Little Bispham Underground Boat Store

The underground boat store at Little Bispham has a fascinating and multi-layered history. Originally constructed in 1935 as a subterranean car park, it was designed to accommodate around 90 vehicles. However, its location beneath the promenade made it highly susceptible to flooding during high tides. This persistent issue led Blackpool Town Council to abandon the facility not long after it was built. During World War II, the structure found a new purpose when the British aircraft manufacturer Vickers Armstrong utilised it as a secret storage facility. The enclosed, hidden nature of the underground space made it ideal for keeping wartime equipment safe from potential aerial attacks. After the war, however, the space remained largely unused for some time.

In the early 1970s, the Fylde Boat Angling Club took over the abandoned structure and repurposed it as a storage area for boats and tractors. The club, made up of local fishermen and boating enthusiasts, found it a convenient location for keeping their equipment safe from theft and weather damage. However, the underground nature of the facility meant that flooding remained an ongoing challenge, and members had to deal with frequent water ingress. Despite these issues, the boat store remained in use for several decades. Over time, it became a well-known curiosity among locals, with some referring to it as an “underground marina.” The structure’s unusual nature and its hidden location beneath the promenade added to its intrigue.

By the 2010s, concerns were raised about the long-term viability of the underground structure. The aging facility was beginning to pose a structural risk to the sea wall above, and authorities feared that its deterioration could lead to larger problems with coastal defenses. As part of the extensive Anchorsholme sea defense project, the decision was made to permanently close and fill in the underground store. In 2014, before the final closure, a public open day was held, allowing visitors a rare opportunity to explore the underground boat store before it was lost to history. Many locals and historians took the chance to document and photograph the unique space, preserving its memory for future generations.

By 2015, the underground boat store was completely filled in as part of the broader coastal protection work in the area. Though it no longer exists, its history as a car park, wartime storage facility, and boat store remains a compelling part of Little Bispham’s local heritage.

Special thanks goes out to Ian McLoughlin from Blackpool for his superb images taken on 16 October 2014.