Exploring an Abandoned Leisure Centre: Walking down Waterslides!

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  • čas přidán 12. 10. 2023
  • In this video, we explore the abandoned Richard Dunne Leisure Centre in Bradford, Yorkshire. The historic complex is pitch-black, and we come across waterslides and sports halls with our torches!
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Komentáře • 104

  • @LiftFan
    @LiftFan Před 8 měsíci +55

    That's often the way things go unfortunately- building gets closed, owners want to build houses on site. If it's listed or planning permission denied for demolition it conveniently catches fire.

    • @reneastle8447
      @reneastle8447 Před 8 měsíci

      What if we can change all that for good?

    • @jamescollins6085
      @jamescollins6085 Před 7 měsíci +5

      I think the owners should be forced to restore the building if they're found to have intentionally set it on fire in an attempt to get around restrictions.

    • @reneastle8447
      @reneastle8447 Před 7 měsíci +2

      @@jamescollins6085 It would be good to see this place restored to its former glory.

  • @Jamesc1299
    @Jamesc1299 Před 8 měsíci +21

    Used to love the slides as a kid. What would happen in those round areas is that you would wait for your mates to come down and join up for the next bit. There were no lifeguards in those bits so you could spend ages just messing about. Sometimes you ended up with about 10 people linked up going down the slide. Such a shame it closed. The second stop had a waterfall in it if I remember correctly.

    • @caseymadison5337
      @caseymadison5337 Před 7 měsíci

      Agree to all of this! Plus walking up them stairs with a rubber ring in your hand as a kid was like walking up Everest😂

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci

      Sounds like a lot of fun!

  • @caseymadison5337
    @caseymadison5337 Před 7 měsíci +7

    Used to go here all the time when I was younger, so upsetting to see it look so dead and desolate. Just watching I was thinking about all the noise and laughter you’d hear. No wonder there are so many kids on the estates getting into trouble when there’s nothing to entertain them anymore. Local youth clubs closed and leisure centres like these, so depressing.

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci

      I totally agree with that. These places should be funded over other things that are opted before them. As well as entertainment, the health benefits of a local leisure centre or gym at a young age is incredible

    • @ChristineHerrington-cv1kg
      @ChristineHerrington-cv1kg Před 2 měsíci

      👏👏 absolutely 💯 agree , they are so needed for the young , as a former police officer dealing with youth offenders through boredom from the total lack of facilities for them .

  • @markpeters5584
    @markpeters5584 Před 2 měsíci +1

    I have had some dad time and some good times at RICHARD DUNNE LEISURE CENTRE so farewell to the historic building we will never forget

  • @belledarling2365
    @belledarling2365 Před 8 měsíci +9

    Feel sorry for the poor bugger on morning flume checks! Where I worked someone had to feel the inside track to check for scratches and burrs before it opened each morning

  • @cogboy302
    @cogboy302 Před 3 měsíci +1

    I was a lifeguard for a few years in a Waterpark in Northern Ireland in the 1990s. We used to have to walk UP the slides every morning before turning the water on and opening up.
    The reason for that was because some bright spark in Italy put safety razor blades into the joins between sections of the slides and caused some very severe injuries to people using the slides. Makes my skin crawl thinking about that even now.

  • @Dave.93
    @Dave.93 Před 7 měsíci +5

    I went here a few times when I was younger. The slides were awesome. I didn’t realise it had closed down. What a shame. State of this country…
    Great video. Thank you

    • @Dave.93
      @Dave.93 Před 7 měsíci

      York water world was class too. RIP

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci

      You are welcome.

  • @nataliesmith303
    @nataliesmith303 Před 8 měsíci +7

    This must have been fabulous when it was open. Thanks for sharing 😊

  • @user-Another-collecter21
    @user-Another-collecter21 Před 8 měsíci +3

    I used to swim there when i was in primary school ☺️ Richard dunns

  • @nigelhall6714
    @nigelhall6714 Před 8 měsíci +2

    I used to go there all the time since the mid-1980s!!! AWESOME!

  • @louisward6881
    @louisward6881 Před 6 měsíci +1

    As someone who went there many times when I was younger I can answer your question on how the hut worked.
    You'd go down the slide on a rubber ring and when you arrived at the hut and the second rest point you'd hang out in them for as long as you pleased and then go down at your own accord

  • @robbo7189
    @robbo7189 Před 8 měsíci +4

    An iconic building that could have so many other uses ,use to go there as a kid in 80s and was always loads of fun

    • @John_Wood_
      @John_Wood_ Před 8 měsíci +1

      looks like it was amazing.

    • @minixtvbox
      @minixtvbox Před 8 měsíci +1

      Tory Britain after 13 Tory years, poverty stricken dead

  • @handyman1957
    @handyman1957 Před 8 měsíci +7

    Would have been a load of fun taking the wheeled roller down those slides : ) Very cool place. Thanks lads.

  • @derrenleepoole
    @derrenleepoole Před 8 měsíci +11

    Great explore lads. I managed to get access to Waves in Blackburn pre demolition, but somehow lost all the photos from the explore. Walking down the slides are a back killer!

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci +1

      I used to go there as a child! Sad we missed it really. Sucks about the pictures, I would have loved to have seen it

    • @derrenleepoole
      @derrenleepoole Před 6 měsíci

      To this day. have no idea how the photos got lost. So annoying. Keep pushing. Channel is great.
      @@Urbandoned

  • @JP_TaVeryMuch
    @JP_TaVeryMuch Před 8 měsíci +2

    Looks in reasonable nick. Also looks horribly expensive to run.
    I've had to pause again. This place is amazing. You can't tell me that the local more recent competition has anything near as good as the brilliant three-part water slides.
    All it needs is a swim-up bar in the first stop at the 'hut' and they'd be quids in.
    Last orders would be fun too.

  • @bobbythomas200420032
    @bobbythomas200420032 Před 8 měsíci +2

    Hi another excellent and really enjoyable video and its so awesome you walked down the water slides.

  • @sharronridding5851
    @sharronridding5851 Před 8 měsíci +2

    Such a shame it’s closed, I spent almost every Sunday evening going down them sides and playing in that pool 😂😂

  • @markramsay6399
    @markramsay6399 Před 8 měsíci +2

    Great video and insight into this facility. I really live the use of music in this at various parts, really just perfect. Mark.

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci

      Much appreciated mate, we spend quite a while selecting the music

  • @zoltar666pz
    @zoltar666pz Před 8 měsíci +1

    We went here lot's of times what a great place it was

  • @ontrackrailfilms1652
    @ontrackrailfilms1652 Před 8 měsíci

    I was born in Odsal and remember seeing this being built and opening. Went swimming there many times.

  • @julzb7165
    @julzb7165 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Great explore guys!

  • @richardsutton6637
    @richardsutton6637 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Around about 1990 we used to use the climbing wall there. At the time it was state of the art and people would come from all over to use it.

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci

      It did look quite impressive and different to usual cimbing walls

  • @juliepownall1063
    @juliepownall1063 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Cool explore sad times

  • @frasermathers2287
    @frasermathers2287 Před 8 měsíci +4

    Thanks Lads for a very interesting explore and one that appears to have given you at least in part a little bit of fun too. Looks like in its day it would have given great enjoyment to many and was well used, however, once again we see yet another example of local authority miss management, limited income due to a society nowadays that feels that everything should be given to them cheaply or for free. Facilities like these cost immense amounts of money to operate and maintain and just don't have enough income coupled with poor management which then leads to closure. It was great to hear that there had been a campaign to keep the building away from the demolisher's, but unless there is a plan to go with it to put it to use along with the funding, then it just becomes another white elephant and leads to even more government money being wasted. (Fire, Police, Security, Repairs). So the only plus now that I see, is that at least we got to see yet another great explore!

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci +1

      Appreciate the nice words pal

  • @jeepsthetimebandit
    @jeepsthetimebandit Před 8 měsíci +1

    😄 I love this one! ❤

  • @OLIFAB
    @OLIFAB Před 8 měsíci +2

    Fantastic explore!

  • @FrostyGaming8394
    @FrostyGaming8394 Před 8 měsíci +4

    Hi Alistar how you doing? Great video as always well edited with good background music added its a real shame that this Richard Dunne Leisure Centre closed down for good in 2019 bet this place holded tons of happy memories from all ages of people from 1976 all the years to 2 years ago after being used for different situations its crazy that theres some of the items used in the Leisure Centre all fit for the skip now but good that they added metal fences to deter people from getting in destroying the building its just so sad that some of these Leisure Centres are closing down for good due to many reasons people should keep these places preseved and open for many years to come but not many people would be bothered in doing it this pool is very big plus long slides to go down very funny that you took advantage of them and went down them anyways i hope your having a good afternoon so far Alistar and keep up the great content on your channel like always 👍

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci +1

      I'm very well mate! Thank you for the nice comment as always. Content will continue to come :)

  • @ruthbaird1646
    @ruthbaird1646 Před 8 měsíci +2

    What a sad building! Building this would have been very expensive even in the 1970’s. Now for it to lay empty, set on fire. It will not be long before it’s demolished.

  • @benlambley7171
    @benlambley7171 Před 8 měsíci +3

    Brilliant explore as usual guys hopefully something gets done with it before its to late.

  • @midnightrunner5864
    @midnightrunner5864 Před 8 měsíci

    Used to come here as a kid alot. Was great, shame it was closed.

  • @katieh9986
    @katieh9986 Před 7 měsíci

    Great video, really enjoyed it! You're doing vital work

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci

      Everything must be documented

  • @michailokeefeMooMoo
    @michailokeefeMooMoo Před 8 měsíci

    Fantastic video

  • @stephaniemcquillan1930
    @stephaniemcquillan1930 Před 8 měsíci +9

    I know you were walking down those slides but they did seem very claustrophobic. Terrible that people have to vandalise a place. Especially a place that had to close due to the pandemic which otherwise might still be open

    • @Urbandoned
      @Urbandoned  Před 6 měsíci +1

      It was a strange experience. The pandemic sadly affected to many of these sorts of places

  • @bencharlwood
    @bencharlwood Před 7 měsíci

    Didn't realise this was shut now, used to love the rapids slide

  • @alisonward3167
    @alisonward3167 Před 7 měsíci

    I went to the opening and now drive past it every day on my way to work. So sad that it closed.

  • @amp1
    @amp1 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Used to go there in the 80s with my son

  • @matthewhalloran5438
    @matthewhalloran5438 Před 7 měsíci

    OMG I’ll been To Richard Dunns Swimming pool loads of Times had Some Great Times There. I went will a few of my Groups is such a Shame it Closed down Such a Massive Place

  • @johorrocks8927
    @johorrocks8927 Před 8 měsíci +5

    Can't abide mindless vandalism, hope this building is able to be preserved and the culprits are prosecuted. Such a waste of a good recreation centre.

    • @Tomas-ml9nv
      @Tomas-ml9nv Před 8 měsíci +1

      Every time these lads upload a new location ensures the property will be vandalised beyond repair

    • @johorrocks8927
      @johorrocks8927 Před 8 měsíci

      every time!@@Tomas-ml9nv

  • @peterallen7938
    @peterallen7938 Před 8 měsíci +2

    Hi guys, the video you done at the leisure centre in Maidenhead. If you didn’t know it’s been demolished now

  • @dragonheatgaming5005
    @dragonheatgaming5005 Před 8 měsíci +1

    aan empty building in bradford been torched that's a surprise

  • @Villanellexvibess
    @Villanellexvibess Před 8 měsíci +1

    your poor legs must hurt
    great video alistair 😁

  • @Srevelation
    @Srevelation Před 8 měsíci +1

    If you take recommendations for places to explore there is a leisure centre which closed down just down the road from my work because of “Covid” the bridge leisure centre Sydenham.

  • @j.w2000
    @j.w2000 Před 7 měsíci

    I used to go there alot as a kid and it's ashame it's closed! I nearley drowned as a kid once going down the cobra for the very first time! It would of been quite funny if the pool alarm activated after he punched the activation button! As you never hear the same sirens nowadays as you heared at richard dunns when the pool alarm was activated! They activated it as I was drowning! Around 2007 if my memory is correct.

  • @Thats_him_with_the_daft_hat
    @Thats_him_with_the_daft_hat Před 8 měsíci +1

    11:40 "Will....look out!!! POO!"

  • @jasperbarlow2582
    @jasperbarlow2582 Před 8 měsíci

    Large empty spaces like this always terrified me since childhood, some unpronounceable phobia no doubt, complete opposite of claustrophobia, even watching them here gives me the jitters but i think i,m starting to control it, thanks lads, keep them coming, maybe a huge empty warehouse at some point may finally sort me out.

    • @alanmctavish4802
      @alanmctavish4802 Před 8 měsíci +1

      @jasperbarlow it looks worse becouse you know there used to be something there, or in it. Like a big empty swimming pool

    • @jasperbarlow2582
      @jasperbarlow2582 Před 8 měsíci

      Agreed, i,m only watching on a 15 inch laptop but can still imagine the scale in real time.@@alanmctavish4802

    • @seraxx1973
      @seraxx1973 Před 7 měsíci

      There’s a whole aesthetic and game genre built around that fear called “liminal space”.

    • @jasperbarlow2582
      @jasperbarlow2582 Před 7 měsíci

      Not sure it,s anything as deep and meaningful as that, but any input is digested, although there may be more psychology involved than i first realised.@@seraxx1973

  • @Abandoned-Places124
    @Abandoned-Places124 Před 7 měsíci

    Hi Urbandoned. Hope you're well and okay. I'm an urban explorer aswell, and I'm looking into exploring this leisure centre. Was it quite easy to get into?

  • @dclxvi.tattoo
    @dclxvi.tattoo Před 8 měsíci

    Don’t know why but, you lot having to walk through that long water slide killed me so much 😂😂

  • @matthewhalloran5438
    @matthewhalloran5438 Před 7 měsíci

    I can’t believe They actually Went Into the Slides

  • @higginstv2460
    @higginstv2460 Před 8 měsíci

    My favourite place when I was young, I used to sit under the Hippos mouth letting the water just pour over my head

  • @geordieurbex2200
    @geordieurbex2200 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Looks like a nice fun relaxed explore, nothing like when I did wet n wild in the North east, a massive censor picked up light and movement, didn't get long inside before armed police, a dog squad, security nd normal police turned up 😂😂😂😂

  • @myiqis2752
    @myiqis2752 Před 8 měsíci

    im guessing this video was made at least a year ago considering the place is basically completely sealed up now

  • @ocsrc
    @ocsrc Před 8 měsíci +1

    Where is the power vault and pump rooms? There must be a sub basement

  • @paulashepherd7223
    @paulashepherd7223 Před 8 měsíci +2

    From what I read this building as a listed status so can't be demolished

    • @JP_TaVeryMuch
      @JP_TaVeryMuch Před 8 měsíci +1

      Hence the world wise / world weary comments about accidents like fires taking place some time in the future.

    • @tonykingston1968
      @tonykingston1968 Před 8 měsíci +1

      in bradford where demolition is required and some permission is saught a convienient fire usually sorts these problems out. all i can say iss wwatch this space because we know it happenss a lot in bradford

  • @Car_man_2
    @Car_man_2 Před 8 měsíci

    My sister did gymnastics here no joke

  • @alanmctavish4802
    @alanmctavish4802 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Its always sad to see a pool like this empty with no water in it and the whole place just forgotten about as councils get tighter with the purse strings. This could have easily been saved and restored, the damage wasnt that bad infact i wouldnt have known about it if he didnt mention it. Did you notice i said "pool" instead of "the swimming pool" becouse in 1975 this would have been amazing and fairley knew for that time. This was when councils started to build fun pools with big great flumes taking you into a small seperate bit that was about 16 feet wide and 14 feet long and about 3 to 4 feet deep, just deep enough for that long great bending shoot ride, most fun pools had 2 shoots and 3 to 4 feet deep so kids could go down them even if they couldnt swim. At the top of the shoots there was 2 staff members there as you had to be a certain age to go down it yourself, it was age over 7 or 8 and if you were big enough, you had to be at least 4 and a half feet to go down yourself plus the speed of it pushed you right up almost against the steps to climb out. But this fun pool didnt look that big, and it was when councils started to do away with the long swimming pools that you could swim a length in, and alot had of the old victorian baths had swimming pools that were 7 or 8 feet deep as the whole pool was used for races and the full pool was 8ft deep. And the baths had 2 or 3 pools in them, in paisley the old baths had 3 pools in it, there was the womans pool that was 6ft deep at the deep end and 3ft deep at the shallow end, then there was the small pool wich no one knew why it was called that as it was just the exact same as the womans pool. Then they had the mens pool wich i never got to use as it was out of order for years, it was something to do with the system in it that didnt work right to keep the water clean i just missesd that great big pool by 5 years a think? We had never seen it and one day me and two friends walked past it as you had too to get to the other pools as that was the closest to the entrance you paid in at and 1 day i said "look they never lock the door at the mens pool as they couldnt as it was like two big swing doors, but they put these 3 chairs across it. So we said "lets go in and see what its like for a minute at least" so we did and we were shocked at what we seen, the pool looked alot deeper as we looked strait down the bottom plus there was chairs all around it like an arena that went up at least 25 to 30 feet high, plus the water had ropes in it just like lanes you see in an olympic pool, this was like another world compared to the other two pools. With small steps all around the pool but the water looked like cold tea with no milk as if it needed to be emptied then fixed and full up again with water. My dad told me it was 8 feet deep as he used it, a believe they didnt fix it becouse they could only fill the two other pools on a busy day. Its amazing when your kid and you think that at 8ft deep just 2 feet deeper than all the other pools that you think its 5 feet deeper? We said wow check how deep this pool is its about 12 feet deep lol. When i got pushed into the deep end at the other pool at 6ft deep to learn to swim at age 7 it felt as if it was 10ft deep, and i swam, i must have been a natural.

  • @toomanyopinions8353
    @toomanyopinions8353 Před 8 měsíci

    I didn't see any fire damage?

  • @Twizzforsberg
    @Twizzforsberg Před 8 měsíci +1

    Would be perfect to make a clown movie there

  • @ExploreWithEthan
    @ExploreWithEthan Před 8 měsíci

    Is this still open now?

  • @JP_TaVeryMuch
    @JP_TaVeryMuch Před 8 měsíci +1

    5:03 Another clue : loadsa holes in the floor especially for pipe ducting and grease stains.
    The number of times that we'd resort to the grease test when me and my mates would terrorise the rat population of a former factory, to see what that room was/what the last meal made before shut down was.
    Apart from hanging up a string of plastic bags tied together and setting light to them, scraping off a lump of ancient greasy gunk and getting that fizzing and popping away to itself is a good second and created the most amazing smells. Really got the juices flowing. Unless it was axle grease by mistake.
    None of this to be recommended natch.

  • @leavemyrightsalone
    @leavemyrightsalone Před 8 měsíci +2

    I know, lets build a leisure centre than abandon it.

  • @pablomontoya8303
    @pablomontoya8303 Před 8 měsíci +1

    second

  • @mba392
    @mba392 Před 8 měsíci +4

    Broken Britain continues 😡

  • @martinevans7090
    @martinevans7090 Před 8 měsíci

    20:09 Apostrophe not needed! Whoever made that sign needs to be educated, lol! And why use an apostrophe for "OIL'S" and not for "COALS" too? Surely if the guy was being consistent they would have written it as "COAL'S" - I don't know which is worse, the apostrophe or the inconsistency!

  • @John_Wood_
    @John_Wood_ Před 8 měsíci +6

    It'll be a mosque by monday.

  • @JacobEvans2
    @JacobEvans2 Před 8 měsíci +2

    It's an eyesore. It will never be repurposed because it's an ugly and impractical building. Listen building status does not but feed the ego or some busy body group who probably rarely when there when open. I wouldn't be surprised if they hoped the arson would lead to the whole thing being demolished for safety reasons.

  • @henrym2140
    @henrym2140 Před 7 měsíci

    😇 *promo sm*

  • @user-rs1990
    @user-rs1990 Před 8 měsíci

    As a result of the recent arson, just reminding you that you're not to trespass disused buildings like this. Full Stop.
    You could face steep charges for such actions. Please ignore them and leave them be. Heed my message.

    • @katieh9986
      @katieh9986 Před 7 měsíci

      "Steep charges" 😂 lol I don't think so.

  • @johnpeaceseeker
    @johnpeaceseeker Před 7 měsíci

    can you explore the abandoned olympic swimming pools and venues