Fawlty Towers

According to the website, this hotel "is conveniently located in the heart of Lancashire, close to the M6. It is situated near the charming village of Croston and short drive from Preston Lancashire with many local attractions on hand including Blackpool resort and Camelot Adventure Park." (Hmm . . now another Urbex tourist destination!)It "boasts 45 elegant bedrooms comfortably furnished and equipped with all modern comforts. The main areas and some rooms have free wireless Broadband internet access. Its restaurant "serves a wide selection of drinks and sumptuous meals. The  bar features a cosy ambiance in which guests can relax and sip their favourite ales while meeting new friends."      However, the above hotel ran into decline - read the reviews on Trip Advisor and you'll see what I mean. This place has only recently  closed and yet is already close to being totally trashed inside. Unfortunately, the day that we chose to visit, it had only just been completely boarded up and totally secured, after it allegedly being " a walk straight in" the previous week! Damn!        There had been photographs posted on various Urbex websites from only the previous week, with urbexers having a fun time inside - even jumping on the beds! Looking through the window, my friend spotted the name of one of these Urbexers on the wall - tut tut, should know better - they had evidently forgotten the Urbex golden rule, "Take only photographs, leave only footprints". We had a nosey round the back but there really was nothing doing here. No access. Naturally, there was a small collection of broken chairs, getting rather damp outside.   The front porch area had a collection of stained, damp mattresses piled up.         And, of course, there was rather a lot of broken glass.     We peeked through several of the windows, to survey just how trashed the rooms were. Please excuse the reflection but it was impossible to avoid it.     The main reception area was particularly trashed.      There a was an unbroken stained glass window round the back.

And finally, this sign which promised "the perfect setting for the most important day of your life." The lettering was difficult to read, as it was so faded.   Not any more . . .

Abandoned Tudor-style tenements

These three blocks of tenements in Liverpool were built by the council and opened in 1912 by the Countess of Derby, as "labourers' dwellings". In their time they must have been the height of style for the city's working classes, with their balconies and indoor bathrooms with running hot water and flushing toilets.
They eventually became student accommodation. In 1993 they were given Grade II listed status. They are currently derelict. The last remaining original-style tenement building in the city.
I visited with my usual 'partner in crime' on a wet morning.

These buildings are indeed looking really unsafe. We didn't go upstairs on this visit for that reason.

 

 

 

 

The building is really just an empty shell now.

 

 

 

 

The balconies. Once a place where people would pass the time of day with neighbours. Now rusting and rotting and empty.

 

 

The view from the back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The walls have long lost their wallpaper and gained street art instead.

 

 

This stairwell was in a better state than the others, believe it or not.

 

 

Inside one of the ground floor flats. They absolutely stank, despite having no doors and no glass in the windows. I'm convinced that I could smell human waste in one of them!

We were expecting to come across the odd 'undesirable' character, possibly drinking or partaking of drugs but we didn't meet a single soul.

 

Inside another of the flats.

 

Nature is definitely fighting back . . and winning!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is truly the end of an era for this part of the city. The building is likely to be demolished with new housing replacing it. I would have loved to have visited it during its heyday.

The Ark

A wet bank holiday Monday could only mean one thing - a trip to an abandoned Synagogue! According to my research on t'net, this synagogue is architecturally by far the most important and innovatory 20th century synagogue in England is the finest surviving synagogue in Europe dating from the inter-war period. It also has important socio-historic  significance as representing a last late optimistic cultural expression of European Jewry before the Holocaust.

 

It is a Grade II listed building in the Art Deco style, designed by Alfred Ernest Shennan.

 

During World War II it was used as a refuge for people who had lost their homes and possessions. It was founded in 1937 and closed on 5th January 2008. . Its decline was partly due to the falling Jewish population in the city, which over the last century went from around 11,000 to just 3,000.

 

I visited this building with my usual Urbex friend.  A synagogue was a first for both of us. Onto the interior. Once we were inside, we made our way to a basement area which had a large function room with old fashioned kitchens leading off. The function room was very very dark so no decent photographs of that! We eventually stumbled upon some stairs in the darkness leading to the main staircases.

 

 

 

 

 

These staircases were also quite dark, hence the use of a strong flash. Just off the main landing we entered what appeared to be one of the Rabbi's rooms. Whoever used the room appeared to like a drink and possibly needed the use of this wheelchair after he had had his drink!

 

 

 

 

The Art Deco windows were beautiful, if a little bowed with age.

 

 

               I believe that these are possibly used for the storage of scripture after the worship.

 

 

 I don't read Hebrew but it states that this must be recited before the reading.

 

 

Then on into the Main Sanctuary. The interior was all carved light oak woodwork.

 

 

And views from the balcony on the next floor up.

 

 

The seats were all numbered. Many had names on too.

 

 

 

 

The carpeted stairs to the Bimah.

 

 

This is the flooring. It has been carefully taken up and piled into neat piles.

                                         The view from the Bimah that the Rabbi would have.

 

The Bimah from the front.

 

                                                     Religious scripture - all in Hebrew.

 

                                                      A chair with a chain hanging from it.

 

                                                     The scrolls laid out on the Bimah.

 

This place is in remarkably good condition, considering how long it has been out of use. There was none of the usual damp smell and very little had been trashed. There was no graffiti.

 

                                        At the other end of the balcony we found the organ.

 

 

Then onto the office. It was as if people had just left in a hurry - paperwork, pamphlets and books littered all the desks and surfaces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The good news is that this building is going to have over £50,000 poured into it, to try to restore it. Apparently, it will be removed from the Buildings at risk register and will once more be used by the local community. Although used for what purpose is not clear yet. A happy ending for a beautiful old building.