This is one of those locations that i had read about even before i got into this exploring lark and this was around 2008 and news was it was open for a while and obviosuly then sealed and covered over like it was never there.
So after many years the site this was sat on which was the former Merrie England/Pleasurarma site,was under redevelopment which came to a standstill over local politics and failed plans,the sites laid empty and lacking in any work for years ,then a new firm took over and during their groundworks this place popped open,kindly advertised on facebook by some local fervent group who insisted on plastering pics of it open then allegedly sealed and lost,all to gain public interest in "saving it" ,total clusterfuck as all it did was highlight it to the many local facebook groups and explorer types ,in short every man and his dog with a torch and a mobile phone was on the case.
This place was hit by the many tourbuses and it was hit harder than a brothel on a friday night.Suffice to say we managed to get in and out shortly after the place popped open and then revisted a few days later as the local lads had started to filter in,by the end of the week this place had been well and truly trampled underfoot as well the contractors knew so not surprising it got sealed up ,not like a facebook group trying to save it helped it's cause one little bit..But hey ho such is facebook..Anyhoo i digress,my point is this may not be epic but it's local and as like everyother place local as soon as the Tourbus starts rolling it isn't long before stupidly large groups of people visit and in the end it becomes a joke..!!
Some history:
“HMS Fervent was commissioned as a shore base on 10 October 1939, with, according to naval custom, a small motor boat as its ‘name ship’. The large amusement building, Merrie England, was requisitioned for the accommodation of ratings and stores. Army-type huts were erected in the grounds for office and administrative accommodation. It was not long before the tunnels under the cliffs had been utilised as protection from the air raids and for the base ammunition magazine...â€
It is fairly obvious that this network pre existed WW2 and at some point modified for use as a shelter and then for Naval use.The passage leading up the old chalk steps was only about 5 foot high and not very wide so i can't see how this would have been easy to use transporting shells up to the promenade where two very large guns where situated,but the specifics im just not sure on...
Big shout to one of the lads for the early tip off!
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Rather pic heavy and i am nearly done!
There are some decent bits of Wartime Graff in here,So a quick shot of the poop bucket then ill add some
Now its sealed up hopefully the condition wont suffer from anything other than natural causes ,which is a good thing and fingers crossed this will make an appearance sometime in the future
So after many years the site this was sat on which was the former Merrie England/Pleasurarma site,was under redevelopment which came to a standstill over local politics and failed plans,the sites laid empty and lacking in any work for years ,then a new firm took over and during their groundworks this place popped open,kindly advertised on facebook by some local fervent group who insisted on plastering pics of it open then allegedly sealed and lost,all to gain public interest in "saving it" ,total clusterfuck as all it did was highlight it to the many local facebook groups and explorer types ,in short every man and his dog with a torch and a mobile phone was on the case.
This place was hit by the many tourbuses and it was hit harder than a brothel on a friday night.Suffice to say we managed to get in and out shortly after the place popped open and then revisted a few days later as the local lads had started to filter in,by the end of the week this place had been well and truly trampled underfoot as well the contractors knew so not surprising it got sealed up ,not like a facebook group trying to save it helped it's cause one little bit..But hey ho such is facebook..Anyhoo i digress,my point is this may not be epic but it's local and as like everyother place local as soon as the Tourbus starts rolling it isn't long before stupidly large groups of people visit and in the end it becomes a joke..!!
Some history:
“HMS Fervent was commissioned as a shore base on 10 October 1939, with, according to naval custom, a small motor boat as its ‘name ship’. The large amusement building, Merrie England, was requisitioned for the accommodation of ratings and stores. Army-type huts were erected in the grounds for office and administrative accommodation. It was not long before the tunnels under the cliffs had been utilised as protection from the air raids and for the base ammunition magazine...â€
It is fairly obvious that this network pre existed WW2 and at some point modified for use as a shelter and then for Naval use.The passage leading up the old chalk steps was only about 5 foot high and not very wide so i can't see how this would have been easy to use transporting shells up to the promenade where two very large guns where situated,but the specifics im just not sure on...
Big shout to one of the lads for the early tip off!
Rather pic heavy and i am nearly done!
There are some decent bits of Wartime Graff in here,So a quick shot of the poop bucket then ill add some
Now its sealed up hopefully the condition wont suffer from anything other than natural causes ,which is a good thing and fingers crossed this will make an appearance sometime in the future
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