The Grantham Steam Laundry, which opened in the 1870s on Belton Lane, served the town's washing needs for nearly a century. The business took in laundry from both households and local businesses during its operation.
Wartime Service
During the Second World War, the laundry's steel-roofed steam room served a second purpose as an air-raid shelter for workers and families living in the nearby cottages on Belton Lane.
Later Years and Closure
Fenland Laundries later took over the business and continued operating the copper washing equipment well into the twentieth century. The buildings were eventually cleared, with photographs documenting the site as recently as 1983.
Memorial in the Park
The laundry site sat close to what is now Queen Elizabeth Park. A large wooden peg standing in the park today is linked by many locals to the laundry's history. The council stated that the peg was intended to spark debate rather than serve as a direct marker of the laundry itself, though it remains a local reminder of the washing business that once operated on Belton Lane.
