In the middle of the busy Fleetwood high street, you’ll find Pocket Park, a quiet little patch of green. It’s on the corner where Victoria Street meets North Albert Street, opposite Fleetwood library. Use postcode FY7 6DF to find it.
Fleetwood Pocket Park is a lovely spot to sit on a bench for two quiet minutes in a busy day. Next time you’re passing, why don’t you stop a while and read the sign fastened to the fence at the front. It tells you all about the early days of Fleetwood and this little treasure.
The sign explains that “Fleetwood was created from a green field site in Victorian times by local landowner Sir Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood. Work started in 1835 and the first shops were in the area around Albert Square. A hardware shop was built on this land and later replaced by the Trustee Savings Bank, after which it was used as a temporary police station before being demolished.“
Here is is as a close up, so that you can read it –
The brick planters are named after the seven Fleetwood primary schools, and pupils plant flowers in them each year.
Nine ceramic panels decorate the wall at the back of Pocket Park. They were designed by the Fleetwood schools, with help from a ceramic artist.
History of Pocket Park
This corner, not very far from the Market at North Albert Street, was part of the original Fleetwood which grew up in the 1880’s.
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Originally it was a hardware shop, then a TSB bank and then a temporary police station. After demolition of the building, the land stood derelict for some years.
Mr Michael Reaper, of the nearby Home Bakery, gave permission for the land to be used for a public open space in 1998. It soon became known as Pocket Park.
Fleetwood Rotary Club and the local community planted up beds and local school children made painted boards. It’s always been a popular spot with everyone who lives here or visits Fleetwood.
A Gift for Fleetwood
In 2008 Mr Reaper very generously decided to sell the land at a hugely reduced rate. The Fielden Fleetwood Charity Trust purchased it, with support from Wyre Council.
Mrs Doreen Lofthouse of the famous Fisherman’s Friends, made a donation to carry out the refurbishment which you see today.
Memories of the Pocket Park Plot
After we ran this article on the Visit Fylde Coast weekly enews, Nick Watts got in touch with us.
Nick says “I took these photos around 1989, showing the spare land that the park now occupies. The temporary Lancashire County Council information centre existed there between 1988 and 1990.
The portable cabin was removed when the information centre moved across the road into the former GPO building. This was prior to eventually merging with the library – meaning that Lancashire County Council were sited on three of the four corners of the road junction!
While you’re here…
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