The STATE Cinema - Grays - 16/5/09

[Speed]

Now before i say anything you must understand, there is no way on earth a set of photos can ever convey how stunning this place is! Ive been to some pretty awsome 'time machine' type places over the years, Inverkips control room, Cane Hills Browning ward, Battersea B's control room. This place is up there with the best of them, maybe better!

Ive had my eye on the State for years but the place is a right nuns chuff, and rightly so! I had almost given up hope when i got a PM from Squirrell saying he fancied a look while he was down south and had some 'ideas' I snapped at the chance for another go and this time we made it!

Most of the explore was spent trying to find the hundereds of light switches, we spent atleast 2 hours in the projection room alone just in awe. The cinema was a bit different to what i was expecting, its mainly just one big brick box with a few partitions to make the bar areas and lobby, its not like alot of cinemas where theres rat runs of corridoors and odd rooms taked on at jaunty angles! That said i still dont think we saw it all, 5 hours in there was just not enough!

Theres a big campaign to save this place and you can only wish them the best of luck!

The History of this Amazing cinema can be found here http://www.statecinema.co.uk/history.htm

​

 

[Speed]

and the rest

 

[Squirrell 911]

If in doubt get a Squirrell on the case

Like Speed said it was a tough nut to crack but once inside it was a goldmine. Flip the switch and power the place up

Heres a few of my pics from the evenings jaunt.

Quite a productive evening.

 

[Berserker]

Wicked report! pictures were ace!
This place looks amaze-balls!

 

[coolboyslim]

wow simply wow no wonder its in the noteworthy reports. Fantastic and thx for sharing.

 

[:meerkat:]

looks like an amazing place thanks for showing everyone
nice photos as well

 

[Lavino]

That place really is a time machine well done lads

 

[Supersonic]

Speed, that report still is up there with one of the bests in my opinion. Got a slight obsession with this place...

 

[Speed]

Just a shame the photos arnt better quality! Maybe i will see if i can tweek them a bit and get them looking a bit less blurry..

 

[Baggy trousers]

Absolutely fantastic place that there Speed.. It's a real time warp inside.
Any updates on if it's been saved or not? As it would be a shame to lose it.

 

[Supersonic]

Absolutely fantastic place that there Speed.. It's a real time warp inside.
Any updates on if it's been saved or not? As it would be a shame to lose it.

Its still the same. Wetherspoons have bought it, plans have gone through. the seats on the main floor are due to be ripped up but organ and projector room are staying

 

[Supersonic]

Its still the same. Wetherspoons have bought it, plans have gone through. the seats on the main floor are due to be ripped up but organ and projector room are staying

if you're interested, all the info is here spent hours reading the plans and reports. really interesting
https://regs.thurrock.gov.uk/online...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=P08N1VQGFTO00

 

[Speed]

Its a good fate for it i think. It was never going to be a cinema again and since the organ got looted one of its main selling points was gone..

 

[Supersonic]

Its a good fate for it i think. It was never going to be a cinema again and since the organ got looted one of its main selling points was gone..

yeh. the report sates it must be restored and used again

 

[screenone]

Fantastic pics always wondered what this place was really like, knew the chief projectionist yrs ago, he & I would relive our times when we were both in the bizz. Thanks so much for making an old projectionist truly happy.