Mecca Bingo Yarmouth

Another of the buildings that we visited last week during Heritage weekend. Designed by Francis Burdett Ward, the Regent Theatre in Great Yarmouth opened on 26 December 1914. It was from the outset made for theatre and cinema use. The auditorium is decorated in Louis XVI style. The last movie shown was Blade Runner in September 1982. The theatre is now used and operated as Mecca Bingo. The main auditorium is beautifully maintained but downstairs in the old kitchens, things are decidedly sad and neglected. These feelings seemed to be echoed in the old lady waiting for the Bingo to start in over an hour's time.

Rainbow, Full Moon and Beach Huts

A sequence of images from a late afternoon visit to those Beach Huts. Beauriful sunny scene when we arrived and then the storm clouds came. End of Pier image has no HDR processing - the clouds reminded me of the images of hurricanes approaching in USA. No rain came until after a visit to the Fishing huts and then only enough to give a rainbow over the Beach Huts. To finish the unreal scene, a full moon was present just above the horizon - you can just see it in the centre of the bow.
The clouds disappeared and the moon gave lovely lighting on the water.

Gorlestone Pavilion

One of the Open Heritage buildings is the Gorlestone Pavilion, a Victorian Theatre. It is still operating as a traditional theatre of the time with separate tables and flags to wave for drinks etc.
Much of the backstage parts of the building are in desparate need of restoration and the building has just been given charitable status so can start applying for grants etc.

Visited Norwich today and got carried away with various chairs. It is Open Heritage weekend so quite a lot of private buildings were open.




And finally one of the many racing wheelchairs in the streets of Norwich.

Wedding Venue

This blog is fast becoming weekly rather than daily as intended but hope to put that right once the Cambridge Camera Club is underway for this season and The London Salon has been put to bed for a couple of months - being Secretary of two organisations is not a good idea.
A few images from the Geat Barn, Little Bradley (near Haverhill), venue for Claire and Tom's reception on Saturday. Beautiful day and a lovely place to take the wedding photographs. Lots of nooks and crannies, flowers, trees and seats - even room for a game of bowls. The barn itself is light and spacious. The evening was warm enough for people to spill out onto the lawn after the meal.

Blist's Hill

I last visited Blist's Hill about fifteen years ago and took a series of infrared images so I was keen to try the same viewpoints with my digital infrared. The trees have grown a lot over the years and a whole restored Victorian town has arrived but I managed most of the views (I will post one of the original images when back from our trip).
The original mine produced coal, clay and iron ore - the coal was converted to coke, which fuelled the blast furnaces and the clay was used to make bricks to line the furnaces. Only limestone was brought in from outside the site.

Tale of Two Piers

Yesterday evening we made a short visit to Llandudno and walked out on the well preserved Victorian pier as the sun was going down giving great skies.

This morning we took a stroll through Colwyn Bay town down to the Pier - a sorry sight as it has been empty for many years now as the owner went bankrupt. Hopefully they will restore it before it completely collapses.

On the Beach at Prestatyn

Many thanks to Margaret and Helfin for entertaining us to lunch and then to Margaret for sharing her favourite beach. Right on cue storm clouds arrived giving some great lighting on the lighthouse. Above image appropriately for those who know Margaret is 'Boy and his Dragon' taken with the fish-eye lens.
The sky was ready-made for infrared so a few more beach images including some very attractive Sea Holly.

Museum of Liverpool

Fantastic staircase in this new museum.

A tribute to Liverpool folk.