Is this Britain's finest polling station?

Is this Britain's finest polling station?


Elizabeth Gaskell House, Manchester's beautifully restored Regency-style villa, opened its doors as a polling station as well as a visitor attraction this morning. Voters in the Ardwick ward of the Manchester Central constituency were able to enjoy the unique opportunity of casting their ballot in the Grade II* listed property built between 1835 and 1841.

We're sure that when novelist Elizabeth Gaskell moved into 84 Plymouth Grove she wouldn't have envisaged her new home hosting the voting public on election days over 150 years later. The Gaskell family did, however, welcome important political figures of their day including the American abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe along with Charles Dickens and John Ruskin, both of whom were prominent political critics and social reformers. 

Whilst living on Plymouth Grove Elizabeth Gaskell penned nearly all of her famous novels including Wives and Daughters, Ruth, North and South and Cranford. There's no way she'd have been able to concentrate on the writing with voters walking in and out all day!


Is Elizabeth Gaskell House Britain's best polling station? We take a look at some more contenders below:
Voting in the tiny village of Pica, Cumbria is a personal affair - it takes place in a resident's front room. 

Voting at the Greenwich Heritage Centre, London, could get a little bit intimidating.

Pubs are a popular choice as locations for polling stations - no doubt because voters can enjoy a refreshing pint after casting their ballot. This is The Bush Inn in Tallentire, Cumbria. 
Locals in Silloth who fancy a few frames of pool might be left disappointed as the table is used as the local polling station.
West Blatchington Windmill near Brighton is converted into a unique polling station on election days. 
This portable polling station in Manchester looks to be in a rather precarious position in the middle of a busy roundabout. 

East Hull Boxing academy doubles up as a punchy polling station.

Voters in Headington, near Oxford, go to the polls at their local launderette. 

This hair and beauty salon has doubled up as a cutting edge polling station  in Hull.


Voters can enjoy a relaxing swim after voting at the polling station housed at Arundel Lido in Sussex.



Image credits at: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/10-utterly-bizarre-polling-stations-8264521; https://www.theguardian.com/politics/gallery/2015/may/07/weird-wonderful-polling-stations-in-pictures; http://metro.co.uk/2015/05/07/general-election-2015-these-are-the-weirdest-polling-stations-people-will-be-voting-at-5185175/


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