It’s coming down – resort’s old eyesore police station is now being demolished

Wednesday, 9 July 2025 15:10

By Richard Hunt

It has been an eyesore since it closed seven years ago but finally Blackpool’s former police station is coming down.

Demolition of the old Bonny Street base began on Monday (July 8) when a long-reach excavator began to smash up the massive concrete edifice.

In 2018 police moved more than two miles away to modern, state of the art premises on Gerry Richardson Way, off Clifton Road in Marton – the perfect hub for today’s technological advances in policing.

The two buildings couldn’t be more different.

Bonny Street Police Station has been one of Blackpool’s most iconic public buildings, known for its brutalist design and role in law enforcement for over four decades.

Built in the late 1960s, the station was part of a larger development that included a magistrates’ court.

But the old station won’t be around for too much longer, with the demolition work expected to be completed by the end of this month.

The graffiti-covered Magistrates’ Court building, which had come to resemble something from a dystopian sci fi film, and the similarly grim Chapel Street car park, have already been demolished.

What will replace them?

In their place will be the much-heralded £300m Blackpool Central Scheme, which entails the redevelopment of the former Blackpool Central Railway Station site into a world-class visitor attraction and leisure destination.

It aims to boost the local economy by creating jobs and attracting more visitors. The project includes the creation of indoor theme parks, a large public square, hotels and restaurants. A multi-story car park opened earlier this year.

The plans took a hit in October 2024 with the shock collapse of Nikal Ltd, the developer for the ambitious project.

However, Blackpool Council has hopes of attracting new investment for the scheme.

Planning permission remains in place for a new £40m courthouse on the corner of Talbot Road and Devonshire Road, which was expected to be completed by 2026.

However, this project was also hit by delays when contractor ISG went into administration in 2024.