was later cancelled, refurbishment work for the bus station commenced in 2016. In 2017 bus stands 1–40 on the western side were closed, and stands 41–80 on the eastern side were renumbered 1–40. The station was officially re-opened in 2018, although the works continued. In March 2019, the second and final stage of the project saw the construction of a public square in place of the western bus stands commence, with work completed late that year. 50th anniversary In March 2019 the Preston City Council announced a series of events would take place in the summer and autumn to celebrate the bus station's 50th anniversary. An exhibit Beautiful and Brutal was held at the Harris Museum from 21 September–24 November 2019, and the public were asked to submit relevant photographs and personal memorabilia, some of which were also displayed at the bus station. On Saturday 19 October 2019, almost 50 years to the day since its opening on 12 October 1969, festivities were held on the new public square in front of the bus station, which included free public entertainment and three historic buses were provided by the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust "so the three main users of the bus station were represented". Awards In May 2019 the bus station's refurbishment project received three Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) North West regional awards: The project won the overall Regional Award Project consultants John Puttich Associates and Cassidy+Ashton won the Conservation Award The Lancashire County Council won the Client of the Year Award As a regional winner, the bus station was also a nominee for and won a RIBA National Award and received long-listing for the 2019 RIBA Stirling Prize but did not make the short list. Media appearances The bus station featured in a song on the children's show All Over the Place. On Good Friday 2012, it was the venue for the Preston Passion, a passion play involving thousands of people forming a "human cross", broadcast live on BBC Television. The bus station was featured in a two-part television series by Jonathan Meades, Bunkers, Brutalism, Bloodymindedness: Concrete Poetry (2014). It is the subject of 56,000, a short film by Paul Adams and Andrew Wilson. It was used as a filming location for scenes in the film Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019). The station was the subject of a collection of publications by Craig Atkinson of Café Royal