing in the building, however they didn’t bother us once they realised we had no intention of bothering them.
As well as the typical dangers/risks of an abandoned building there is a lot of used needles strewn about so id be especially careful if touching stuff/ where you step. Luckily my platform doc martens are essentially glued to my feet so I managed to mostly mitigate this. You can supposedly get to the roof of the buildings, however we didn’t feel like taking the risk with the sinking, wet floor of the room with access to the roof.
Overall this was a cool explore even if the building wasn’t much more than a shell holding a few original features it was made interesting by the evidence of the buildings history before and after it was abandoned.
