The Fascinating History of Ainsdale’s Forgotten Police Station, From a Grand Opening in 1953 to an Uncertain Future
Ainsdale’s Forgotten Police Station: The Remarkable History of a Village Landmark That Once Housed Police Officers and Their Families
From a grand opening by the Home Secretary in 1953 to more than a decade standing empty, we uncover the fascinating history of Ainsdale’s former police station and ask what the future holds for one of the village’s most recognisable buildings.
Thousands of people pass the imposing red brick building on the corner of Liverpool Avenue and Segars Lane in Ainsdale every year, but how many know the fascinating history behind its walls?
For more than 60 years, this distinctive building was Ainsdale Police Station, a place where generations of local officers reported for duty, residents sought assistance and police families made their homes.
Today, the doors are closed, the officers have long since departed and the building stands as a reminder of a very different era in policing.
But behind its familiar brickwork lies a story stretching back more than seven decades, including a prestigious opening ceremony attended by one of the most powerful politicians in Britain.
And now, more than 12 years after the police station closed, the building is looking for a new purpose.
A Grand Opening in February 1953
The story begins in the early 1950s, when Ainsdale was a very different place from the bustling village we know today.
The new police station was constructed in approximately 1951, during a period when Britain was rebuilding and modernising following the Second World War.
On Saturday 7th February 1953, the building was officially opened by none other than the Home Secretary, Sir David Maxwell Fyfe.
This was no ordinary ribbon cutting ceremony.
Sir David Maxwell Fyfe was one of the country’s most prominent political figures, having previously served as a prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials following the Second World War.
His attendance demonstrated the importance placed on providing modern policing facilities for the growing community of Ainsdale.
The opening took place just four months before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, making 1953 a particularly memorable year in British history.
At the time, Ainsdale was policed by Southport Borough Police, a separate force responsible for maintaining law and order throughout the borough.
The opening of the new station marked an important investment in local policing, providing officers with a purpose built headquarters from which to serve the surrounding community.
The occasion was recorded in the historical records of Southport Borough Police, preserving a small but significant moment in Ainsdale’s history.
A Police Station That Was Also Home to Local Families
Perhaps one of the most interesting and lesser known facts about Ainsdale Police Station is that it was much more than a workplace.
Four residential flats were constructed alongside the new police station specifically to accommodate police officers and their families.
This meant that some of the officers responsible for protecting Ainsdale also lived immediately beside the station.
Imagine growing up in one of those flats during the 1950s or 1960s, with your father heading off to work just a few steps from the family home. For those families, the police station would have been part of everyday life.
The arrangement reflected a period when policing was closely connected to the communities officers served.
Having officers living alongside their workplace also meant that police families became part of the local neighbourhood.
It would be fascinating to hear from anyone who remembers the families who lived in those flats or perhaps even grew up there themselves.
The existence of the four police flats is confirmed in the historical records of Southport Borough Police.
Ainsdale Policing Before Merseyside Police Existed
Another interesting part of the building’s history is that when Ainsdale Police Station opened, Merseyside Police did not exist.
Instead, the village was served by Southport Borough Police, a force with its own Chief Constable and a history dating back to Victorian times.
In 1953, the Chief Constable was Lieutenant Colonel Harold Mighall. He had joined the force as a young recruit in 1925 and eventually rose through the ranks to become Chief Constable in 1946.
His career was particularly remarkable. During the Second World War, he spent time attached to the Control Commission and was involved in the reconstruction of policing in Italy following its liberation.
By the time Ainsdale’s new police station opened, he was leading a force that had undergone significant changes during the postwar years.
Southport Borough Police continued until 1969, when it became part of the Lancashire Constabulary.
A further reorganisation followed in 1974, when Merseyside Police was established.
This means that during its working life, Ainsdale Police Station operated under three different police forces: Southport Borough Police, Lancashire Constabulary and Merseyside Police.
Few people passing the building today would realise just how much policing history it represents.
A Very Different Era of Policing
When Ainsdale Police Station first opened, policing looked very different from the service we recognise today.
There were no mobile phones, no computers on every desk and no instant digital systems connecting officers across the country.
Much of the work depended on officers knowing their local communities, maintaining records and communicating through the technology available at the time.
Police officers were familiar figures on local streets, and traditional police stations played an important role in everyday community life.
Residents could visit their local station to report incidents, ask for assistance or speak directly to an officer.
During the 1950s and 1960s, police forces were also modernising their transport.
Historical records show that Southport Borough Police was using 500cc Triumph motorcycles by 1960, replacing them with lighter 250cc BSA motorcycles in 1962.
These machines were part of a period when police forces were adapting to the increasing demands of modern road traffic and patrol work.
Although there is no confirmation that these particular motorcycles were based at Ainsdale, they offer an interesting glimpse into the policing methods of the era.
The Building That Still Looks Like a Police Station
One of the most striking features of the former police station is how much of its original appearance survives.
The building has a substantial red brick exterior, distinctive white window surrounds and an imposing corner entrance.
Above that entrance, the original stonework still displays the word POLICE, together with a carved crest.
More than 70 years after the building opened, these details remain clearly visible.
The entrance, positioned prominently on the corner of Segars Lane and Liverpool Avenue, would once have welcomed residents seeking assistance.
Today, the same entrance is closed, but the building remains instantly recognisable as a former police station.
Its architecture reflects the solid, practical public buildings constructed in the years following the Second World War.
Unlike many modern police facilities, which are often incorporated into larger buildings or shared public service centres, Ainsdale’s station was designed to have a clear and permanent presence within the community.
For residents who have lived in the village for decades, it remains an unmistakable landmark.
The End of an Era in 2014
After more than six decades serving Ainsdale, the police station finally closed in 2014.
Its closure formed part of wider changes to Merseyside Police’s estate, as the force reviewed its buildings and sought to reduce the cost of maintaining older premises.
Across Merseyside, traditional police stations were being assessed as policing methods changed and resources were increasingly concentrated in larger, modern facilities.
For Ainsdale, the closure marked the end of a chapter that had begun with such ceremony in February 1953.
The building that had once provided a base for officers and accommodation for police families was no longer required for its original purpose.
Years passed, but the former police station remained standing.
In 2023, plans to dispose of several former police buildings across Merseyside were publicised as part of a long term programme to modernise the force’s property portfolio.
Ainsdale Police Station was specifically identified among the buildings intended for sale.
The wider programme was expected to generate more than £21 million through property disposals and reduce annual running costs across the police estate.
From Police Headquarters to Property on the Market
Photos by Fitton Estates
Following its closure, the former police station was marketed as a potential redevelopment opportunity.
Previous commercial property advertising suggested that the building could be suitable for a variety of alternative uses, including offices, residential accommodation or a children’s day nursery, subject to the necessary planning permissions.
Its substantial size, prominent position and existing parking facilities made it an unusual property within the village. However, the building has not yet found a permanent new purpose.
The latest commercial property listing shows that the former station is now available to rent through Fitton Estates.
The advertised rental price is £20,000 per year, equivalent to approximately £1,667 per month.
The property offers approximately 2,630 square feet of accommodation, excluding its basement and garage facilities.
Inside are several former offices, storage areas, kitchen facilities, toilets and the original reception area.
Some of the interior retains parquet flooring, while the building also benefits from central heating.
Outside, there is parking and access to two garages.
Interestingly, the property agents state that the landlord may be prepared to undertake alterations to accommodate a new tenant, depending on the terms of the lease.
The building is being offered for a variety of potential uses, subject to any necessary permissions.
Although the property has been earmarked for sale in the past, Ainsdale Bubble has not independently established whether ownership has subsequently changed hands.
Could Ainsdale’s Former Police Station Have a New Lease of Life?
The building occupies a prominent position within Ainsdale Village, close to local shops, businesses and residential streets.
Its history, distinctive architecture and substantial accommodation make it an interesting prospect for anyone considering a new business or community facility.
But there is also a wider question about the future of buildings that once played such an important role in local life.
Across the country, former police stations, libraries, banks and other public buildings have been converted into everything from restaurants and offices to residential accommodation and community spaces.
Ainsdale’s former police station has the potential to begin another chapter in its history, although any future use would depend on the owner’s plans and the necessary approvals.
Whatever eventually happens, its history deserves to be remembered.
More Than Just Bricks and Mortar
It is easy to walk past an empty building without giving much thought to the people who once worked inside.
But for more than six decades, Ainsdale Police Station was part of the everyday life of the village. Behind those walls, officers would have started and finished countless shifts.
Residents would have called in seeking help, reporting incidents or asking for advice.
Police families lived nearby, children grew up alongside the station and generations of officers served the community from this very building.
The station witnessed enormous changes in British society, from the early years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign through to the modern digital age.
It survived changes in police forces, advances in technology and the transformation of Ainsdale itself.
And remarkably, the building still stands much as it did when the Home Secretary arrived to officially open it in February 1953.
Its future may be uncertain, but its place in Ainsdale’s history is not.
Do You Remember Ainsdale Police Station?
As part of this special Ainsdale Bubble history feature, we would love to hear from residents who remember the police station when it was still operating.
Perhaps you knew one of the officers stationed there, remember calling into the reception area or even lived in one of the four police flats built alongside the station.
We would be particularly interested in hearing from former police officers and their families who could help us piece together more of the building’s fascinating history.
We are also hoping to uncover original photographs of the police station from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, especially pictures taken around the time of its official opening on 7th February 1953.
And with the building now available to rent, we would love to know what Ainsdale residents think should happen to it next.
Should it become a community facility, a new business, offices or something completely different?
Share your memories and suggestions with Ainsdale Bubble.
Photographs: Ainsdale Bubble, October 2026.
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