IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Castle Street, DOVER, CT16 1NZ

I wondered what the purpose the scaffolding and safety netting was until I read in the Dover Express on 28 May 2014 that the building had been purchased from J D Wetherspoon by a Hertfordshire-based company called Dover Heritage and Regeneration (DHR) earlier in the year; it had been on the market for £150,000. The newspaper understood that much needed repairs were being carried out to the former Snoops nightclub http://www.dover-express.co.uk/PICS-Scaffolding-ex-Snoops-site-new-owners-carry/story-21152549-detail/story.html However, reading the Dover Express on 8 August, I noticed that the building is to be demolished. Prior approval was required by Dover District Council under application number DOV/14/00779 for the “demolition of building” (at 62 Castle Street). The application states that it is hoped that the demolition will be completed by 30 September 2014’.

Now that all the scaffolding has been removed, all that remains is for the site to be cleared of rubble and the ground floor walls. Prior planning permission was required by Dover District Council under application number DOV/14/00779 for the “demolition of building” at 62 Castle Street and the planned date of completion was by 30 September 2014. This is how the building looked on the last day of August 2012 Image

Almost two weeks ago, the view was of Image with the ground floor walls yet to be demolished. Now there is just an empty space where the building was.

It was Dover’s first large modern cinema http://www.dover-kent.co.uk/leisure/granada.htm and opened in 1930, seating an audience of 1700. It was bought by the ABC chain in 1935 and continued to flourish; in 1960, it was renamed the ABC. However, due a steady decline in audience numbers, it eventually closed in 1982. Subsequently, the building was converted into a nightclub, known as Snoops, http://www.dover-kent.com/Dolphin-Castle-Street.html but this closed and the building is now derelict.

Planning permission has been granted by Dover District Council under application number DOV/18/00221 for the “erection of a six storey building, comprising flexible Class A1, A2, A3 & A4 uses (ground floor) and flexible Class A1, A2, A3 & A4 uses and B1 (1st floor) and the formation of 28 flats (2nd - 5th floors); separate commercial and residential access; associated commercial bin storage; secure residential bin and cycle storage; gated rear service yard; 4 parking spaces; communal roof garden at third floor level and associated works”. The site used to be occupied by the Image

Now that all the scaffolding has been removed, all that remains is for the site to be cleared of rubble. Prior planning permission was required by Dover District Council under application number DOV/14/00779 for the “demolition of building” at 62 Castle Street and the planned date of completion was by 30 September 2014. This is how Image and the former Granada cinema/nightclub looked on the last day of August 2012. Dolphin Passage was accessible, behind the blue safety netting, for pedestrians.

Compared with Image, scaffolding is being erected along the end wall of the terrace of businesses that lie along Castle Street.

Compared with Image, the scaffolding has been removed as the black polythene sheeting is now secured with evenly-spaced lengths of metal. This is possibly a temporary measure, until such time that another building is erected on the site.