My office used to be… Shoreditch Fire Station
An occasional closer look at period buildings with an interesting history that have been repurposed as business centres.
Shoreditch Fire Station was built by the London Council Council towards the end of the 19th century.
The LCC agreed in the Spring of 1893 that the needs of the fire service had outgrown the previous station which was located in Old Street and had accommodation for only eight fire fighters.
Also, the “extraordinary traffic” on Old Street made the location less than ideal for an emergency service. A plan was adopted to purchase from Ecclesiastical Commissioners for £3,000 a new larger site fronting Tabernacle Square.
The new fire station was opened on April 31st 1896 by Mr Nathan Moss JP surrounded by county councillors, Shoreditch community representatives, Mr Blashill the superintending architect of the LCC, and Fire Brigade chief Captain Simmonds.
According to the Shoreditch Observer, “an alarm was then given, and in 40 seconds the steamer was horsed and outside the station. The visitors then took a survey of the premises, and were great pleased with the improved appliances, and the excellent accommodation for the staff, the great majority being married men.”
The station, which was opened on the same day as Kingsland fire station in Hackney, cost £15,000 to build.
The new facility served the area for almost seventy years until a new Shoreditch fire station was opened in 1964 when the brigade returned to Old Street.
The handsome red brick building has now been turned into a serviced office business centre with 30 individual offices, and there’s a restaurant unit on the ground floor.
Click here to find out more about the old Fire Station business centre or see more serviced offices near Old Street and Shoreditch.