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Post by Sam Tyler on Oct 27, 2021 11:36:23 GMT
Apparently the most expensive private house ever to be built in Britain ( though building was never completed ), now abandoned, is Nicholas Van Hoogstraten's gaff 'Hamilton Palace' in Uckfield, Sussex. Work began on it in 1985 & by 2006 it had cost £40 million to build.
Van Hoogstraten has been the subject of several expose documentaries, including a World In Action programme, due to his dubious behaviour as a landlord & shady business activities. If you haven't heard of him & his exploits he's worth a look on youtube.
Another similar but not so expensive place that springs to mind is Blackborough House in Cullompton, Devon: >>> Google Maps <<<Sold a few years back to developers it was/is an old derelict mansion that had been used as a scrapyard since 1951: >>> Daily Mirror report <<< and this is how is looked from Google Earth back in September 2007: The house was also a location visited by Henry Cole and Sam Lovegrove in an old episode of Shed and Buried. I just question why anyone would allow such a place to fall into such disrepair and then for it to be sold to a developer begs the question for its future. Sam.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Oct 27, 2021 13:01:24 GMT
The third and final was the demolition of the old ATV / Central TV studios in Birmingham; which aired it's last programmes during the Autumn of 1997. Again this remained derelict and in a shocking state of affairs until it was demolished in 2015. Luckily, I was lucky enough to be allowed in to photograph and film the place a few times and during demolition. It was sad to see the state of the place, given about 90% of my childhood TV had come from, or through that very building. In 2005, I worked on a load of short films for the ITV50 celebrations - where we interviewed a pile of Personalities & Staff who had worked in the building at some point - and all said that they had a fondness for the place - it was a happy, buzzing team spirited building. Chris Tarrant returned with us to film some bits in the closed derelict building and was close to tears after looking at the state of the place. I can understand Chris Tarrant getting emotional about seeing the state of the place, it is easy to get an attachment even to a place of work when you have really enjoyed your time there. Two places that I worked during my apprenticeship: one a refinery outside of Neath and the other a large research centre in Sunbury-On-Thames were both razed to the ground and now completely unrecognisable from what they were. The refinery is now a huge housing estate and the research centre is a number of soulless glass facades where many old brick buildings stood that had some character to them. Gone are the workshops, the plant and equipment that I'd installed, the laboratories that I worked in, the site roads where we raced trade-bikes and electric trucks, and to top it all a filming location from Danger Man >>> Poplar House <<< and a film called Heaven's Above from 1963 >>> Heaven's Above <<< (Capture 8 refers) Sam. As Chris Tarrant said - once he returned to the building, lots of memories and tales flooded back; esp when passing areas he spent a lot of time working in - tales he would have never remembered without the trip back in.
There is talk of the Rep Theatre I started my apprenticeship at being closed and moved. Plans are in place to demolish the place and extend the attached shopping centre. It'd be sad, if that happened, as I have lots of fond memories working there.
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Palmer
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Post by Palmer on Oct 28, 2021 11:34:28 GMT
Where I grew up (just by Shepperton Film Studios) in the 1980's there were loads of old things in the woods behind the housing estate I lived on...
I think that the area was used for a lot of outside filming for the studios over the years and there were loads of old statues and props dotted about (I'm sure you can Google the films/images etc...).
I returned a couple of years ago and neglect and erosion has caused many of the lovely objects to be completely unrecognisable. Very sad indeed...
It was derelict (in a way!!) then but it's even more derelict now to say the very least!!!!
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Oct 31, 2021 8:04:00 GMT
Where I grew up (just by Shepperton Film Studios) in the 1980's there were loads of old things in the woods behind the housing estate I lived on... I think that the area was used for a lot of outside filming for the studios over the years and there were loads of old statues and props dotted about (I'm sure you can Google the films/images etc...). I returned a couple of years ago and neglect and erosion has caused many of the lovely objects to be completely unrecognisable. Very sad indeed... It was derelict (in a way!!) then but it's even more derelict now to say the very least!!!! There has been talk of the BBC/Elstree site being re-developed, as only a small section of it is now used (Eastenders). Eastenders had (or were having) a new set - the BBC claimed that the new set was because of HDTV. Fair enough.
In the same statement, they mentioned that the rest of the studio site didn't have the work it once did and they were looking at "options" of what to do. As I understand it, Holby City has been axed and ends sometime in the new year. Apart from Eastenders, Holby kept other sections of the site in regular use.
So - if they dig up the old Eastenders set (if they haven't already) - I wonder if anyone has found any odd white bricks tucked away in the soil - those from a certain German building site?
It'd be a shame to see that place go, considering it's history before the BBC took it over during the mid 80s.
On a similar point, on the times I have been to London - and passed Colet Court, it's great to see the building and a majority of surrounding annexes do still exist, and the internals have been refurbished. Nice to see that a building where only really a handful of people know it's full history is kind of still there in it's glory - complete with the memories of it's contribution to British TV.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Oct 31, 2021 9:20:06 GMT
On a similar point, on the times I have been to London - and passed Colet Court, it's great to see the building and a majority of surrounding annexes do still exist, and the internals have been refurbished. Nice to see that a building where only really a handful of people know it's full history is kind of still there in it's glory - complete with the memories of it's contribution to British TV.
Fully agree Sparks, keep the memories alive! Reuse old buildings, don't destroy them for new. Build Back Better - to quote a phrase - reusing the original.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Oct 31, 2021 10:11:21 GMT
On a similar point, on the times I have been to London - and passed Colet Court, it's great to see the building and a majority of surrounding annexes do still exist, and the internals have been refurbished. Nice to see that a building where only really a handful of people know it's full history is kind of still there in it's glory - complete with the memories of it's contribution to British TV.
Fully agree Sparks, keep the memories alive! Reuse old buildings, don't destroy them for new. Build Back Better - to quote a phrase - reusing the original. Yes 3L, well done for recycling an old quote.
I'll back you for PM.
Here's your cabinet...
Gene Hunt - Justice Secretary
Del Boy - Chancellor Stan Butler - Transport Secretary Saint - Culture Secretary Sam Tyler - Party Whip
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Post by Sam Tyler on Oct 31, 2021 11:14:57 GMT
Whatever you've heard about me and a whip it is just not true. Carol Twilling and I never got that far, and the night with Joni is just a blur but there was no whip that I can remember even though there were handcuffs.... Sam.
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Post by Gene Hunt on Oct 31, 2021 12:26:42 GMT
Whatever you've heard about me and a whip it is just not true. Carol Twilling and I never got that far, and the night with Joni is just a blur but there was no whip that I can remember even though there were handcuffs.... Sam. A good job those photos caught fire.... Gene Genie.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Oct 31, 2021 12:59:25 GMT
In similar vein to this thread, I have just come across a couple of interesting looking books, The East End in colour, 1960-80 and a second one 1980-90.
There are some great photos of London as it was both before it became redeveloped and sanitised, and while this transformation was happening. There were some great looking old buildings, shops and pubs and it shows what an endlessly fascinating, compelling and character filled place London was then, during the Sweeney era.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Oct 31, 2021 13:24:07 GMT
In similar vein to this thread, I have just come across a couple of interesting looking books, The East End in colour, 1960-80 and a second one 1980-90. There are some great photos of London as it was both before it became redeveloped and sanitised, and while this transformation was happening. There were some great looking old buildings, shops and pubs and it shows what an endlessly fascinating, compelling and character filled place London was then, during the Sweeney era. www.hoxtonminipress.com/products/the-east-end-in-colourAlthough it's cheaper on Amazon.
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