Tales of the Urban Explorer: Claire Fishers Ltd.
“Ow… my bloody foot is hurting”, I complained. On removing my shoe I found something sharp penetrating the inner sole.
“It's one of those plastic things with a nail attached”, said @anidiotexplores deftly removing it for me with the precision of an expert derelict nail extractor.
We had just left Smudges and I must have picked it up in there. Attaching the shoe to my foot he warned me, “there are needles in here and maybe some rabid addicts too”.
We were standing outside Claire Fishers Ltd, a retailer of hardware, paints and glass products, or should I say… used to be.
The company used to be named Fishers Raworth and Company, but rebranded around 10 years ago. I did check and there is no director, past or present named 'Claire Fisher'.
They are also still filing accounts but the premises have been empty for at least 6 years. I don’t see a new trading address for them.
Access was ludicrously easy and we found ourselves in the midst of a needles hideout in a short space of time.
I think they use these small metal holders for cooking up the smack. I am getting more familiar with hard drug use as I visit more places.
You see now... it is highly educational to visit such dens.
The warehouse area was a little bare and so we moved to what was the shop next.
There was plenty of old hardware left, but it’s a little rusty now.
The diary entries are from 2011.
Usually you get the offices upstairs; the premises were in good shape and not the usual ramshackle ones I frequent.
Now these are proper needles. Jab yourself with one of those and you may get some wasting disease that cannot be cured.
The owners of the needles were not home that day. Contrary to popular opinion smack heads don’t attack on sight with used needles as weapons.
This is why I am not too concerned when learning some of these 'monsters' may be lurking in the blackness of a dark corner.
They generally want to be left alone to enjoy their hard drugs. I would say hello and simply leave them to it.
Some old receipts confirming the original name of the company from 1995.
Clare Tooling Systems was possibly a sister company and in trouble as they had not filed their accounts.
It is currently listed as dormant and is now filing blank accounts. Why not dissolve the company? It costs around £180 to file every year.
Clare Collets is the former name of Clare Tooling Systems. That’s some bill they have acquired. Why all the name changes?
They really don’t like filing their accounts. In the UK, you must do it or get struck of the trading register.
The offices were teeming with old paperwork. You can get a good story quite often of what has happened to a company as they have a habit of leaving a large trail of evidence.
From certain angles, Claire Fishers looked almost normal.
Elsewhere it was quite bare. The junkies have plenty of room for spacing out on this large area, a nice shag pile carpet would have made it better.
I had a glance at some old ledgers sitting around. 1969, and the company was in existence during those times.
Look at that typeface, and this old cheque. I barely remember William and Glyn's bank. In fact it was swallowed up in 1985 by a larger bank.
Having a piss in Clare Fishers would require some effort. You could just piss on the floor if you are feeling lazy.
There’s always one room that fares worse than average. It was a little slimy underfoot so I declined to go any further in.
As good as you can get outside Sheffield. I spotted this when leaving on an outside wall.
This and Smudges! It was a good day so far, we were in and out within 20 minutes, and not a single smack head in sight.
Do you like posting your Urbex content and photography for FREE on Facebook and YouTube? I like to get some form of reward for my work and every time I create I do just that. Take a look at The Urbex Community on HIVE.
If you want to keep creating for FREE then ignore what you are reading. If you want to be like me and gain something other than BUGGER ALL for your work then click here and learn about posting on the HIVE blockchain.
- Earn currency while you play brewing virtual beer with CryptoBrewMaster
- Earn currency while you play and become a global Rock Star with Rising Star

If you found this article so invigorating that you are now a positively googly-eyed, drooling lunatic with dripping saliva or even if you liked it just a bit, then please upvote, comment, rehive, engage me or all of these things.
Good stuff. Eh, the first joint we stayed in in Bradford had a community bulletin in the laundry room. Been a minute but it said something like Attention junkies: Pick up your own needles.
Bradford is the city king of needles. More there than any other northern city.., I have seen! Just ask @goblinknackers.
You should probably go in and get a tetanus shot if that nail went through your shoe! You don't want to get any of that nasty stuff. Plus it would be really embarrassing if you caught something and it wasn't even from the place with all the needles! I think I would leave as soon as I saw the needles. They creep me out.
It was poking through my sole, not long enough to cause damage but enough to know something was there. Lucky I guess. I know some peeps have had nails through the shoes.
Yikes!
Doesn't seem that bad considering it's an actual crack den (or whatever the parlance is for that breed of junkie). If I were to take drugs I'd want to do it somewhere a bit more comfortable. Don't fancy lying or falling on that floor.
Lots of nice paperwork for you to enjoy there. You could write a history book with all you find.
Definitely need tougher shoes.
When you are spaced out, the hardest floors seem comfortable (not speaking from experience mind you!). Loved the 1969 ledger. I have been told Claire Fishers is now sealed.
You need some very solid shoes when you go in such places, a needle like that piercing through would definetely make you worry a little (more)
The first time it has ever happened believe it or not. Though I got a nasty cut a few weeks ago in another one. Blood everywhere..., ugh.
Ouch! Be careful out there, some of those places look like a disease cocoon for various illnesses lol
You need to invest in some sensible shoes!
I’ve seen you mooching around In trainers!
Love the paperwork spend hours looking at treasure like that. A right proper drugs den!
Lots of old papers, you would love it. I found more than one old Ledger, but they were quite samey inside. This place would fit in very well with Bradford.
😂
That desk in the sun shot almost made the place look eerily normal. What a lot of junkie paraphernalia tho. They must love it there!
I haven't seen such a fine selection of used needles like that for a while. They are shit out of luck now, as it's been sealed recently.
So many of the little prepare spoons as well. They must get issued them from somewhere. Obviously to save them robbing folk of their good tablespoons!
They heat them up with lighters and mix the gear with citric acid. I see sachets of the things strewn around sometimes.
Citric acid, its like genuine chemistry set stuff. They would be better off dissolving some of that citric acid in a nice cup of tea, lol!!
Thanks for continuing to make Hive awesome.
Nice sleazy explore..Don't you just love those rooms with the slimy floors.. Makes it all worth while... 🤣
Congratulations, your post has been added to Pinmapple! 🎉🥳🍍
Did you know you have your own profile map?
And every post has their own map too!
Want to have your post on the map too?
Congratulations @slobberchops! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Your next target is to reach 78000 upvotes.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP
Check out the last post from @hivebuzz:
Would cost a fortune to re-build but definitely not going anywhere at the moment I can see. Wonder if you need boots construction workers wear?