Victorian

A POPULAR lido that opened in the 1930s with its own sunbathing solarium could be demolished to make way for new homes.

The building was used as a bingo hall in recent years but has been vacant since 2023.

Opened to the public on July 10, 1935, Sale Lido also boasted shops and restaurants.

Its main feature was a 130-ft long swimming pool, which could be covered over to form a dancefloor during the winter months.

Now, plans have been submitted jointly by McCarthy Stone and Built Development Ltd which, if approved, would see most of the building in Trafford, Greater Manchester, torn down. 

The developers claimed Mecca, which recently operated a bingo hall on the site, had pulled out due to its “state of disrepair”.

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Developers said this has led to water leaking into the building and has affected its structure, reported the Manchester Evening News.

Just the lido’s facade would remain under the scheme proposed by the two companies, with two new blocks of flats constructed on adjacent land.

In a Facebook post, residents urged Trafford Council to refuse planning permission.

One wrote: “The Lido’s a Sale landmark, knocking it down would be a stupid decision – even if the facade is kept!

“Is there any kind of form to sign that’s against this happening?” 

Another person posted: “More lovely architecture replaced by grey boxes. Why can’t they keep the building?”

A third person said: “Please keep this iconic building. It’s part of Sale.”

A spokesperson for Trafford Council said: “An application has been submitted at the site of the former Sale Lido for a housing development of 40 retirement apartments and 39 affordable homes.

“The application is under consideration by the Council and will be determined in due course.”

A woman recently visited a Victorian train station in the UK, but was left floored when she made a discovery hidden within its walls. Sometimes the most unexpected things await us

Thousands of people visit train stations every day, but sometimes more lies within them than we realise. One woman recently discovered this when she visited an old train station in the UK, and it left her totally taken aback.

Korina, known as thedreamywanders on Instagram, recently shared her epic find on social media, and it’s since gone viral, as people can’t believe how beautiful her discovery was. When she entered the train station, she ended up finding a lot more books than she did trains, and the experience left her, and her followers, totally mesmerised, and it’s pretty easy to see why.

It’s not the first time people have made such amazing discoveries at train stations either. For example, the secret world of London’s Underground was also previously exposed.

In Korina’s clip, she wrote: “POV: You entered a Victorian train station and found the UK’s cosiest second-hand bookshop.” Alongside this, she added: “Barter Books is set inside a Victorian train station and it feels like stepping into a different world.

“There are shelves everywhere, cosy corners to browse and model trains running overhead as you explore. It’s the kind of place where every book feels like it’s waiting to be found.

“There’s also a café on site and fireplaces around the shop, so you can grab a coffee, sit by the fire and read for a while. One of those places you could easily lose track of time in.”

The post quickly got people talking, and dozens were quick to comment. They shared all sorts of thoughts.

One said: “Oh I love this spot! You really captured its magic.” Another added: “Had the absolute joy of introducing a friend to this place today. He loved it.”

A third replied: “Wow, this is amazing.” Meanwhile, a fourth commented: “It’s a truly wonderful world. A place I could spend a whole weekend.”

One more also chimed in with: “I think I bought 17 books last time I was there.” Another also noted: “Such an adorable bookshop.”

Where can you find it?

The bookshop is located in Alnwick, Northumberland. If you haven’t visited before, it’s known for its charming atmosphere, with towering shelves of second-hand books and a lovely collection of old railway memorabilia. Barter Books also features a unique “barter” system, where customers can trade in old books for store credit.

It’s considered a gorgeous place to visit for both book lovers and history enthusiasts alike. You’ll find it located in the historic former Alnwick Station, and it was opened in 1991 by Stuart and Mary Manley.

The station, which was built back in 1887, was later transformed into an amazing bookshop. It still contains much of its original Victorian architecture, including the station’s platforms and waiting rooms. Today it is one of the largest second-hand bookshops in Europe.

If you haven’t visited Northumberland before, it’s directly adjacent to and north of Newcastle upon Tyne. Many areas can be accessed in less than an hour by car or public transport.

It serves as a rural, and coastal counterpart to the city, offering easy access to attractions like Alnwick, Morpeth and the coast. As well as this, Northumberland is directly adjacent to Scotland, forming the northernmost county of England and sharing the border to the north and west.

PREMIER Inn has opened a new hotel in London – although you wouldn’t know from the outside.

The hub by Premier Inn London Farringdon (Old Bailey) has turned an old Victorian police station into the famous hotel.

Dating back to the 1870s, Snow Hill Police Station is a Garde II listed building.

Whitbread – the owner of Premier Inn, bought the building back in 2020, with it now open to the public as a hotel.

Many of the original features such as the historic entrance way, as well as a grand atrium combining the new and old buildings.

A mix of “heritage bedrooms” as well as the classic hub rooms are part of the hotel too, with 212 rooms across eight stories.

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Along with free WiFi and accessible rooms, there is also a restaurant onsite for breakfast and dinner.

Jonathan Langdon, Senior Acquisition Manager for Whitbread, said it showed how “affordable hotels like hub by Premier Inn can breathe fresh life into vacant historic buildings in Central London”

Tom Sleigh, Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee at the City of London Corporation, added: “The transformation of the former Snow Hill Police Station into a modern, affordable hotel shows how heritage and planning innovation can work hand in hand, an excellent example of how thoughtful, high-quality design can bring new life to one of the City’s historic buildings.”

Some of the cheapest rooms on the website can be found for around £105 a night.

The hotel is also in the hear of the city, bring right by Farringdon train station.

Nearby is St Paul’s Cathedral as well as the London Museum.

Premier Inn is currently offering free unlimited breakfast to guests, as long as you book before February 13.

Guests must also book a ‘Non-Flex’ room for a stay between February 20 and May 14.

Wetherspoons is another budget brand known for restoring old buildings.

Many of the UK pubs are built into old cinemas, banks and town halls, with original features often restored.

Of course, some of them are newer, purpose bult buildings – including their newest which is in Spain.

We went down to the first foreign Wetherspoons – here’s what we thought.