[Brighton] Abandoned areas of the King Alfred

[zefarelly]

Is it really true that cement works?

In it's younger days yes, once it gets wet behind the ears it gets stuck though.

 

[ozzygull]

That's sad. I used to love going swimming with my freinds at the King Alfred, then walking up Sackville Road to the Fish and Chip shop near the Salvation Army building and buying some chips. I also loved going bowling there.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

King Alfred bowling? They had the BEST OXO flavoured crisps. Ever. Fact.

I learned to swim in the rather cold pool in around 1965. There was no flume or any such bollocks back then. The chlorine was indeed insane. We spent so long in there one day that we all has 'mist' vision when we came out.

And "NO HEAVY PETTING"

And while we are thinking about going where we shouldn't, my dad and I wandered through Longhill school of a weekend, as it was being built (62/3). climbing through classrooms, and all over it. All accessible. Some years later (66), after moving to Portslade, I tried to do the same when St Nick's junior school mark 2 was being built. It was all fenced off and inaccessible. I was distraught.

 

[tigerbeesteve]

I used to go there of a Sunday for some boxing practice back in the 70s, good to see its still going strong there - went there for tenpin fun too, happy memories

 

[Pevenseagull]

Those pictures have given me the urge to play Fallout 3/ New Vegas again.


Probably Fallout New Vegas as it's much better, although the photos look more like Fallout 3.

 

[rippleman]

I never saw it but I remember my dear old mum telling me that at weekends they used to put a proper sprung dance floor over the pool and hold dancing comps (a la Strictly)

 

[Iggle Piggle]

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.

I remember missing the England V Belgium game (and Platt's "overhead" kick) as I was Ten pin bowling that evening and I could swear that was at King Alfred which must make it 1990. Are you sure it was 1989 or was I somewhere else?

 

[Brovion]

I remember missing the England V Belgium game (and Platt's "overhead" kick) as I was Ten pin bowling that evening and I could swear that was at King Alfred which must make it 1990. Are you sure it was 1989 or was I somewhere else?

See posts #70 and #77. Apparently it was 1999, not 1989 and the first article I read was wrong. Certainly more than enough people remember going there in the 1990s for me just to dismiss it as one or two of you having hazy memories! (Even though I still don't remember it being open!)

 

[Tristram Fourmile]

Another random thing about the swimming pool changing rooms. It had a mangle for squeezing water out of your trunks. Dont know why I remember that. Health and safety these days would have a field day.

 

[Shuggie]

Brilliant bowler. He was 16/17 when I was bowling. Top international.

That’s him … spent the summer before I went to Uni knocking around with him. His Dad worked in the Middle East and bought him a very fancy digital watch. If you pressed a button, the time lit up in red numbers. That was it. Seemed amazing and cost a fortune.

The other names I remember from around that time:
- Geoff ?? who was the manager. The only person I ever saw bowl a 300 game.
- Mike Tizzard (Asst Mngr). Smoked fat roll ups.
- Ken ?? was the other AM, promoted from Chief Mechanic

All had luxurious moustaches and long hair IIRC.

I worked there a couple of nights a week in my late teens. Sunday nights, the lights were turned off and we played records over the PA, interrupted by “ticket number 26 to control, please. That’s ticket number 26 … thank you”. I got a 20% pay rise to 60p an hour when I turned 16.

Carefree days indeed.

 

[Bodian]

Great memory invoking pictures but "Urban Explorer?", is that what we have to call trespassers these days?

It's basically now a specific photographic genre https://www.urbex.co.uk/

 

[Algernon]

I went bowling there and remember it being grubby and probably not in much better condition than today.
And.
If I remember correctly, wasn't the "wall" around the swimming pool just a great big steamy window where everyone outside walking on the path beach-side could peer in and watch everyone swimming?

 

[Chicken Run]

Pathetic isn't it . . .we used to regularly explore the Cement works, just for fun, climb the ladder up the chimney etc etc.

now it warrants photo's and a website seeking some kind of medal or something.

Ahh the fabulous Beeding Cement works, once mooted as a possible site for the new stadium, and alternatively a dark ski village

 

[Questions]

That’s him … spent the summer before I went to Uni knocking around with him. His Dad worked in the Middle East and bought him a very fancy digital watch. If you pressed a button, the time lit up in red numbers. That was it. Seemed amazing and cost a fortune.

The other names I remember from around that time:
- Geoff ?? who was the manager. The only person I ever saw bowl a 300 game.
- Mike Tizzard (Asst Mngr). Smoked fat roll ups.
- Ken ?? was the other AM, promoted from Chief Mechanic

All had luxurious moustaches and long hair IIRC.

I worked there a couple of nights a week in my late teens. Sunday nights, the lights were turned off and we played records over the PA, interrupted by “ticket number 26 to control, please. That’s ticket number 26 … thank you”. I got a 20% pay rise to 60p an hour when I turned 16.

Carefree days indeed.

I didn’t really know the Brighton lot only the bowlers who came over for the Friday night scratch league in Worthing.

 

[getz]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the grab- a - granny Friday night bunfest popular with the unlucky in love singles. Very popular when when I used to haunt the King Alfred in the early nineties.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Really enjoying this thread. Such a shame the place was left to rot, I used to love not only the bowling down there as a kid but the many pool tables that they had - about 5-6 as I recall. The place needs resurrecting.

 

[GoingUp]

Used to go bowling there all the time as a kid, Mega Zone was great too!

Strange it's just been left to rot, when any spare or unused bit of land is usually turned into a housing ASAP.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Learned to swim there, er 60 years ago, it hasn't left me!

 

[Dinner with Gotsmanov]

I don't remember it being salt water, but I do remember the King Alfred Major pool was where they gave Jack Liddell a gun, annually

Those who are old enough will know how very very frightening that is on every level

Terrific thread, I had not appreciated the sad demise of the place. Used to go swimming there in the early 70s and seemed to recall they had a major (thanks WZ for confirming) and a minor pool. I don’t recall it being that cold _ the outdoor pool at Cottesmore RC school, now that WAS cold - nor it being saltwater, I used to reek of chlorine after using it. Always had a bag of iced gems afterwards, oh how I lived!

For some reason, it was always a tradition to jump over the foot bath you were supposed to walk through before swimming. Wanted to avoid getting wet feet, I guess…

Others have mentioned the wire lockers, the signage and the mangle, great memories.

Maybe our Tone should buy the site and redevelop it into the King Tony Leisure Centre?

 

[Questions]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the grab- a - granny Friday night bunfest popular with the unlucky in love singles. Very popular when when I used to haunt the King Alfred in the early nineties.

King Alfred bowling? They had the BEST OXO flavoured crisps. Ever. Fact.

I learned to swim in the rather cold pool in around 1965. There was no flume or any such bollocks back then. The chlorine was indeed insane. We spent so long in there one day that we all has 'mist' vision when we came out.

And "NO HEAVY PETTING"

And while we are thinking about going where we shouldn't, my dad and I wandered through Longhill school of a weekend, as it was being built (62/3). climbing through classrooms, and all over it. All accessible. Some years later (66), after moving to Portslade, I tried to do the same when St Nick's junior school mark 2 was being built. It was all fenced off and inaccessible. I was distraught.

When does light petting become heavy petting Harry ?