Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 16

Thread: Forum Cinema, Lime Street

  1. #1

    Default Forum Cinema, Lime Street

    Ok, I know photos from inside here caused a bit of a scrap before, but I'm posting mine anyway. Looks like some kind of work is being done to the place, and I wanted to see it before it's too late. Help from someone got me in - nothing was damaged or broken. The building is no more easily accessible than it was before we entered.

    So anyway... after five or six years of wanting to get in here, me and Frank finally made the effort, and on our second attempt got in. By now I think I'm one of the few people in the city that hasn't been in there. I know friends and former workmates who have been there, even my girlfriend's brother made it in there a couple of years ago.

    So it was good to finally walk up the stairs and into the main auditorium. I wasn't disappointed either - although tatty, it's quite intact. Projector rooms are pretty much stripped out, but there are interesting features here and there. Typically the Art Deco styling continues inside, with staircases reminding me of places like Littlebrook B and Battersea (although obviously more ornate).

    In the foyer was a popcorn machine with popcorn still in it, and downstairs the remains of a snack bar. So all in all a good explore, and it was well worth missing 3 of my usual 7 hours sleep before work!! Pictures are a little grainy, as it all had to be done with a rapidly fading searchblaster, but they give a pretty good idea of what's left.

    More on my website here.





























    Last edited by snappel; 06-19-2007 at 10:58 AM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member The Gardens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Liverpool
    Posts
    105

    Default

    Great pics, bringing back many great memories;

    attending the UK premier of Superman 2 and coming out the cinema drunk late on a Friday night thinking we all could fly.

    Being turned away due to a full house three times after queing up to see Fatal Attraction (you couldn't pre book in those days!).

    The final film I went to see there was Jurrasic Park.

  3. #3
    PhilipG
    Guest PhilipG's Avatar

    Default

    Snappel.
    I do appreciate the fact that you'd want to take photos of the interior before it changes, but the ironic part

    is the building is Listed because of the interior, so it will stay anyway.
    Assuming it survives in good condition.

  4. #4
    Senior Member steveb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Liverpool
    Posts
    445

    Default

    Really great pic,s, hasn't changed

    much inside. Did anyone ever get into
    the Futurist, apart from those who set fire to it

  5. #5

    Default

    Philip - that's interesting, I didn't know that. The last I heard were the plans to convert the building into a 'sports bar complex' by some footballer. How would this incorporate the existing interior? I appreciate your concerns for the place, and I assure you that the builders have gone to some effort to secure ways in. Access isn't freely available as far as I know, I'll say that much.

    I'm yet to see any recent photos of the Futurist. I had a look round the outsides but there's no way in that I can see, although I'm not that bothered if it's had substantial fire damage. A big shame, that...

  6. #6
    PhilipG
    Guest PhilipG's Avatar

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by snappel View Post
    Philip - that's interesting, I didn't know that. The last I heard were the plans to convert the building into a 'sports bar complex' by some footballer. How would this incorporate the existing interior? I appreciate your concerns for the place, and I assure you that the builders have gone to some effort to secure ways in. Access isn't freely available as far as I know, I'll say that much.

    I'm yet to see any recent photos of the Futurist. I had a look round the outsides but there's no way in that I can see, although I'm not that bothered if it's had substantial fire damage. A big shame, that...
    That proposal wasn't allowed because they wanted to insert windows which was considered too much of an alteration.
    (Although, in my opinion, I wouldn't mind a couple of windows if it meant that the building was used again).
    If the building is to be converted into any sort of venue, presumably it would be 'de-tripled' and the floor levelled (or stepped down in sections).
    As far as the main auditorium is concerned it's the side walls, stage area and ceiling that are the most critical.
    Kitchens, toilets, etc could be constructed in the rear stalls.

  7. #7

    Default

    Ok, that makes sense. It's a shame nothing's happened so far. I think there's some routine maintenance going on inside at the moment, probably fixing leaks and damp here and there. Inside it's warm and appears in good nick, so that's a good thing - nice to know it hasn't been totally neglected.

    I look forward to seeing it renovated, whenever that may be...

  8. #8
    Otterspool Onomatopoeia Max's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Nowhere
    Age
    38
    Posts
    1,908

    Default

    Niccceeeee pics.



    Where you there last night?
    Gididi Gididi Goo.

  9. #9

    Default

    I hope that they do make use of the building in some capacity as our coucil have a nice habbit of just leaving things to naturally decay until they can knock em down. With the 08 celebrations I think the planners are under preasure to do somthing with our empty city center buildings. I just hope there is some heart put into it. Good pics snap!

  10. #10

    Default

    I'm guessing that the 08 celebrations have something to do with the current work to the exterior of the building. With all the new pavements and road alterations, plus the clearing up of Lime Street and the 'gateway' at the station that's being built, they need to start doing something with grubby looking buildings.

    So for now, anyway, I think the outside is getting a clean, plus they'll probably make the boards/steel plates over the doors and windows look a bit more tidy.

  11. #11
    PhilipG
    Guest PhilipG's Avatar

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by snappel View Post
    I'm guessing that the 08 celebrations have something to do with the current work to the exterior of the building. With all the new pavements and road alterations, plus the clearing up of Lime Street and the 'gateway' at the station that's being built, they need to start doing something with grubby looking buildings.

    So for now, anyway, I think the outside is getting a clean, plus they'll probably make the boards/steel plates over the doors and windows look a bit more tidy.
    Yes, I think that's all that's happening.
    I hope the phone masts won't go up.
    The boards on the Futurist and the Arcade next door were painted black because of Prince Charles' visit.

  12. #12
    Senior Member steveb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Liverpool
    Posts
    445

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by snappel View Post
    Philip - that's interesting, I didn't know that. The last I heard were the plans to convert the building into a 'sports bar complex' by some footballer. How would this incorporate the existing interior? I appreciate your concerns for the place, and I assure you that the builders have gone to some effort to secure ways in. Access isn't freely available as far as I know, I'll say that much.

    I'm yet to see any recent photos of the Futurist. I had a look round the outsides but there's no way in that I can see, although I'm not that bothered if it's had substantial fire damage. A big shame, that...
    Hi
    yes you may have seen this one of the Futurists foyer
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	futur.jpg 
Views:	343 
Size:	129.5 KB 
ID:	3544  

  13. #13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by PhilipG View Post
    I hope the phone masts won't go up.
    Agreed - I think they look awful.

    Steve - thanks for the photo, looks a bit of a mess in there...

  14. #14
    Senior Member skgogosfan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Liverpool
    Posts
    193

    Default

    http://cabinexchange.randomstate.org...st/index4.html

    There was some art-house stuff done in the Futurist for the Biennial-here's the site for it. After you load the main page,most of the letters of the Futurist sign at the top are clickable.

    Great pix of the Forum snappel. I've always been curious about what sort of state it's in. I don't suppose you made it to the basements to see if that tunnel under the street to the Futurist actually exists,did you?

    Dave.

  15. #15
    Senior Member iain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Wavertree
    Age
    43
    Posts
    243

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by snappel View Post
    By now I think I'm one of the few people in the city that hasn't been in there.
    Now I was going to say "I haven't either" but some of those pics look familiar... when did it close down?

    And did you salvage any of the popcorn for us?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Lime Street buildings pre ABC/Forum
    By Ged in forum Ged Fagan's In A City Living
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 12-28-2011, 04:47 PM
  2. Polish Community Forum
    By PIP'S2008 in forum Cultures and Communities in Liverpool
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 08-08-2008, 02:16 AM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •