Future of fire museum secure

The fire museum is based at Maclure Road

The future of the Rochdale-based Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum, which has been under threat of losing its home for a number of years, looks more secure following the outcome of the tendering process to sell off Rochdale fire station, which has resulted in property developer Grey Wolf Partnership being given preferred bidder status.

The Museum Trust formed an alliance with Grey Wolf, who were keen to help the volunteers in their plight. The company, which owns and manages properties across the UK, offered to put in a bid for the whole fire station site – including the current museum building – solely to enable the museum to survive and to expand.

This week Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority announced that Grey Wolf would be its preferred bidder for the site, which means the museum can look to a confident future.

The museum has been located in a former workshop at the rear of the 1933 fire station on Maclure Road for thirty years, provided free of charge by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, which is an official partner and stakeholder in the museum operation.

Despite this close relationship the brigade had to inform the museum three years ago that it was relocating its Rochdale service to a new site and that the whole complex must be sold off. The new premises on Halifax Road would have insufficient space to provide a replacement museum, and the future of the collection was in doubt as a result.

“It has been a worrying time for the Museum,“ said Curator and retired fire officer Bob Bonner. “We have had this threat hanging over us for about five years in total as the service considered what it was going to do with the fire station. With this magnificent gesture from GWP, we can not only remain operational in our present outbuilding – which is a great weight off our mind – but can now proceed with our expansion plans in the main building as soon as further funding is secured.”

The Trust hopes to restore the iconic 1933 structure to its original condition and install an enlarged and improved museum, complete with education centre and catering services, including restored function rooms in the former first-floor ballroom.

“We are determined to provide a fantastic new museum complex for Greater Manchester over the next couple of years” says Bob.