Author: modernmoocher

Gone.

The waves of tears rolling down your raked and worn boards, towards.

A shimmering screen no longer lit, by the projector’s luminous fan.

Catching.

The smoke of a million smoking cigarettes.

Laughter.

Rolling in gales to your rafters.

Long gone.

The six storey exterior was designed by A. E. Shannon and has very little decoration other than motifs over the entrance. Despite this, the building remains a very distinct feature on Lime Street. The building is listed for the grand interior, which is said to remain one of the designers – William R. Glen’s – best. 

The cinema was renamed ABC Cinema in February 1971 and survived intact until 1982 when it was converted to three screens; the additional two mini cinemas were installed under the balcony. It was re-named Cannon in 1986 and remained so until closure in 1998. A building that many in the city remember using, The Forum finally closed its doors on the 28th of January 1998. It remains unused.    

It say so here

Open temporarily to accommodate the 2016 Biennial, working in mixed and low light, this is the current state of affairs. its future however seems to have been resolved and assured as the plans for renovation and reuses as a gig venue are unveiled.

Take a look:

I’ve been up to my ears in seawater recently, researching and visiting modernity on the coast – when the question was posed, is this particular marine typology to be found inland?

Well, yes it was – in thrall to the work of Bruno Taut’s work at Britz, amongst others, and motivated by a desire for newer, cleaner forms of architecture, often instigated by forward thinking socialist local authorities, the future was built.

As directed by the British Broadcasting Corporation in October 1937.

The future was subsequently knocked down and put back in its box.

However for a short while it looked like this:

– Kennet House on Smedley Lane, Cheetham Hill.

Many of these photographs were taken by Norman Newsham – who had the foresight to record the passing of this once great building, many thanks Norman.

Take a walk down there one day, take time to take a look at where the future was.

Beneath the pavement, the pavement.

Archival material thanks to:

http://manchestergalore.tumblr.com

http://images.manchester.gov.uk

Return to sender, address unknown.

No such number, no such zone.

I’ve passed this way before, I know I have

https://modernmooch.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/stockport-post-box/

We’ve all seen better days.

Time has not been kind, your face punched out, slots blocked, glasses shattered.

We all deserve better.

Careless hands, mindless neglect.

That ain’t no way to treat a post box.

Welcome to Heald Green, cycling from Stockport to the Airport along Sustrans Route 558, you will find an unexpected surprise, rendered just a little less surprising.

A Methodist Church.

There is little or no information concerning its authorship or origins, but an internet search did yield a free 3D model:

My thanks to Cath the cleaner for her time and hospitality – allowing me to snap the interior as we chatted about this and that.

Pop in if you’re passing, she’s there most days.

There are some intriguing exterior and interior details.

I’ve passed this way before.

Many times before

Where once a housing estate stood, was demolished then nature slowly reinstated.

https://modernmooch.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/gorsey-bank-stockport-1/

Weeks ago, stripped back awaiting redevelopment, fresh growth has already taken hold.

Again.

The force that through the green fuse drives the flower.

Today I passed again the turned ground of former homes, through front rooms, kitchens.

The well tended gardens of long gone ghosts.

And then I found a film.

Furled then unfurled, still moist from yesterdays rain – with care, I laid it in the sun.

Unprocessed, lacking any trace of edge markings, but exposed – who could ever know?

It’s too late to stop now, develop or fix.

Heaven alone knows, the latent images that may have lain awaiting within:

Those fragile fragments of silver.

I have dutifully released and revealed the actions of the landscape upon the abandoned film.

What once was lost, now is found, was blind but now we see.