'I snuck into an old abandoned cinema before the wrong people did'

Inside the old cinema
-Credit: (Image: Jam Press/SeanUrbex)


An urban explorer says he snuck into an eerie abandoned cinema before "the wrong people" did. Popular TikToker Sean Piper is known for sharing his adventures on the social media platform.

Earlier this year, he ventured inside the former Odeon cinema in Canterbury, Kent, and found the abandoned 1930s picturehouse now consists of smashed film screens, hanging wires and discarded popcorn boxes. The derelict theatre was not only completely ransacked with broken signs and litter scattered across the floor, but it was also easily accessible.

Sean's video of the exploration has garnered thousands of views. Footage of this particular exploration has already garnered thousands of views. Sean told What's The Jam: "It looked like a massive party had gone on but also one that gave the old ‘end of the world’ vibe.

"One of the screens was clean and others were really messy and vandalised. There were old Pepsi cups and popcorn boxes on the floor all crushed." Sean discovered the building in March and decided to visit with friends for the day after hearing about its closure through local news sources.

The cinema has been left in quite a state
The cinema has been left in quite a state -Credit:Jam Press/SeanUrbex

He explained: "I visited with a small group of friends for the day. Access to the cinema was easy. Us urban explorers don’t break in, so if there is no entry we walk away.

"Luckily a fire escape door had been left unlocked so we simply pulled it open and had access to the whole building. We were shocked to find there was no alarms."

Bosses confirmed the cinema, which first opened its doors in 1933, would close back in 2023, after it shut its doors during the pandemic and never reopened them. Tragically, the historic venue was hit by an alleged arson attack on March 10 - just 10 days after Sean's visit.

At the time, Kent Police issued a statement saying: "Kent Police was called shortly after 6pm on Sunday 10 March 2024 following a report of a small fire in an empty building in St George's Place, Canterbury."

"The fire was extinguished by Kent Fire and Rescue Service with no reported injuries. Officers later arrested a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy on suspicion of arson. The two boys have since been released without charge and the investigation has been filed pending further information coming to light."

Sean concluded: "This happens when the wrong people get inside the building."