Bonny Street police station closes to public as new Blackpool front counter opens

But Lancashire Police will retain a town centre presence, with a new front counter set to open at noon on Friday on Corporation Street.

Many of the resort's police officers have already made the move to the new HQ on Gerry Richardson Way, off Clifton Road, with some of the town centre policing team set to relocate to the Municipal Building.

The front counter at Bonny Street police station will close at noon tomorrow and it is anticipated that the building will officially be handed over to Blackpool Council later in the year. South Shore police station has also been declared "surplus to requirements" and is expected to close in the coming months.

Ch Insp Lee Wilson, who oversees policing in the town, said: “The new facilities at the Municipal Building, together with the West Division Police Headquarters, are a huge improvement to the facilities we had at Bonny Street which were dated and simply no longer fit for purpose.

“In addition to this new front counter, we are exploring the option of having further bases for our officers in the local community across Blackpool.”

The force said front counters are mainly used by people answering bail conditions, for immigration checks, handing over or collecting property and presenting car insurance as well as ‘meet and greet’ for visitors.

Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said: “A new front counter in the heart of Blackpool is great news for the town. Not only does it mean we can continue providing services locally, the facilities mark a big improvement for the public as well as police officers and staff.”

The opening of the front counter follows the opening of the new West Division Police Headquarters on Gerry Richardson Way, off Clifton Road, on July 23. As well as a front counter, the headquarters provides a base for some of the local policing and immediate response teams, an investigations hub and 42 custody cells.