Nostalgia: No new police station for Lurgan

The shock news was given to County Armagh MP, Mr Harold McCusker, when he raised the subject at Westminster.

Money that had been allocated for its construction was to be used instead to provide new police accommodation and training facilities at Armagh which was deemed as more urgent. In 1977 the RUC had been using Lurgan Town Hall as their base and the borough council were keen to have it available again for the ratepayers.

Official Unionist councillors, who originally voted that the Town Hall be temporarily handed over to the police in 1973, were livid and were threatening not to renew the lease when it expired.

At Westminster an Under Secretary of State told Mr McCusker: “The Church Place project has not been abandoned. It has simply been deferred to allow more urgent requirements to be met.”