"What the fuck... I was here just a few days ago and the front door was missing..., there was just a big hole…”
@goblinknackers was scratching his head and wondering how all this concrete had suddenly materialised as if by magic. Was it going to be one of those shitty days where the sealers had beaten us to it in a matter of hours?
This old wreck of a pub had been closed for at least 10 years and now suddenly the owners had started giving a shit and sending the bloody ‘concreteers’ around.
I wondered why on the outskirts of Bradford, a community positively swimming with Muslims that some bright spark had named this “The Blue Pig”. Had the locals veto'd it due to distasteful naming?
They could have gone all the way and used, “The Tasty Pig”, which could have generated some local publicity at least for pure bad taste.
The history of this one is not extensive. It was subject to an arson attack in 2019, the report categorically states that… ‘the pub had been recently granted permission for demolition, and will be razed to the ground on Monday’.
Did someone run out of money again?
This page that categorises closed pubs, shows images from 2011 and 1997 when the décor was quite different
Source
...’The Blue Pig before it’s closure perhaps in 2011?’…
“For fucks sake, let’s check the back”. I was not going to give up without trying. Surely they had sealed every entrance unless the concrete machine had broken down.
I was counting on “The Blue Pig” as a given, something no explorer should ever do.
Every window and door was now solid concrete. It was not looking promising until…
...“Oh, now what’s this”...
A gaping hole lay before me descending into the depths of the earth. @goblinknackers who is nursing a long-time injury decided to sit this out while I descended into the murk of the gloomy cellar.
I could hardly expect luxury inside looking at how the exterior looked. I meandered through this mess searching for the stairs that would take me into the pub proper.
Stinking toilet rolls lay in my path drenched with the piss of olden times. I would need to be careful or I could pick up some vile airborne venereal disease by breathing in the foul air that surrounded me.
Reading this pinned to the wall reduced my fears. The management was indeed intent on cleanliness and their commitment to a sterile environment could save me for yet another day.
The bar had seen better days. What surprised me was there was a bar left at all.
Seating was available as well as the Gents. Could this be better than I first envisaged?
Fortunately, I wasn't feeling the urge; that seating could be a tad uncomfortable.
Despite its derelict age of TEN, the floor was holding up extremely well.
Has someone painted that in the last week? It does look like the little guy is taking a piss. Is there a theme forming here?
The Kitchen; pubs serve food these days, and “The Blue Pig” would have not been an exception to this rule.
Tempting as though it was, I didn’t go upstairs this way.
Not when there are better stairs. Why maim yourself unless there's only one route?
Being up here in bad weather would not be much fun. Once again I was amazed at the solidity of the flooring. I am usually fearing death, but not here.
Little things that are left behind even though it’s open to the elements.
The view from the top; I was wise to avoid the bad stairs.
Can’t they leave the pool table alone? It would have been more photographic the correct way up.
If you have never walked through a place like this then you ought to. It's a quite different experience from anything else.
Just watch your footing as there are generally no hand rails.
"The Blue Pig" was quite small inside and I felt kind of sorry for @goblinknackers who was lurking around looking shady. I was in and out within ten minutes or so.
I can’t remember which was easier, getting down or getting back up. I wish I was young again; it all takes a lot of effort. Chair's make things considerably easier. Sharp nails sticking out of posts don't.
So "The Blue Pig" was quite the shit-hole, but shit-holes need love and attention too. If you are thinking of visiting this pub, you might want to check that it still exists.
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'Tales of the Urban Explorer'
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