ABD Centre

NEW LIBERAL CLUB AT BACUP.

The memorial stones were laid on Saturday of a new Liberal Club at Bacup. It will be a much larger, more handsome and more convenient building than the existing club, which has been in use since 1875.

Opened 18th March 1893

It opened with two billard rooms, a meeting room, card room, reading room, assembly oom and stewards rooms. "A palace for Varieties"

18th July 1919, glorious sunny day.

The Liberal Club had also been decorated and over the door was picked out in  national coloured flowers “ Welcome to Our Boys”. A large archway had been erected  to span the road from the Liberal Club to the offices of Mr Wright Solicitors.

Magnificent New Centre 10th Dec 1966.

Improving Bacup's image with a magnificent new centre for the Aged, Blind & Disabled in the former Liberl Club. Officially opened on 10th December 1966 by the Mayor, Cllr J Kershaw.

Photo c.1971.

Interesting to see the bus stop, telephone box and wall post boxes all now gone. The ABD Centre much the same from the outside. Interesting to see some railings at roof hight leading to the turrent roof where there was once a flag pole. This looks like some walk-way to hoist the flags?

Bringing the centre back to life.

In January 2021 trustees appointed staff to start work refurbishing the centre. The lift has been brought back into operation replacing the 1966 controls with state of the art electronics and safety features while retaining the heritage carriage. Funding from Heritage Action Zone will refurbish doors, windows and WC's. 2021 has been a year or work to bring the centre back to life.