One of the most distinctive structures on the Blackpool tramway is without a doubt the impressive building on the seaward side of the tracks at Bispham. As well as providing shelter to passengers waiting for a tram, this once housed an inspector’s office and toilets, but the area has been somewhat neglected in the recent past – until now!
As part of a private development, the Bispham Station building is set to undergo a bit of a make-over and will then be used as a cafe. Exact details of what is planned are not yet widely available, although a target completion date of May has been suggested which would enable the new venture to be open in good time for the peak summer season. The chosen site will be especially useful during the annual illuminations, when anyone wanting to walk through the tableaux will potentially be greeted by the inviting prospect of warm refreshments on arrival at the northern end of the lights! There is also great potential for tram passengers to use this new facility, particularly on ‘Gold’ heritage days when trams are often stabled on the nearby centre track for crew lunch breaks.
Although the outside of the building has been kept reasonably tidy with the odd coat of paint over the years, there hasn’t been much major investment in it. As the building is expected to be sympathetically treated, any such investment in it will hopefully be a very positive development and ensure the survival of this unusual survivor from the tramway’s bygone era in a meaningful role for many years to come.
Oh and by the way, the spelling of roll in the title was deliberate as a reference to food in a cafe!
Boat car 230 passes the historic Bispham Station building whilst working on a heritage tour terminating there. (Photo by Andrew Waddington)
I hope that it succeeds, but it’s worth noting that there are a number of cafe/restaurant venues opposite, on Red Bank Road. Competition is inevitable.
A great idea to find a new use for the building. Relics of the old Tramroad days are getting rarer nowadays
Built 1932, so not a Tramroad era relic!
This is great news that will make this site a key location on the tramway. I hope that some sort of BTS ticket office can be incorporated into part of the site, as going forward this will be an interchange station for Fleetwood passengers en route to Blackpool North Station.
Whilst a market street style ticket office would be nice, its not really warranted at Bispham in my opinion. Even when/if it becomes the North station interchange. Though even that should run to Little Bispham as Norbreck generates a lot of passengers.
Now a ticket office/souvenir shop/info centre open at peak times and events shhared with BTS and Heritage would work well in my opinion.
Hopefully it will apply for and obtain a licence too……..
Hopefully not, as the last thing you want is the youth of Bispham taking up residence!
Or even “Role!”
That was explained in the last line of the article…