Blue Star Filling Station, Fordingbridge, Hants.

[Hayman]

Since Fordingbridge is near my home, in Bournemouth, I stopped off on 5th September to take some photos of the long-disused Blue Star Filling Station. It is in the same field as one of the Fordingbridge Turks rugby club pitches. The high, chain-link fencing is there to keep people out and to stop the rugby balls from finding their way in. Strong scaffold poles support the fencing and the gates. The heavy grease that seems to have been applied when the poles were erected is still there, preventing any rusting of the fittings. The green plastic sheeting has been torn away in places, but all the grafitti looks old. A step ladder would be needed to get over the fencing. There appears to be nothing left but the brick and concrete structure. Being of the age it is, it's real concrete, not of the air-bubble-chocolate variety. Apart from the main shop area, there are what look to have been the ladies' and gents' loos at the back, and that is it. The wooden pole bringing the electricity supply is still in place, as is the mains box at the rear of the building. Some forgetful person had left a small backpack containing two pairs of plastic-y football boots on the nearby bench. Yes, I did put them back as I found them. The sports club building is in the field that contains another rugby pitch.