Bootle St 'like Life on Mars'

Nicola Dowling

March 31, 2007

| Submit Comments | Comments (13) | Previous | Next

DATED: Life on Mars.

BOOTLE Street station is so out-of-date that it could be used as the set for 1970s TV cop show Life On Mars, according to Greater Manchester's police chief.

Chief Constable Michael Todd made the claim as he was defending plans to close the historic building in Manchester city centre and build a new modern facility in Newton Heath.

Pub and club owners have raised concerns that the move would leave no major police station in the centre.

Phil Burke, of the city centre Pub and Club network, said: "Around 150,000 people come into the city centre every weekend and we need to reassure them that they are safe and that there are police at a station nearby, not out of town."

But Mr Todd said the Bootle Street station is no longer suited to the needs of a 21st century police force and that the public would benefit from the new facilities.

In a letter to the M.E.N, he has written in defence of the agreement to shake up policing in the city.

Mr Todd said: "I was concerned that the quotes from Mr Burke might cause unnecessary public alarm about police presence in the city centre.

"I have to say that this agreement is good news and follows on the building of 17 new state-of-the-art police buildings across Greater Manchester over the past four and a half years and the agreement to build a new Divisional Headquarters at Bury.

'Not fit for purpose'

"Bootle Street police station has not been fit for purpose for a very long time, in fact in it would be far better suited as a set for Life On Mars.

"The Police Authority decision will allow us to build a Divisional Headquarters designed for the 21st Century and provide the cells and support that operational officers need, within a mile and a half of the vity centre.

"I have also gained the agreement of the authority to fund an appropriately sized and staffed police base and public contact point in the heart of the city centre.

"There is no need for concern about these changes. We need to put patrolling police officers and a police contact point in the heart of the city centre, not administration offices and cells."

BBC's Life On Mars sees modern day politically correct detective Sam Tyler thrust back in time to the 1970s with a plot which explores the moral and practical dilemmas faced by crimefighters in both eras.

The show - starring John Simm and Philip Glennister - is set in Manchester and the majority of the filming has taken place locally.

But Bootle Street was not used for filming and Stockport Council's Stopford House doubled as the exterior of the fictional police station.

Shots of the smoke-filled and decrepit CID offices were taken in specially-built sets at the BBC in Oxford Road.

| Submit Comments | Comments (13) | Previous | Next

Showing comments 1 to 13 and replies | View All

David,North Manchester (31/03/2007 at 16:44)

I would prefer it if the police of today were like they are on Life On Mars. They didnt put up with any nonsence from sgumbags,The human rights act, this phobia and that phobia and all the other politicaly correct rubish, they were feared and sometimes respected but most importantly they could keep law and order and we all had freedom of speech.

Ace Riley (31/03/2007 at 17:26)

What Mr todd really means is the station cannot be closed and a telephone put outside while the officers sit inside doing nothing? on quite a few occasions ive had to use the phones outside these stations in the pouring rain waiting for somebody to answer,but to no avail so i stopped and went home? knowing full well that there was policemen inside the station ? modern policing is a joke.I know its a hard job sitting in these cars getting warm?. NEVER MIND CLOSING STATIONS WE NEED POLICE ON THE BEAT ON FOOT IN INNER CITY MANCHESTER.Ive walked around london and ive seen lots of policemen ""WALKING"" The beat ..

Enigma, Trafford (01/04/2007 at 12:48)

Ace if that is how you feel move to London! The truth is that Todd has created a two tier policing system with very few Bobbies available to respond to incidents and to patrol the streets. There is a squad for this and a squad for that, so echo your sentiments in that way but the few Bobbies that are available are not sat doing nothing if the truth be told they are running around at the beck and call of the radio/public. The new stations that Todd mention are not owned by the police. GMP rent them under the scheme that the government suggested on a 25 year lease. after 25 years do they get owned by GMP? The standard of the new buildings are rubbish so well done Todd you are doing well at ruining GMP. Go back to London.

Ryan (01/04/2007 at 13:38)

Non-story news, as well as incorrect. Went to the city centre the other day, cops everywhere, I even bumped into one accidentally whilst gettin on the bus, cops everywhere!

GforGeoff, Ottawa Canada (01/04/2007 at 15:15)

Is there life on Mars?

Jo (02/04/2007 at 10:10)

In reply to Ace Riley's comments about policemen on the beat in London as compared to Manchester, I moved to Manchester from London and I can't honestly say that there are notably fewer policemen on the beat here. If you were around, say, the Whitehall area, or visiting a major landmark, you'd notice a heavy police presence but that's purely because they are there to protect government officials and buildings... they're not catching hoodies and pickpockets. In fact, when I first moved here I actually commented to people on the number of policemen I see on the beat in the city centre. You certainly see more coppers in the city centre than you would on most of the main shopping streets in London.

Chris, Sharston (02/04/2007 at 10:37)

I like these new coppers on push bikes. I've seen a few riding down my road on more than one occasion - good to see they are showing a presence

Ace Riley (02/04/2007 at 12:13)

Jo
Hi jo peeople are not talking about the centre of manchester we are talking about the poor policing of the areas outside the centre?I phoned the police a theift os some property from the front of my house ?i was asked who the property belonged to,when i said the council i was told to phone the council when they opened their office and ask the council to ring the police to make the complaint? (this is a true story ) you couldnt make this up ?life on mars has nothing to do with this poor policing.

Jo (02/04/2007 at 14:14)

"Jo Hi jo peeople are not talking about the centre of manchester we are talking about the poor policing of the areas outside the centre?"

Ace - OK, but in that case, you wouldn't get any more policemen on the beat in the equivalent areas in London either. The situation you describe outside the centre of Manchester is pretty similar to what I've experienced in equivalent areas outside the centre of London. I'm not saying there isn't a problem, as in fact I agree that Manchester is probably under-policed, but I don't think the grass is any greener outside the city.

By the way - is it your computer that adds in question marks to all your sentences, or do you do it deliberately? I'm asking out of genuine interest, because it makes it look like you're unsure of everything you say, which is very obviously not the case...!!

Mark,Radcliffe. (02/04/2007 at 17:29)

Mr Todd..if Bootle Street is like 'Life of Mars'..then where is Chester House ? Obviously another galaxy..If you want a 70's theme try 'The Management Family' (Senior Management) akin to the 'Partridge Family' but its figures not instruments that are played..Bootle Street works because "ITS THERE"..I'm with Mr Burke Police Officers must remain Central...hands up who remembers GMP's Senior Spokesperson on the day of the bomb at that Press Conference ? An ACC at his finest...whereas the beat bobbies were covered in splattered blood...Thank you Mr Todd hopefully your legacy will be a Labour Knighthood....absolutely worthless...

Ryan (02/04/2007 at 22:31)

Ace, if you had cops everywhere, all over your neighbourhood, you'd probably complain we're living in an over polieced state. And yes, it makes sense the council sohuld have to deal with their property being burgled, its their land!

Ace Riley (03/04/2007 at 14:32)

Ryan.
No ryan we would all "stop moaning" as yopu say and the country would fall into anarchy because people dont want to voice their opinions in incase people like you call them moaners? without so called moaners we would get nothing done in this country...Its easy to sit on your backside and let everything slide.

karma2007, rochdale,greater manchester (03/04/2007 at 14:56)

The big policxe issue.
mmmmm well i never realised just how many police are patrolling 1 area at any time,thats untill the other day.
I was speaking to an officer who informed me that in rochdale and its rough as sand paper areas there was 5 poilce officers and this covers a massive area.
Never mind nice new buildings revamp the old 1's and get more police on the streets and let the govenment see how it works as this police officer told me that the government was strangling them of powers,so when you have been assulted,raped,your granny's been robbed or your cars been knicked,ask why its taking so long and this is when they have arrested the person for the crime too.
Its all the govenments fault,mike todd is just a political figure.
never mind the new buildings revamp the old and lets have more willing police attending to victims.

()

Report

News