When West Bar Police, Fire and Ambulance Station opened its doors in 1900 it was seen as the shining light of the community and not just for the wider community. Inside West Bar it was a community in itself, as it was not just the police officers and firefighters who lived and worked here but their families too. And we also can’t forget some very important members of the station that also lived on site, of the four- legged variety: the horses.
Before 999, if people needed help, they would head straight for their local station, and West Bar was this for many in Sheffield, with a central position surrounded by pubs, houses and music halls. It became an essential part of the city. Whether for a lost pet, a reckless cyclist or even more violent crimes, the public found help at West Bar.
We have strived to continue this sense of community within our walls throughout West Bar’s many changes, and although we are the National Emergency Services Museum, we are still a part of the local community here in Sheffield. And we are hoping our newest venture will solidify this for the future.
Our staff and volunteers have been hard at work on a not-so-secret project behind the scenes (if you’ve visited us recently, you may have heard some building sounds about the building), particularly above our cafe in what used to be the hayloft, back when the station opened. It is now getting transformed into a new space, not only for our cafe, but also for the community.
We are very excited about this new space opening, as it is a part of the museum visitors have never seen before. It will soon be there for us all to enjoy.
This is where you- our wonderful visitors- come in: do you know of a community group looking for a space? Then please contact us via email at info@visitnesm.org.uk , as we may be able to help.
By Rosie Norrell
Learning and Communities Co-ordinator
If you want to read more about West Bar’s History you can in our book, Building a community: A history of West Bar police, fire and ambulance station, for sale in our gift shop and online here: Building a Community | 999 Museum (visitnesm.org.uk)
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