Fireground museum celebrates first anniversary

Fireground on Maclure Road, Rochdale

Greater Manchester’s museum of firefighting – FIREGROUND in Rochdale – is celebrating its first full year of operation with a summer family fun day on 20 August.

The museum, which tells the story of firefighting in the region over three centuries, opened in the Maclure Road former fire station in August 2021, replacing a much smaller facility on the same site.

Since then it has welcomed some 15,000 visitors and hosted more than 130 educational visits.

Museum curator Bob Bonner said: “After three decades in our previous building, moving into this iconic 1933 landmark building has made a massive difference.

“We are now open on three full days per week, plus additional hours for school trips; more of the collection is now on show and we can better facilitate students and researchers in our new library facility.”

Meanwhile, the new Fireground café on Maclure Road, linked to the museum, is rapidly becoming a regular coffee stop for Rochdalians.

“None of this would have been possible without the support of our major partners, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency, as well as our generous funders,” said Bob, “but a special thank-you is also due to our amazing volunteers and all the great visitors we have met in the past year.”

To mark the first anniversary, the summer family fun day will take place on Saturday 20 August between 10am and 4pm with fairground rides, a bouncy fire engine and other attractions.