I am not a fan of exploring schools; they are far too big and favour those annoying silent alarm systems especially ones that have not been closed for long. My positivity was hardly glowing while peering through a very sturdy fence at a temporary cabin.
“We’re not getting in there…, see that security hut.., there’s a big burly cunt inside who favours his right hand for extra-curricular activities and who doesn’t take prisoners”
It was a regular portacabin, a standard issue for no-lifer security guards who spend most of their lives glued to their phones browsing pornhub and drinking endless cups of tea, once their booze stash had been exhausted.
Their only distraction is generally to turf off the likes of us ‘trouble-makers’ who visit intent on vandalising the property they are supposed to be guarding.
Maybe if we crept around that side-fencing…, oh……
On glancing around for potential Karen's, I noticed just another 150 yards up the road, what looked to be a pub full of boards. Talk about being easily distracted or simply grabbing hold of what’s easiest in range.
We left the guard to his thrice daily masturbation and walked up to what looked like a very new pub, one that was now nameless. It was worth a look over if we could get around the back.
What we saw can't have been closed down for long, it was in too good a condition and that generally means we're not going to get in there.
Pushing through some bushes, we were all astonished to see the back door was open, but did that mean the owner was inside? That would be bad.., I mean VERY BAD!
We issued the silent ‘Sshhhhh’ hand signals and crept inside listening for any signs of noise. One clink of a glass, shuffle of shoes, and we would be gone and back to that goddam crappy school.
Nothing, not a sound could be heard….
That could mean there are a couple of tramps in there enjoying the post effects of endorphins lying on the floor naked, or worse... some blokes who'd just finished a bumming session in the same fold as what @grindle witnessed lately.
These risks are what we explorers have to tolerate when walking into something that is defiantly not on the UX radar.
None of these were true and we found ourselves in a lovely ex-pub, now very empty and smelling strongly of detergent.
'Why has this closed down'… I was thinking. Was it the shit food, or the usual reason that nobody visits pubs anymore? It was next to a modern housing estate and should have been able to gain some custom surely.
Only the finest leather with a few stains present, probably not human secretions.
Did it close due to a giant rat incursion? It was a possible reason and maybe the rats had declared victory; if so, we could not hear any repetitive scurrying.
The notice was only on the Ladies' toilet door, was this a targeted warning?
The finest Carling beer glasses, the beer however is far from fine in my opinion.
Compared to the plethora of derps we had encountered within the Stoke-On-Trent region this was at the opposite end of the spectrum. That is apart from the kitchen where some kind of spillage had occurred.
If you need to leave messages for ‘Rob’ then you can always write them on the door. ‘Fanks’.., tells me a lot.
We left the kitchen intent on exploring the upstairs areas, what a lovely place this was, or could have been.
No old washing up left behind and I would wager that cooker might still work. I need to start checking things such as this.
This is where I picked up on the name. ‘Brindley's Lock'; a kind of posh name for a pub in a respectable-looking area.
Old menus often give me an idea of when a place closes down. Sirloin Steak and Chips for £12.95. It can still be found for those prices but generally at cheap franchise chains and where the meat is made up of pure rubber. 'Brindley's Lock’ looked a little above that cut.
The walls and corridors could do with a wash, but all in all, this was in excellent condition.
Does the broken lock mean there's a safe loaded with cash inside? Whoever broke in (will come to that soon) obviously thought so. We found no bundles of used banknotes; the would-be thieves had already left with those... damn.
This apparently was the original access point, no doubt aided by a large brick beforehand. Had the thieves' vacated by the door and left it open?
Apart from the lack of people, ‘Brindley's Lock’ looked ready to open again with a full complement of beer glasses at the ready.
I would also wager the pill and stimulant machines were still full of goods. I wasn’t carrying 3 x £1 coins so couldn’t check and breaking open things is not what we do.
Tempting as it was, we all resisted pouring ourselves a delicious derelict cocktail. If there could be anywhere that one might not be hospitalised for doing so, it would be a ‘Brindley's Lock’.
We left tutting at the open door and tried our best to close it. The window we could hardly do anything about.
FOOTNOTE: After a little investigation, we found the pub had been closed for just 3 months when we visited. It was once very popular and COVID had a hand which resulted in its closure.
During the later months of 2022, ‘Brindley's Lock' hit the TourBus and could well be a derelict wreck by now. Hopefully, it's been sealed and is now off-limits.
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