The East Cowes community on the Isle of Wight faces the sudden closure of its local fire station, a decision that has sparked outrage and concern among local leaders and residents. Isle of Wight Councillor Karl Love disclosed that the station on York Avenue is slated for immediate shutdown due to safety concerns regarding the building’s condition.
Councillor Love expressed his frustration after receiving short notice of the plans to evacuate the station’s fire appliances and equipment by Thursday. He highlighted that the safety of the building had been deemed compromised, making it unfit for the firefighters to operate safely.
“This decision is abrupt and the notice insufficient. The building’s safety is paramount, but the potential loss of a vital emergency service hub, with no immediate alternative in place, is unacceptable,” Councillor Love stated. He also voiced concerns about the permanent loss of the fire station and the impact it could have on the community’s safety.
The East Cowes Fire Station is not only strategically located close to critical infrastructure like the Red Funnel car ferry terminal, shipbuilding yards, and an energy depot but also near cultural landmarks such as the English Heritage’s historic Osborne estate. The station serves as a base for retained firefighters and has been utilised as a vaccination hub during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring its importance to the community.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRA), which oversees the station, has yet to release a formal statement regarding the closure. The fire authority recently raised its part of the council tax by 2.99% for the 2024-25 period, citing it remains one of the lowest rates in England despite the financial challenges it faces, including a forecasted £4 million budget gap in 2025/26.
The local community are awaiting further details from HIWFRA on how it plans to address the sudden service gap created by the station’s closure and ensure that the region remains adequately protected in case of emergencies. Meanwhile, Councillor Love and other community leaders are actively seeking solutions to maintain essential fire and rescue services in East Cowes.
Glenn Bowyer, director of operations at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The building has suffered with subsidence and subsequent underpinning has resolved the movement, however, the residual damage has left the building in an unmaintainable state.
Most recent assessments of the building have led us to make the decision that our crews cannot continue to operate from the station due to health and safety concerns.
The fire service said it was focused on implementing an immediate temporary solution and no long-term decisions about the station had been made.
The service said islanders would continue to be protected by Newport and neighbouring stations.
