I was probably the very last Urban Explorer do to "The White Lion", and what happened next led to its ultimate demolition a couple of weeks later.
For months I had been driving past this pub thinking it was sealed and being renovated. My comrade @anidiotexplores had been inside many months before when it was almost habitable.
It was a surprise when he informed me, that if renovation work had been planned it had still not commenced and it was currently in a state of 'open'.
It was a shitty day, one of those where the weather was never going to improve. I should have cancelled and rescheduled but made the mistake of driving the twenty-something miles over to @anidiotexplores' place and hoping it would cease.
Not a chance, but we decided to do “The White Lion” anyway as it was close to his gaff.
Most of the external images you see are from one week later during a period of 'no-rain' between our rain-filled visit and its demolition. In between those times, some dickheads decided to burn the place down.
In the aftermath, it made for more dramatic images, and thankfully my internal shots are from when the inside was quite intact but dripping with water.
This is an image of that actual fire that I can’t find a source for. @anidiotexplores sent it to me and may have taken it himself.
It depicts a suspect ghostly image in the top right side burnt-out room. Is it smoke or some spirit peering out wanting to say hello?
I climbed through the broken side window and hit the bar wishing I could pull a pint. Behind the bar, it was pissing down like it was outside. I wasn't going to venture back there as I was already soaked.
I guess the top right corner could have once been for live music. It was quite trashed.
Moving to the kitchen section, I noted the Christmas decorations. Does everyone jettison their proprieties at this time of year? It was shades of The Vampire Coven again.
My daughter loved these when she was younger. At least one kid used to live here.
The far side of the bar had fared even worse.
Dripping water does not lend itself very well to stills. I could not capture the torrents of water falling in this area.
As this property no longer exists I have no qualms about revealing address details. Letters from the taxman always interest me.
This one was quite dull but does tell me a few things. A kid was living here as I suspected (just), the letter is only around one year old and the mother appears to be a Miss. So where's daddy?
Is this him? Did they all bugger off into the sunset... without paying the council tax bill?
The slogan was written onto the wallpaper; a little unusual.
It was time to look at the rest of the pub. I could not find any more HMRC letters on this occasion.
The stairs were a little sloppy and slippery but were not overfilled with crap.
So there already had been a fire, on top of the forthcoming one that would seal the pubs’ doom.
The upstairs kitchen area with the units pulled away from the wall. Copper is desirable I suppose.
This living quarters room is where 'Mr. Ghost' was spotted. It looked like the homeless may have used it for a while.
Did the board hold the future business plans for "The White Lion"? Maybe if it was turned the correct way things may have worked out and it could still have been running.
A mattress, pillows, bed, PC, and a can of beer. What more could one ask for?
If you woke up to this every day then perhaps a new splash of paint would not go unnoticed.
The landing area was a little squelchy which is not surprising as the bar is directly below.
It's always best to live in the non-burnt areas of the upper housing.
It’s got to be the jukebox playlist surely?
‘...If these bastards who drink and nick the pint glasses would quit we wouldn’t have to keep buying them in 24 packs...’
Did you know, it’s not overly pleasant walking on this stuff?
I descended a second lot of stairs that had been spared from the fire.
Urgh… just to the left was the cellar. I thought twice about going down there on such a shitty day.
A few areas were surprisingly dry…
Unfortunately, that ended quite fast. Going for a swim in there was out of the question.
Ascending and making my way back to the bar, I jumped out of the window to find @anidiotexplores patiently waiting.
After getting a sole external, it was now a question of getting back to my car without getting more drenched.
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