LAST orders were called for the final time as the old Poole police station’s bar re-opened for one more drink.

Beer was enjoyed by retired police officers who toasted their old building before its fixtures are ripped out and it is turned into 42 flats.

Juno Developments halted work on the former cop shop on the Civic Centre gyratory to allow a nostalgic return for around 40 retired police officers.

“It brought back lots and lots of memories for everybody. It was really nice,” said former detective Nigel Hubbard, who arranged the visit and thanked the developer for allowing them to return.

All of the police pensioners had served at the station from the late 1940s on. It was replaced by a new joint emergency services building in Wimborne Road in 2009.

Nigel, who spent 12-14 years of his career at Poole, said it was a popular posting.

“Most police stations in the 60s, 70s, 80s had their own police bars,” he said, until they were closed down by a chief constable. “The bar and fittings were still there. It looked exactly the same.”

Among those enjoying a trip down memory lane was Ray Sansom, now aged 90, who served at the station in 1947 and was station sergeant in the 1970s.

And among many topics of conversation was 1960s-70s superintendent Pete Hoper, a former army officer whose immaculate turnout and strict standards were legendary. “Everybody was thinking about him,” said Nigel.

A trip to the cells brought back more memories. “It was interesting to see the names of the people we dealt with all those years ago scratched into the metal and brickwork” said Nigel.

When the distinctive three-storey building was built in the late 1930s it also had living accommodation for single officers and the superintendent and it cost £25,000, he said.

“When you think what one of these flats is going to be worth,” he added. However he thought it an appropriate use for the old police station. “It’s a lovely building. I think it will look nice,” he said of its conversion into The Metropolitan apartments.

Eddie Hill from Juno said: “It was a great pleasure and privilege to welcome these valued members of our community back to revisit their workplace for so many years.

“We are proud to have the opportunity of restoring this great building and seeing it brought back to life.”