Royal Buildings and Customs House - Port Talbot

[Thmaga]

Customs House was built in 1897 for the Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company, funded by Emily Talbot. Customs house passed to local authority ownership for its last years, and was in use as social services offices.

Adjoining Royal Buildings were built a little later, in the early 1900's this building consisted of shopfronts to the ground floor, two floors of offices, and a theater/cinema at the back, this theater burned down in the 1930's (supposedly showing the film "The Firefly"). All that remains of this theater is an area at the rearm and part of the roof gable. A printers was constructed on the site.

These buildings are soon to be demolished for 46 flats and some retail units, I've been documenting them throughout the struggle to save them, which seems to have now failed with demolition imminent.

Some Interior shots to come in another thread
Customs House:
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[Thmaga]

Royal Buidings
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[aethelstan927]

I do love those old buildings, no one seems to build on such a grand scale or with any sort of vision like they used to . . .might be something to do with not being an imperial power and what not

While flats and retail units annoy me, when replacing grand old buildings, its shopping centres that get me the most!! Has no one see the queen victoria building in sydney CBD? and if so who can go and build a modern shopping centre in such a boring, albeit cost-effective, way after looking at that!!


anyway rant over

 

[Thmaga]

I do love those old buildings, no one seems to build on such a grand scale or with any sort of vision like they used to . . .might be something to do with not being an imperial power and what not

While flats and retail units annoy me, when replacing grand old buildings, its shopping centres that get me the most!! Has no one see the queen victoria building in sydney CBD? and if so who can go and build a modern shopping centre in such a boring, albeit cost-effective, way after looking at that!!


anyway rant over

The reason why the demolition of these buildings is causing a particular stir locally is our beautiful town centre was demolished in the 1970's for a shopping centre, it totally ripped the identity out of the town, and left us with lots of "dead" spaces. We're all quite protective of whats left!

 

[Thmaga]

Internals:

Customs House