The Globe Theatre - Stockton - May 2011

[Krypton]

The first cinema on the site was built in 1913, demolished in 1925 and replaced on a larger scale in 1926, still as a cinema. In 1935 Charles and Alfred Lewis rebuilt it in Art Deco style as the New Globe Theatre of Varieties. It had full stage facilities with dressing rooms on three floors and was intended as a number one variety house, but with film projection facilities. It became an ABC cinema in 1937, but still with much live use including annual pantomimes. There were regular stage shows with national companies after the war. Strangley, access to the Projection Rooms is via an external walkway on the roof, flanked by two turrets and two staircases at either side. In 1977 it converted to bingo, at the time of closure in 1996, it was a Mecca Bingo.

The ground floor front, which originally had shop fronts flanking the entrance, has now been tiled, but in a perfectly discreet manner. On the right hand side of the shop, a fallen ceiling revealed meat hooks; this is because Alfred Lewis, the builder, had his butchers shop here. In the early twenties, Howell Thomas died in a fire at the Globe theatre, when he was only 18yrs of age. He was working in the projection box when the room caught fire and another member of staff slammed the projection room door shut to prevent the fire spreading, trapping him in the inferno that followed. This is a piece of tragic history of the Globe that appears to have been forgotten about. Above the ground floor,, the moderne stucco façe has fluted giant pilaster strips rising through two storeys to a stepped attic with two short, cubist towers. Internally much of the original ornament has survived. Auditorium has characteristic, almost unaltered ornament to the single balcony front, side walls with light fountains and broad, square proscenium. An excellent example of its kind and date, The Globe has remained vacant since 1996 but development plans were developed in 2009 to restore the building to live use.

Planning permission was granted in February 2010, and after much doubt, funding has been secured and work will start tomorrow and is expected to last 18 Months. I will definitely re-visit when it is done to do some before and after shots. Originally I was visiting with three friends, but it turned into a mass group when we came across some other people exploring! Visited with TripleSix, Industry, Mexico75, Esposa, Theoss, Sandman and a non-forum member. It was a fantastic day out and it was the first thing ive done for a few months which hasn’t been an ROC Post! On with the pics:…

The Front


One of the Entrance Doors


Entrance Foyer


Staircase


The Butchers Shop Area


Butchers Shop


Art Deco Staircases


The Stalls (Converted to Bingo Area)


Looking up from the foot of the Stage


Vintage Sign


Upside down shot because it looks good.


Twinkly Lights (Sorry its wonky)


Normal Lights


Projection Room - Stripped (Covered in about 6inches of Pidgeon Poo/Bones/Eggs


Back Up Batteries in the Battery Room


Going onto the Stage


Stage Area


Bingo Cards


Bingo Machines


Another Stalls Shot


Not sure what happened here lol - I think i was electrocuted


On the Circle


Heading Up...


And Up...


And Up....


And UP!!!!!!!!


Onto the Walkway -Where You can access the projection and battery rooms - FULL of pidgeon paraphenalia


And too the top.

Thanks for looking. Sorry its pic heavy but this was potentially the last explore ever in this place as tommorow renovations begin and no doubt security cameras and fences will be erected. I cant wait till its finished and brought back into use.

Krypton