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View Full Version : Archived: Elysium Cinema and Labour Club Swansea - June 08



sinnerman
29-10-2008, 12:48 PM
Another older report

visited with Dangerous Dave then again with a few others.

Only one way to describe this absolutely mint one of the best places i've been in a while. and after almost 6 moths of patient scouting it was fantastic to find ourselves inside have been back three time since this tirp and found some real tresures in there.

The Elysium Cinema opened on High Street Swansea in 11th April 1914 its single auditorium was designed by Ward & Ward of the Strand, London and seated 900 in Circle and Stalls. The Cinema was equiped by Kalee who also provided the cast iorn seats the audtorium was also equiped with a stage for variety acts which is still there today. The building was also home to the Swansea Dock Workers Hall a working mans club and later home to the labour party in the City. The Cinema closed in 1960 and became an independent bingo clubd, which had closed by 1994. Leaving only the labour club open in the ground floor of the building which also closed in 1998 and the building has been boarded up ever since. THe whole building is under threat of demolition as the council have been executing compulsory purchase orders in the area pending a re generation project.

The Cinema, workings manclub to follow

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec01.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec02.jpg

The Lobby later used as an amusement arcade
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec03.jpg

Change booth.......... Oh Whats Occuring?
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec04.jpg

Bingo hall reception with hideous wood paneling and suspended ceiling
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec05.jpg

Above the suspended celing was a beautiful plaster work dome toped with this stained glass window.
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec06.jpg

Auditorium Doors.
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec07.jpg

Bingo Hall on two tiers where the stalls would have been
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec08.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec09.jpg

Bingo Callers Console
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec10.jpg

"Modern" computerised bingo.
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec11.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec12.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec13.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec14.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec15.jpg

Above a suspended ceiling the Circle seats are still in place.
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec16.jpg

These have sat idle for 48 years
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec17.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec17b.jpg

The first of meny abandoned arcade machines and gamblers we came across
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec18.jpg

Behind the auditoruim in the offices was the gambler graveyard
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec19.jpg

Projection Room full of old cinema seats and old bingo desks
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec20.jpg

A Kalee cinema seat
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec21.jpg

Part of the projection equipment?
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec22.jpg

From the projection booth a stairwell lead down it looked like it had been sealed off since the 60's
http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec23.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec24.jpg

Again some more pics and hisotry on my website http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/elysium.php

sinnerman
29-10-2008, 12:49 PM
The Swansea and District Labour Hall and Institute on the ground floor only the bar was accessable but it was mint just like it had been left yesterday not 10 years ago.

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec30.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec31.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec32.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec33.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec34.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec35.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec36.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec37.jpg

http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/images/28/elysium/ec38.jpg