AMF Bowl, Crawley, West Sussex - Nov 2007

Visited with Sneaky Fox

Crawley AMF bowl in its heyday held many memories for me. I attended Crawley College in the early 80’s and was frequently thrown out of the bowl for playing the arcade machines at lunchtime (you were supposedly only allowed to use the machines if you were bowling.)

Occasionally I went bowling too. Less occasionally I went to college…

Access was made more interesting as police were on duty near the site due to the Crawley high street being closed because of a Vintage Car Rally.

Crawley AMF closed in March 2003, the whole site is currently being demolished.

Enough of my sentimental waffle, on with the pictures courtesy of my Powershot A520:

























RIP Crawley AMF Bowl, I pay my last respects to an old friend of my youth.

Visited with Ancient Mariner.

A great daytime explore. Access made more interesting by the Vintage Car rally and police presence on the main road.

After the press coverage highlighting the Crawley Bowl, I was concerned it might have been trashed. On entry we were pleased to find this was not the case

Once inside we were surprised to find some power energised already.

Onto my pictures, taken with Powershot A570 IS:



























AMF 2003 diary anyone?





Shoe rack and fire alarm panel:



Obligatory safe shot:



And porn room shot:



Sadly the whole site is now undergoing demolition and much of the Bowl has already gone.

The fact that it looked more interesting 4 years post closure than it did while it was open about sums up how spectacular it wasn't in its day, LOL! They should have had paid viewings of the porn room, probably would have got more people through the doors. I have bad memories of awful work Christmas drinks in that lovely comfy bench seated bar area. That also about sums up my work situation at the time, the fact that they thought the bowling alley bar a suitable venue for Christmas drinks *shakes head.

JD

really like those pictures guys, i agree it looks more interesting now than i bet it did in its 'heyday' if it ever had one...

love the fact all those pics of the women remain intact, someone put a lot of effort into that collection

Is there any news on the demolition process? I believe it got underway a couple of weeks back.

As far as I am aware the bowl has gone and demo is well underway on the rest of the site (Sussex House etc)

Last time i saw it (2 weeks ago), there was only a front wall left

They don't hang about around there do they! I should hopefully get over to Crawley when im back home in 2 weeks for Summer so shall have a good look at whatever's left of the place. I would have loved to of seen the worker's faces when they found the porn room!

Just a few pics of the now cleared site where Crawley AMF Bowl, Sussex House and Pepes Golden Griddle once stood, taken on Sneaky Fox's phone...





The infamous substation







RIP AMF / Sussex House