Building work has started on Bridlington RNLI’s new lifeboat station
The RNLI’s (Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s) new lifeboat station in Bridlington is under construction on Spa Promenade in the town.
The new Art Deco style building will replace the charity’s current lifeboat station on South Marine Drive which is too small and outdated for the RNLI’s needs. The new boathouse should be finished in spring 2017.
The two-storey building will offer the extra space required to house Bridlington’s new state-of-the-art Shannon class lifeboat and launch vehicle*. This means that they will be able to remain coupled together when not in use, thus speeding up the launch process when the crew is called out on a life-saving mission.
Chris Brompton, Bridlington RNLI’s station mechanic, said: ‘Our volunteer crew is very excited that the building work has started and that our fantastic new station is gradually becoming a reality. The current all-weather lifeboat station has served us well since 1903 but the new boathouse will provide the town’s next generation of lifesavers with much more space and the proper training and changing facilities that they deserve.
‘Crucially, the building’s location, adjacent to the beach, will mean that the lifeboat will no longer need to be taken along the main road to reach the sea but will have quicker and more direct access to the water. The extra space will also mean that the charity’s inshore and all-weather lifeboats can be housed in the same building, as currently the inshore lifeboat is stored separately on Princess Mary Promenade.’
Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: ‘The council fully supports the life-saving work of the RNLI and it is pleasing to see that work on the second phase of this exciting new project has started.
‘When complete, the new Art Deco style building will be in keeping with neighbouring buildings, including The Spa Bridlington, and will also be home to the RNLI’s new state-of-the-art lifeboat that will help them with their operations off the Holderness coast.’
The station will house a mechanic’s workshop, an RNLI store and a viewing area so that the public can see the Shannon class lifeboat. There will also be space for RNLI lifeguards to store their equipment and a display area for the charity to hold exhibitions about its lifesaving work.
Malton-based contractor Scothern Construction Ltd is building the new lifeboat station.
RNLI Photo caption
The image shows how Bridlington RNLI’s new lifeboat station will look when complete.
Notes to editors
1. Bridlington RNLI’s new lifeboat station has been designed by long-established York architects Brierley Groom.
2. Bridlington’s new Shannon class lifeboat Antony Patrick Jones and her launch and recovery system are due on station in 2017 when the charity’s current all-weather lifeboat Marine Engineer will reach the end of her operational life.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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