Ghost hunters said they uncovered a "spirit" who didn't know he was dead at a former cinema, theatre and bingo hall.
Haunted Scouse, who are paranormal investigators made up of Chris Cummings and Adam Billing, were invited the landmark Plaza in Northwich, Cheshire, earlier this month to ghost hunt. While they were there, they reportedly came close to communicating with the spirit of a man named David - who did not know he was dead, reports CheshireLive.
Chris, one half of Haunted Scouse, edited hours of footage and came across eerie conversations picked up by the group’s ‘S Box’ or spirit radio. The 45-year-old said: “We picked up a conversation between two different voices.
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"They were talking among themselves. The voice said ‘David, you’re dead’ and another replied ‘dead’? I think one was trying to get the other to realise he had passed on. It was very melancholy, like he wasn’t understanding that he had passed.”
Due to the way the footage is recorded, Chris said it is not always possible to hear the full conversations at the time they occur, meaning the ghost hunters were not able to respond directly to the pair. Haunted Scouse were visiting the art-deco venue as part of an episode collaboration with three Northwich men known as Gav, Greg and Jase.
Chris, alongside primary school teacher Adam, travel to notable sites in Merseyside to explore their spiritual history. Occasionally, if they hear about a venue which is particularly vibrant with spirit activity, they will travel outside county lines.
Chris added: “Gav, Greg and Jase are all from Northwich. They have been in before and recommended it to us. The fact they have kept it as it is really helps. The seats are still there in the gallery and that’s where a lot of the energy is coming from.
"I hope it stays like that. If you strip everything out you take away its soul.” In the Haunted Scouse episode, which has been released on the pair’s YouTube channel, cat balls, inexpensive items often used by ghost hunters, can be seen flashing in various parts of the building.
“We tend to use them (cat balls) because they are activated by touch. We never use Ouija boards or anything like that. We let the place get used to us being visitors first and then we try to communicate. Then you’re giving the spirits a chance.
“One of them went off around the stage and another in the doorway. We have been told that a male figure has been seen in that doorway.”
In the footage, the men can be seen reading out bingo numbers, with Jase saying ‘I heard you say house,’ and an unknown female voice responding ‘no I didn’t’, causing the investigators to start laughing.
According to the paranormal duo, a lot of activity was experienced during the bingo session. The Plaza, which originally opened in 1928, was used as a cinema and theatre until the 1960s, at which time it became a bingo hall.
It has, however, stood vacant since 2011 apart from a brief period before the coronavirus pandemic when it reopened for a couple of charity gigs. It even welcomed The Libertines frontman, Pete Doherty, who played at the venue in March 2019 to a sell-out audience.
Now Haunted Scouse, who are calling for the building to remain intact, are hoping to come back with more cameras to capture more activity and communicate with the spirits they already claim are lurking inside. Chris added: “They (the investigators) asked if there was a girl there called Elizabeth and the cat ball immediately responded.
“Adam then asked if they were at peace. Again, response via the cat ball. It’s always nice to know the spirits interacting are happy and are somewhere they are at peace.”
Chris said there was no negative energy in the building, and that the group at no stage felt threatened by any presences they felt
To view the full episode visit the Haunted Scouse YouTube channel here.
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