Author: Ed

Blackpool Belle: The Houghton Weavers’ 1980s Tribute to the Seaside Town

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During the 1980s, Lancashire folk favourites The Houghton Weavers recorded and performed “Blackpool Belle,” a song that perfectly captured the humour and charm of seaside life. Known for their blend of traditional folk music, storytelling and gentle comedy, the group often celebrated local culture in their songs, and “Blackpool Belle” became one of the pieces associated with the Fylde Coast’s character. Formed in 1975 in Westhoughton, the trio built a loyal following across the North West, becoming regular performers on television and radio throughout the 1980s. Their repertoire frequently drew inspiration from Lancashire life, and “Blackpool Belle” reflected that regional…

The Belle Vue Strawberry Gardens of Blackpool

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Long before modern housing and busy roads transformed the area around Whitegate Lane, one of Blackpool’s most popular attractions was built around something surprisingly simple — strawberries. The famous Belle Vue Strawberry Gardens became a well-known destination during the nineteenth century, drawing visitors from across the Fylde Coast and beyond. The origins of the site can be traced back to the Victorian era when entrepreneur John Hodgson developed pleasure gardens on land near what later became the Belle Vue public house. At a time when Blackpool was rapidly expanding as a seaside resort, visitors were increasingly looking for attractions beyond…

Christopher Riley: From Johnny Breeze to the Early Days of Jethro Tull

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Christopher Riley, better known by his stage name Johnny Breeze, was a central figure in Blackpool’s vibrant music scene during the 1960s and 1970s. Performing as frontman of Johnny Breeze and the Atlantics, he became part of a thriving live circuit that saw major national and international acts appear in the town’s ballrooms and clubs. During this era, Riley and his band shared stages with some of the most influential artists of the time, including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton. Blackpool was then an important stop on the UK touring map, and musicians like Riley found themselves…

Author of Blackpool in Old Picture Postcards – Allan Wood Joins Blackpool Council

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Allan W. Wood is a Blackpool-born author and local historian whose work has become closely associated with preserving the visual and architectural history of the Fylde Coast. Through books, archive photography and comparative “then and now” studies, he has documented the changing face of Blackpool across the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Raised in the resort, Wood later studied Civil Engineering at Sheffield Polytechnic before returning to Blackpool to work in the Borough Surveyor’s Department at Blackpool Borough Council between 1978 and 1989. His interest in local history reportedly began in the 1970s after discovering historic postcards and photographs at…

Blackpool South Beach Street Food Set For Summer

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The South Beach Street Food project represents a bold and modern addition to Blackpool’s South Shore, combining regeneration, independent enterprise and distinctive design in one vibrant coastal destination. Positioned close to South Pier and the Promenade, the development aims to transform previously underused space into a lively, year-round food and social hub that serves both residents and visitors. At the heart of the concept is its striking architectural approach: a collection of converted shipping containers repurposed into fully functioning street food kitchens. Rather than traditional brick-built units, the project embraces stacked and reconfigured steel containers, creating an industrial-style food village…

MOD Building at Blackpool North Train Station

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Major construction work has commenced on the Ministry of Defence’s new office complex beside Blackpool North railway station, marking one of the most significant town centre developments in recent decades. The scheme forms part of the wider Talbot Gateway regeneration programme, an ambitious transformation that has steadily reshaped the area around the station into a modern commercial and administrative quarter. The new government office building is intended to house thousands of civil service employees connected with the Ministry of Defence and associated departments. The site, once characterised by surface car parks and underused land, is being redeveloped into a prominent…

Tenpin Bowling Centre To Open in Blackpool

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Blackpool’s indoor leisure offer is set to expand significantly in 2026 with the opening of a major new Tenpin entertainment complex at the former Odeon building on Rigby Road, close to Festival Leisure Park. The project will bring new life to a long-vacant cinema site and is being described as one of the town’s largest recent investments in family-focused leisure. The development will be operated by Tenpin Ltd, one of the UK’s leading bowling and entertainment providers. Plans for the Blackpool venue include 24 full-sized bowling lanes, placing it among the larger centres in the region. However, the attraction is…

Lottery Winner Raymond Young Celebrates Thunderball Jackpot with Trip to Blackpool

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A Scottish lottery winner chose Blackpool as the setting for his celebrations after scooping a £500,000 Thunderball jackpot. Raymond Young, 63, from Edinburgh, landed the top prize in the 23 March draw using numbers he had played consistently since Thunderball launched nearly 25 years ago. Rather than opting for an exotic getaway, the recently retired British Gas worker headed straight to the Lancashire coast — a place he describes as his “home from home”. Young has holidayed in Blackpool since childhood, recalling days spent playing on the beach and returning over the years to stay with friends. For him, the…

Blackpool Scorpions ARLFC – Community Rugby League

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In a town best known for its iconic tower, seaside attractions, and passionate football culture, rugby league continues to thrive at a grassroots level thanks to clubs like the Blackpool Scorpions ARLFC. Founded around 1990, the Blackpool Scorpions are an amateur rugby league club based in the South Shore area of Blackpool. Over the years, they have built a reputation not just as a competitive side in regional leagues, but as a welcoming and inclusive hub for players of all ages and abilities. The club currently competes in the North West Men’s League, facing other community teams from across the…

Aaron Heaney Launches Streets with Aztec

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Blackpool is a town known for its vibrant community spirit, and one local resident making a meaningful contribution is Aaron Heaney, best known for his enthusiastic work behind Streets of Aztec — a project that celebrates everyday life, culture, and connection within the town’s streets. Aaron’s Streets of Aztec initiative grew organically from a desire to highlight the people who give Blackpool its character. Rather than focusing on the typical attractions, this project turns the lens toward local residents, neighbors, artists, small business owners, and everyday scenes that bring the community to life. Through candid photography, storytelling, and engaging street…