[Brighton] Abandoned areas of the King Alfred

[Questions]

Beginners level then Questions?

Well yes I’d only been bowling 18 months to two years. Bowled with an England international at Worthing who brought me through. Great days. God knows why I stopped, I was getting good.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Well yes I’d only been bowling 18 months to two years. Bowled with an England international at Worthing who brought me through. Great days. God knows why I stopped, I was getting good.

Because its really, really dull?

 

[essbee1]

Well yes I’d only been bowling 18 months to two years. Bowled with an England international at Worthing who brought me through. Great days. God knows why I stopped, I was getting good.

Same with me with fencing (not the wooden variety). Could have gone to represent Wimbledon at it had I played
my cards right.

 

[Questions]

Because it’s really, really dull?

No it’s a great sport. Made a lot of good friends as well. It’s boring to watch the pros I’ll grant you. I must add I was never a rev-dominant stroker of about 225 revs, 16 off the hand, 45-60 rotation, 15-20 tilt type.
More a tight hook, full roller with 1oz side weight… Actually you might have a point.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

I can remember driving through little towns in the USA , there wouln't be much but there would always be a 30 lane bowling alley (well that may be exagerating a bit - still dreaming of that 7-10 split that I could never get)

And quite a few movies featured bowling alleys including of course the Big Lebowski and the Simpsons episode where Homer is a pin monkey. The company I worked for would have their half yearly summer social at a bowling alley and you could always tell those that had been or were still in leagues amongst all the other hoofers

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Used to go there mid sixties- had one of those old coke machines dispensing bottles! Proper job. Remember them opening Golfotron there for golfers who didn’t like getting wet.
Favourite bowling alley was st Hove station- remember it being built after the cinema there closed down.

 

[Comrade Sam]

I failed to learn to swim there in the 70s. Apparently the Japanese navy elite of the first decades of the 20th century were trained there - or in an earlier building on the site.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I remember hanging around the bowling alley there in my early teens. I had always assumed until now that laser quest had taken over that same space. It must be absolutely enormous down there

 

[Cheshire Cat]

My dad taught me to swim there

We also had swimming lessons there in the early morning from school before the water warmed up . It took me a while to work out what "no petting" meant, but it was a boys only school.

 

[Hamilton]

Thank God for organizations like the Brighton Regency society who have consistently dug their heels in and retained these total dumps in the name of, er, well not progress.

No doubt in 30 years time what’s left of the Argus will be showing us round the inside of the still burned out Royal Albion Hotel.

 

[Blinkers]

Same with me with fencing (not the wooden variety). Could have gone to represent Wimbledon at it had I played
my cards right.

I fence at B&H Fencing Club. Based at BACA, next to the Amex. Details here should you wish to pick up a sword again. We have a Veterans ex World Champion who fences all 3 weapons weekly!

(no title)

Activity is Sword Fencing at levels from beginner to International standard. Our members range from juniors to senior citizens. They include National and Local champions, European and World Finalists. (they won't bite though) Social activities, inter-club matches and local competitions cement...

brightonandhovefencingclub.co.uk

 

[portslade seagull]

I only have one memory of place as a kid and that was the pool water was freezing

It still is. Take our grandchildren and they always have blue lips

 

[Marty McFly]

(Re)posting an exploration of Worthing's old Aquarena for lovers of abandoned leisure centres: https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/aquarena-swimming-pool-worthing-sep16.105634/

 

[Badger]

I think I went to the bowling alley once, in about 2001. It really was a shit bowling alley compared to the one in the marina. LASER Quest was always a good laugh though.

Also, this just reminds me of the Facility level on Goldeneye. Bond has just dropped down through one of those ceiling vents.

 

[Brovion]

I remember hanging around the bowling alley there in my early teens. I had always assumed until now that laser quest had taken over that same space. It must be absolutely enormous down there

Yes. the bowling alley closed in 1989. I too thought the laser quest had taken over the same space, I was amazed to find it was still there. As you say it must be enormous down there.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

I can remember a group of us often going there on a Saturday for bowling before home games at the Goldstone - I’m amazed it’s still there in any form nearly 50 years later!,

 

[Triggaaar]

It's a disgrace that the council don't want to have a leisure centre there

 

[Triggaaar]

Yes. the bowling alley closed in 1989.

Wow, I had no idea it was that long ago. I played there in 88/89

 

[StonehamPark]

I spent many many weekends in the 90’s at the King Alfred, swimming with friends all day and luzzing ourselves down the three slides. The yellow one was pretty chill but you could work up some speed. The blue had the one dip, and the black had two dips.
The stairs on the way up were tough on the feet but you just didn’t care.

Megazone birthday parties I was lucky to be invited to as a kid too. Super fun.

It’s genuinely sad to see the King Alfred (and other parts of B&H) in such disrepair. Grim.

 

[Creaky]

To think that the K2 was being slated on here just a few days ago.