New owner of Manchester's London Road Fire Station opens building to public
Members of the public will be given the opportunity to visit the London Road Fire Station, the controversial building in Manchester which Britannia Hotels failed to develop during its 29 year ownership.
New owner Allied London is opening the doors of the Grade II Edwardian Baroque style building during a series of tours throughout July and August.
Located opposite Manchester's Piccadilly Station, Allied London is in the process of finalising its mixed-use plans for the extensive property, which are expected to include a hotel, restaurant, bar, event space, spa and visitor attraction.
Michael Ingell, chief executive of Allied London, described London Road as an important new destination for Manchester.
"A catalyst for transformation, with a past steeped in heritage and stunning architecture, every single aspect of the project will be of the highest quality," he said. "Allied London will use the fabric of the building in its original form to create a new kind of space for Manchester."
The tours, which will start on 2 July and run on every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, will enable people to see inside the property which operated as a coroners' court prior to becoming a fire station. Tickets can be booked via www.jonathanschofieldtours.co.uk.
The building closed to the public in 1986 when it was acquired by Britannia Hotels with a view to redeveloping it as 227-bedroom hotel.
However, Britannia dragged its heels and never undertook the development, resulting in a long-standing battle with Manchester City Council, which attempted and failed to compulsory purchase the building.
Allied London, which is also involved in the Old Granada Studios and Spinningfields developments in Manchester, acquired the London Road Fire Station in November 2015.
As part of a series of hidden banquets during the Manchester Food & Drink Festival in the autumn, chef Aiden Byrne will prepare a dinner for 200 guests in the old engine room at London Road.
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