Author: Ed

Lytham St Annes Civic Society: Preserving the Heritage of the Fylde Coast

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For more than half a century, the Lytham St Annes Civic Society has played a leading role in protecting, promoting and celebrating the architectural, environmental and historical heritage of Lytham and St Annes. Through conservation projects, historical research, educational activities and community involvement, the Society has become one of the Fylde Coast’s most respected heritage organisations. The Society was founded in 1966 by a group of local residents who recognised the importance of safeguarding the unique character of Lytham St Annes during a period of rapid development. Like many civic societies established throughout Britain during the 1960s, its aim was…

The Lytham Mussel Tank Project: Preserving a Forgotten Piece of the Fylde’s Fishing Heritage

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Standing on Lytham Green overlooking the Ribble Estuary is one of the most distinctive public spaces on the Fylde Coast. Today it is a peaceful viewing area where visitors can sit and enjoy sweeping views across the estuary towards Southport, the Welsh hills and the open sea. Few people realise, however, that this attractive space occupies the site of one of Lytham’s most important pieces of maritime infrastructure. The Mussel Tank Project was created to preserve and celebrate the history of the former mussel purification tanks that once stood here, ensuring that an important chapter of Lytham’s fishing heritage would…

The Glass Tower Hotel Brings New Life to the Royal Carlton on Blackpool Promenade

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The building now known as the Glass Tower Hotel has stood proudly on Blackpool’s Promenade for generations, welcoming visitors to one of Britain’s best-known seaside resorts. Long before its modern transformation, it was recognised as the Royal Carlton Hotel, one of the substantial promenade hotels that reflected Blackpool’s rise as the country’s premier holiday destination during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. As the resort expanded following the arrival of the railway, the South Promenade became lined with impressive hotels built to accommodate the millions of visitors arriving each year. Positioned between Central and South Piers, the Royal Carlton occupied…

Fragrance Group Plans Major New Hotel Beside The Lyndene Hotel

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A major new chapter in the regeneration of Blackpool’s South Promenade began in 2024 when planning permission was granted for a substantial new four-star hotel on the site of the former St Chad’s Hotel. The development forms part of the continued investment by Singapore-based Fragrance Group, which has quietly become one of the town’s most significant hotel owners through its ownership of both the Imperial Hotel and the Lyndene Hotel. The new hotel will occupy land between Woodfield Road, St Chad’s Road, Bolton Street and the Promenade, immediately adjoining the Lyndene Hotel. The site was previously occupied by the St…

Paddle Steamers of Blackpool

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Long before the motor car and the motorway transformed travel, thousands of visitors arrived in Blackpool by sea. For more than a century, elegant paddle steamers sailed from the resort’s piers, carrying holidaymakers across the Irish Sea to destinations including the Isle of Man, Southport, Liverpool, Llandudno, Barrow and Menai Bridge. Their distinctive paddle wheels, towering funnels and billowing clouds of steam became as much a part of Blackpool’s skyline as its famous piers. Pleasure steamer services began to flourish following the opening of Blackpool North Pier in 1863 and the South Jetty—later renamed Central Pier—in 1868. Both piers were…

Blackpool FC Win the 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup

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Few achievements in Blackpool Football Club’s history are as unique as their victory in the 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup. While the club’s FA Cup triumph of 1953 remains its most famous success, winning an international tournament against some of Italy’s finest teams stands as one of the Seasiders’ greatest accomplishments and gave Blackpool supporters an unforgettable chapter in the club’s proud history. The Anglo-Italian Cup was established in 1970 to strengthen footballing ties between England and Italy. The competition invited clubs from both countries to compete in a series of group-stage matches before progressing to a final. It provided English teams…

House of Wingz and The Blackpool Way

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Blackpool has long been recognised as the home of dance in Britain. From its world-famous ballrooms and international dance festivals to the novelty dances that swept the country during the twentieth century, the town has inspired generations to take to the dance floor. In 2020, that proud tradition entered a new chapter with the creation of The Blackpool Way, a community dance designed to celebrate the town’s unique cultural heritage while bringing people together through movement. The project emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, when restrictions prevented people from gathering in dance halls, theatres and community venues. Rather than allowing Blackpool’s…

Whitegate Park: Blackpool’s Forgotten Race Track and Sporting Ground

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Today, the area surrounding Blackpool Cricket Club forms part of the beautiful landscape of Stanley Park, but before the park was created it was home to one of the town’s most important sporting venues. Known officially as the Blackpool Athletic Grounds, and later popularly referred to as Whitegate Park, the site became the centre of sporting life in Blackpool during the late Victorian era. The Athletic Grounds officially opened on 5 August 1893, providing Blackpool with a purpose-built complex for a variety of sports. Situated alongside Whitegate Drive, then on the outskirts of the rapidly expanding town, the new venue…

First Word Fest in Winter Gardens

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Since its launch in 2022, Word Festival has become one of Blackpool’s most important cultural events, celebrating literature, storytelling and the written word. Created by Blackpool Entertainment Company in collaboration with Elaine Silverwood of Book, Bean and Ice Cream, the festival brings together authors, poets, illustrators, historians, performers and readers to inspire a love of books while encouraging creativity within the local community. From the outset, the festival has aimed to make literature accessible to people of all ages. Rather than being centred around a single venue, events take place across Blackpool, making use of libraries, theatres, schools and community…

Book, Bean and Ice Cream First Opens

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Since opening its doors on 8 June 2000, Book, Bean and Ice Cream has become one of Lancashire’s most distinctive independent businesses, combining a love of books, freshly brewed coffee and artisan ice cream under one roof. Based in the heart of Kirkham, the shop has evolved into far more than a traditional bookshop, becoming a welcoming community space where people can browse, read, meet friends and enjoy a varied programme of literary and cultural events. Founded by Elaine Silverwood, the business was created with the vision of making books accessible to everyone while offering an inviting environment in which…