Author: Ed

Blackpool Council Unveils Long-Term Vision for Central Housing Regeneration Area

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Blackpool Council has set out an ambitious long-term strategy to transform parts of inner Blackpool through a comprehensive housing regeneration programme expected to span at least 15 years. The initiative aims to raise housing standards, enhance green infrastructure and reshape neighbourhoods to create more sustainable and attractive places to live, while supporting broader economic renewal across central areas of the town. Blackpool central regeneration area boundary. The Central Housing Regeneration Area Framework, originally approved in December 2024, provides the blueprint for this transformation. The document is designed to guide future development, strengthen funding bids and attract private investment into some…

Ride the Lights: Cycling Through Blackpool’s Illuminated Promenade

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Ride the Lights is one of Blackpool’s most distinctive annual traditions, offering thousands of cyclists the rare opportunity to travel the full length of the Promenade beneath the Blackpool Illuminations before they officially switch on. Held each year in late August or early September, Ride the Lights takes place a few days before the Illuminations’ public opening night. For one evening, the Promenade is closed to motor traffic and opened exclusively to cyclists, creating a safe, family-friendly route stretching approximately six miles from Starr Gate in the south to Bispham in the north. The event attracts riders of all ages…

Tramtown Museum Set To Close

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Tramtown on Rigby Road has been ordered to close after an independent structural survey concluded that the building is unsafe. Lynn Williams confirmed that the museum’s public entrance had been deemed structurally unsound, stating that the council could not risk reopening the site while safety concerns remain. The announcement follows an earlier temporary closure caused by an electrical fault. While repair work was being carried out, a structural engineer’s inspection identified more serious issues with the building. Williams also said recent high winds had worsened the situation, tearing additional roof panels away and leading to further water ingress. All vehicles…

Royal Lytham & St Annes to Host the 156th Open Championship in 2028

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Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club remains one of the most respected venues in championship golf, and in 2028 it will host The Open Championship for the 12th time. The return of the world’s oldest major to the Fylde Coast reinforces the course’s long-standing position on The Open rota and its reputation as one of the most exacting tests in the sport. The Championship will come back to Lytham for the first time since 2012, when Ernie Els claimed the Claret Jug in dramatic fashion. That year also saw Tiger Woods mount a strong challenge, finishing among the leading…

Tiger Woods Golf Career at Royal Lytham & St Annes

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Few venues in golf trace the arc of a career quite like Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club does for Tiger Woods. Sixteen years apart, his appearances at The Open Championship on the Lancashire links captured both the promise of youth and the resilience of an established champion. In July 1996, the 125th edition of The Open Championship brought the world’s best golfers to Lytham. Among them was a 20-year-old amateur already generating buzz on both sides of the Atlantic. Woods was the only amateur to make the cut that week and finished tied for 22nd with a total…

Karen Nicolson Starts Jars of Joy with Her Mum

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We’re delighted to shine a light on Karen, a passionate mindset coach who is stepping confidently into an exciting new chapter of her professional journey. Karen has recently been accredited through Andrea Callanan’s Aligned Coaching Academy (MinstLM – Institute of Leadership & Management), further strengthening her commitment to transformational coaching. She is a Certified NLP Coach and Practitioner with INLPTA and also a Certified mBit Coach — bringing a powerful blend of neuroscience, leadership insight and heart-led guidance to her work. Karen’s mission is beautifully simple yet profoundly impactful: to empower individuals and groups to rediscover joy and reconnect with…

Blackpool Born Striker Matthew Blinkhorn

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Matthew Blinkhorn is a former professional striker closely linked with Blackpool FC, having represented his hometown club in two separate spells during his career. Born in Blackpool on 2 February 1984, Blinkhorn rose through the youth system at Bloomfield Road and made his senior debut in 2001. A determined and industrious forward, he went on to make more than 100 appearances in all competitions during his first spell between 2001 and 2006. While not always a regular starter, he was respected for his work ethic, movement and commitment to the team. After leaving Blackpool, he built a solid career across…

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…