Revamp for fire service museum

THE Greater Manchester Fire Service museum is to be given a rebrand for when it opens later this year, following a year-long restoration.

Based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, the museum will be rebranded under the name ‘Fireground’ when it reopens its doors around Easter.

Over the past year the art-deco style site on the former Maclure Road fire station has undergone a complete restoration, to make the museum four times bigger.

The museum had operated out of a workshop behind the station since 1983, but will now take over the whole site which hasn’t been in operation for seven years. It will include a dedicated education centre, library, archive and cafeteria.

The word ‘Fireground’ comes from a term used in the Second World War to describe the scene of operations at an emergency incident similar to a ‘battleground’ used in the armed forces.

Museum Curator and retired fire officer, Bob Bonner, said: “This project is the culmination of many years of effort and determination by our hard-working volunteer team but is now nearing completion. We think our visitors will be delighted with the new offer.

“Fireground is where everything happens - all the action and activity.

“We hope the name will soon be synonymous with a centre of excellence in fire heritage and fire safety education, as well as being a much snappier name than our previous one.”

The restoration project has included the retention or replacement of many historical features, such as a brass pole and original 1930s folding wooden doors. Some existing museum features, such as the Victorian fire station and Manchester Blitz tableaux, are being re-installed on the new site, with improvements such as authentic sound effects.

On the first floor, the former ballroom has been restored to its original art deco appearance and will be repurposed as a high-tech co-working space managed by Rochdale Council.

The museum has several weeks of fitting out to do before its planned opening around Easter 2021.