Blackpool Post Office

BLACKPOOL POST OFFICE

26-30 Abingdon Street

Postcard view

Architect: Walter Pott
Year: 1910 (c.1930 alterations, and Telephone Exchange, architect Charles Wilkinson)
Listed building status: Grade II
Archive sources
Historic England Archive: AA058226-7
National Archives: WORK 13/26, 1201
Selected bibliographical references
Blackpool Evening Gazette 27 Feb 1992
Blackpool Gazette 8 Nov 1910
Blackpool Times, 10 Apr 1907; 6 Feb 1909
Builder 3 Aug 1907, p. 149 (under consideration)
Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser 3 Apr 1908, p. 9 (on the estimate of costs)
History
Opened: 8 Nov 1910
Closed: 12 Sep 2007
Current use: Awaiting redevelopment

Building description
From: The Blackpool Gazette 8 November 1910

... The public office is very handsomely finished off, and there is accommodation for dealing with a big pressure of business when the crowd gets inside. The only word of criticism possible is in connection with the entrance of the new Post Office, and to the position of the posting boxes, and it is indeed regrettable that the responsible officials ... have not given the same thought to the comfort and convenience of the general public with the outside arrangements, as has obviously been given to the internal details ... there is only a single entrance to the public office, and we are afraid that there will be a lot of jostling experienced in getting in and out when the busy time comes round again next season.The corner in which the posting boxes have been placed is unfortunate. With a hundred people endeavouring to post their letters at one time the weaker members of the crowd must suffer ... [In the public office] here is a horse-shoe counter, about 70 ft long, for the sale of stamps, postal orders, and general business. Ample table space, for the writing of telegrams and post-cards, is provided, for all along the wall, under the windows, there are no less than 24 compartments for this purpose, whilst round the two pillars in the centre of the spacious office, are further compartments for writing purposes. The desks, instead of having a surface of wood, have glass substituted so that there is always a smooth surface on which to write. The counter ... is divided into various compartments, one for telegrams, another for stamps, and others for ... parcels, etc. To the left is the department for the Public Phone. A room being set aside for this business, and a number of silence cabinets are provided ... to secure the necessary privacy for those using the telephone service. The furnishings of the public office are very pleasing, all the woodwork has been done in polished teak, with the exception of the tops to the counter and desks and these are of polished mahogany. The general beauty of the interior is considerably enhanced by the fine screen on the counter, by which the public is separated from the staff. A well designed "gauze" of bronze takes the place of the old, familiar wire network, and at the head of each electric standard is an oval section set off with the letters "ERVII", from which rise the globe and electric lights. The walls of this grand "Salle publique", as well as of the public telephone department, are lined to a height of 8 ft with faience and the floor is laid with an excellent design in marble mosaic ...