Wetherspoons name their new pub in Formby 'The Lifeboat'

Wetherspoons has named their new pub in Formby 'The Lifeboat,' thanks to suggestions from the public.

Formby is the place of the World's first lifeboat station which was established in 1716. The station was abandoned in 1918 and eventually demolished in the 1960s, although some crumbling remains of the brick foundations are still visible on the beach today.

What a fantastic tribute to Formby Lifeboat station.

The WORLDS First Lifeboat Station - Formby - Photo courtesy of Reg Yorke

Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin thanked the public with helping the pub chain come up with a new name. He said that the name also reflected Formby's histroic association with lifeboats.

He said: "“We have chosen the name, ‘The Lifeboat’ for our new pub in Formby.

"We are grateful for suggestions for suitable names for the pub.

“All of them were excellent, however, we felt that the name, The Lifeboat, and its associated history with the town, was the most suitable.

“Our original name was not good enough for the new pub and we were more than happy to take that on board.

“The result is that we have a new name for the pub and look forward to welcoming people in when we open later this year.”

The pub chain was set on calling the The Crown Green, until Dominic Dickson wrote a letter of objection to Wetherspoon's chief executive John Hutson.

Wetherspoons then had second thoughts, and announced they were open to suggestions.

These photos from Formby Civic Society show a practice launch of the lifeboat in 1916. The horses are from the artillery regiment stationed at nearby Altcar Rifle Range pulling the lifeboat across Formby beach.