Abandoned Birmingham and Berkhamstead

These shots are circa 1998/9

Birmingham

[very large version]

[very large version]

Berkhamstead

[very big version]

The Boxfoldia factory was silent the entirity of the time I attended Birmingham Uni. Sadly, the only occasion I actually bothered to head round there with a camera (despite the fact it was on my way home) was after I first got an SLR – which, sadly had a nasty light leak.

I took a few shots of the Boxfoldia factory (which I think still stands, but the plan is to demolish it to make way for student accomodation for B’ham Uni); of which these are the two with the least bad light leak on them…

The Rex Cinema in Berkhamstead was shut in my youth; and declined for 12 years. I had fond memories of faded 30’s glamour, it felt like the sort of place you should go to see films, and it’s probably it’s influence on me that I like finding single/two screen cinemas to go and see films at. The owner it appeared, wished to convert it to luxury housing and gut it – this despite the fact that inside it still had it’s original art deco features. When I left the area that was the plan; the local council being as obstructive as posssible and not granting planning permission…

….When I went back in 1998, arguments were still going on and it still sat as a home for pigeons. But then, I heard rumours a few years ago it’d re-opened; and while looking for info to link to the picture I found out that it’d re-opened as a cinema (more information from the BBC).

I guess this proves that no matter how close the developers get, if you fight hard enough abandoned buildings can be saved. It’s also gorgeous and I really, really want to go and see a film there again.