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Whitby CoastGuard StationEND OF AN ERAOn the 30th of July 2010, the Whitby Gazette reported the demolition of the CoastGuard Lookout Station situated on the East Cliff, marking the end of an era in Whitby's coastguard history. The photographs below show the station before its demolition, albeit looking only in need of some attention. The station has stood in place for so long it was pretty much a Whitby landmark. Although predominantly placed on the East Cliff the lookout station's future looked bleak as a result of cliff erosion. As the land in front of the station continued to disappear there was a danger that left alone the station might fall over the edge and down the prominent 200 feet cliff. In April 2009 the Gazette featured news that the former coastguard lookout station on the East Cliff could soon be demolished? Several meetings had already taken place between the council and HM Coastguard Maritime and Coastguard Agency as to the future of the station. A separate organisation, Coastwatch, wanted to construct a new lookout station on top of the small flat roof structure adjoining the existing building but was not interested in the larger lookout station because of its proximity to the cliff edge. Whitby Town Council's planning committee recommended approving the plans to knock down all buildings on the site to ground level, whilst The Coastguard Maritime and Coastguard Agency agreed to finish the demolition with a suitable coating of top soil seeded with grass. The building had not been used as a lookout tower since the new Coastguard offices opened almost four years ago. With the building being close to the edge of the cliff it was agreed that it would be difficult to re let it and left alone it would undoubtedly succumb to vandalism and be a liability for the council. The Cleveland Way footpath used to run alongside the front of the station, the photograph to the right however shows the perilous nature of cliff face erosion. THE demolition of Whitby's former coastguard station was a sad occasion for Craig Allison who spent 30 years as the station's officer from 1973 until he retired in 2001 serving for the next two years on a part time basis. He said: "There was never a day when I didn't want to go to work and I'm
sad that it's gone, the station gave a good service." Copyright © Colin Brittain 2012 All Rights Reserved |