Watching the heroics of the London Fire Brigade at the Grenfel Tower tragedy the other week, got me thinking about the big old fire stations that used to be around in London when I was a kid.
These majestic Victorian/Edwardian buildings were a noticeable landmark in most towns, but particularly in the City of London and its immediate surrounding areas – but with Brigade cut-backs, district mergers and advances in technology and design, over recent decades, many of these historic buildings were sadly decommissioned.
So, for my culture ‘gig’ this week I set out to discover what has happened to some of these magnificent buildings that were once a hive of activity and occupied by brave souls providing a service which we all too often, take for granted.
This particular challenge was a ‘two-dayer, as my quest took me all over the place, and there was also a stark contrast in the weather over the 2 days – scorching hot 1 day and peeing down the next – but I found it really pleasing to see that the majority of these old buildings are still standing proudly, and have been re-generated to accomadate a place in todays world .I know that one of my long time mates, who spent a career in the Brigade, will enjoy seeing these photos – and I hope you do too
The London Buddhist Centre opened in 1978 in the former Bethnal Green Fire Station on London Road. The building had been disused since 1968, having been built as a fire station in 1889. The current Bethnal Green Fire Station is still functioning further west on Roman Road, albeit in a far less elegant building.
An old Buddhist – outside the old Bethnal Green Fire Station
The old Bethnal Green Fire Station – as it was back in the day
If you’ve ever been in the Tesco Metro opposite Liverpool Street station, you may not be aware that the building used to be Bishopsgate Fire Station. The upper floors are now offices. It was in use as a fire station between 1885 and 1964, closing when a replacement station was opened in nearby Barbican.
Built in 1911 on what is now Gillender Street, the Grade 2 Listed building Brunswick Road Fire Station has been converted into flats. It was one of 43 new stations built when the London Fire Brigade expanded following the Cripplegate fire in the late 1800’s.
Original signage on the old Fire Station on the A13 nr the Isle of Dogs
The old Brunswick Road Fire Station – in its new role today
Whitefriars Fire Station opened on Carmelite Street in the City in 1887 and closed in 1964. It’s not listed, and is today used as an office block.
Perhaps the best-known fire station-to-restaurant transformation is Marylebone’s Grade 2 Listed ‘Chiltern Firehouse’. This restaurant and hotel is a favourite of celebrities and occupies what was the former Marylebone Fire Station (also known as Manchester Square Fire Station), which was built in 1889 as one of London’s first purpose-built fire stations. It was decommissioned in 2005, and used as a temporary exhibition space before being restored and converted to the Chiltern Firehouse.
A close-up of the original ‘lantern’ attached to the old fire station in Manchester Square
One of London’s beautiful people, outside the old Manchester Sq Fire Station – now the ‘Chiltern Firehouse’ restaurant and hotel
The former Southwark Fire Station is found on Southwark Bridge Road. It has been empty since it closed down in 2014, but apparently early this year, plans were put forward to transform it, and some of the neighbouring buildings into a secondary school, housing, a gym and other uses. It is a Grade 2 Listed building.
Another photo of what were the main doors to the Southwark Fire Station
A very wet explorer outside the old Southwark Fire Station
This address is more commonly associated with the Police, but Great Scotland Yard was home to a fire station between 1884 and 1922. The building has been used by the Civil Service Club a members only bar, restaurant and hotel, since 1953.
Shoreditch Fire Station was housed in this building where Tabernacle Street meets Paul Street between 1896 and 1964. When the new Shoreditch Fire Station opened just around the corner in Old Street, this once was closed down. Until recently it used to be a pizza restaurant – but that closed in December 2016, However, when I took a butchers at it, it looked very much like it had been converted into offices.
A close-up of the old signage for the Shoreditch Fire Station
A side view of the old Fire Station in Tooley Street – now a posh restaurant
This Tooley Street building was one of the oldest fire stations in London, built when the Metropolitan Fire Brigade was first formed in 1866. Prior to this, individual fire insurance companies would put out fires in the buildings insured with them, while leaving other buildings to burn. Today it’s… a restaurant
Me – outside the old Tooley Street Fire Station – which is now a very upmarket restaurant
Situated right next to Waterloo station, the old fire station is now an extremely popular bar and restaurant. Built as a fire station in 1910 to replace a fire and ambulance station that had stood on the same spot previously, it still has features which hark back to its origins, including the tiled lettering over the door, and fire buckets hanging from the ceiling inside. It is a Grade 2 Listed building.
The entrance to what was the old Waterloo Road Fire Station – now a busy boozer!!!
The used to be the ‘ Old Fire Station’ restaurant and bar on Westferry Road which was situated in the old Millwall Fire Station building. The station opened in 1905, replacing a nearby fire station which was built in 1877, but quickly became too small. The 1905 building was closed in 2006 when the newer Millwall Fire Station opened, just down the road from this one, at 43 Westferry Road. The upper storeys were turned into flats, while the bistro opened on the ground floor. However, when I was there it looked very much as it was going through a makeover, and there was no sign that it was still being used as a bar and restaurant.
The ‘Lord Nelson’ pub next door to the old Millwall Fire Station………it would be rude not to !!
A weary explorer necking down a cheeky one in the Lord Nelson pub next door to the old Millwall Fire Station Obviously, being a big Hammers fan, I had to keep a low profile in this rub-a-dub