A Heritage project researched the history of Cleethorpes Policing and of the local Police Station as it closed down
When? 2019
Funded by: National Lottery Heritage Fund
Partners: Blue Lights Brigade. Humberside Police.
The Police Station on Prince’s Road, Cleethorpes opened in 1934. In 2019 the Police Station was finally due to close its’ doors as a working Police Station after over 80 years. As of 2024 the building stands empty awaiting its new life and redevelopment.
In 2019 VANEL received National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to research and record the history both of this Police Station but also more generally of the story of Policing in Cleethorpes through a project called “Cleethorpes Community Cops”
Whilst the project was not led by Big Local North Cleethorpes, the local area benefitted directly through this grant investment in researching a significant building before the chance was lost.
The project was led by some of the members of the Blue Lights Brigade project – including ex-Police – and supported by a local amateur historian who helped with much of the research.
The project produced a website (still live in 2025), and a significant publication/booklet containing all the research. A local artist, Nigel Lewis, who had painted the Police Station also gave permission for his artwork to be reproduced to support the project. The team was present at the final event on the days just before the Princes Road Police Station closed.
This was a fascinating heritage research project which Big Local was keen to happen for the benefit of local residents. At the end of the project there was a range of materials and items related to local policing that had been collected. These were donated to The Old Nick Policing museum in Gainsborough so that the items would still be able to be accessed by the public into the future.
Cover of the ‘book’ publication produced during the programme containing all the research into Cleethorpes Police Station and Policing in Cleethorpes.
The book can still be downloaded as a .pdf here.
Whilst the Cleethorpes Community Cops website is still live it can be found at www.vanel.org.uk/cleecops