HISTORIC CUTS!

Clekenwell Fire Station A-27

 

London Fire Brigade is considering the closure of the Clerkenwell station - the brigade's oldest - and 16 others historic firehouses to save money, the BBC reports.
 
Job cuts and/or early retirement are also on the table.

A union official calls the plan the biggest threat to the brigade since World War II.

That's not an exaggeration in Clerkenwell's case.

German bombs narrowly missed the 19th Century-era fire station during the blitz.

On Aug. 17, the BBC released the following "leaked" list of  stations:

• Acton
• Belsize
• Bow
• Clapham
• Clerkenwell
• Downham
• Islington
• Kensington
• Kingsland
• Knightsbridge
• New Cross
• Peckham
• Silvertown
• Southwark
• Westminster
• Whitechapel
• Woolwich

The argument for closing the stations seems to be that the "antiquated" structures are too costly to maintain.

They properties would probably fetch considerable sums if put up for sale.

The Evening Standard said some engines would be re-assigned to Chiswick, East Greenwich, Euston, Hendon, Orpington, Purley, Southgate, Stanmore and Twickenham.

The bottom line: Fewer fire engines and fewer firefighters on London's streets.