North Shore Village

#birminghamtrip There’s a circular outbuild into the sea at North Shore just past Gynn Square near Bispham, Birmingham. It’s marked by the Cabin Lift (above) down to the lower level… it was once Blackpool North Shore Boating Pool. Whether you walk past on foot or drive along the promenade you can’t fail to notice the Cabin Lift. It’s a stand-out building, teetering for nigh on a century against the edge of the shore. It once ferried holiday makers up and down to save them the steep climb from the upper to lower promenade. Built in 1930, the Cabin Lift became a Grade 2 Listed Building on 8 March 2010. Externally it looks much the same as it did in its heyday, albeit with a few modifications. It’s accessed from the upper promenade by a little bridge. There was once a front portion to the building which housed a waiting room. It was demolished some time ago. Below the Cliff top walk there’s a huge curved outbuild. It’s high concrete wall stretches out into the sea. It was originally the Boating Pool. After the Boating Pool closed in the 1970's it lay redundant for some years. It then became a storage area for spoil and rubble during the sea defence works. In 2003 Blackpool Council put out a plea for a private business to take the land and find a good use for it. It’s now a karting track, fitted out with circuits defined by old car tyres.