Author: Ed

Roy Walker, Catchphrase and Lytham

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Roy Walker wasn’t born on the Fylde Coast but now lives in Lytham St Annes, which he mentioned once on Catchphrase. Unfortunately, the clip below does not contain that reference but it is rather funny. He was born on 31 July 1940 and is a television personality and comedian from Northern Ireland. He is best known as the original host of the game show Catchphrase between 1986 and 1999, and as one of the stars of the comedy showcase The Comedians. He has three children with his late wife Jean, who died of cancer in 1989. He was admitted to Clifton… Read more »

Blackpool’s Opera House

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In 1888, plans were drawn up for Blackpool’s first Opera House, a grand project designed by the renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham, celebrated for his ability to combine functionality with opulence. Construction began following the awarding of the contract on 19 October 1888. The building, named “Her Majesty’s Opera House,” featured an impressive 2,500-seat auditorium and came at a cost of £9,098—a significant sum for the era. The theatre opened its doors to the public on 10 June 1889 with a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s then-new opera, The Yeomen of the Guard. Its elegant design and ambitious programming marked… Read more »

Jodie Prenger – A Blackpool Treasure

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Jodie Christine Prenger was born in Blackpool on 12 June 1979, and grew up in the town, the daughter of a Dutch father and an English mother with Irish heritage. She has one sibling, a brother named Marko. Jodie attended Elmslie Girls’ School in Blackpool before continuing her education at Blackpool and the Fylde College. Her love for performing quickly led her to pursue a career in entertainment, starting locally and becoming a familiar face on the cabaret circuit in Northern England, particularly in her hometown and along the Fylde Coast. Beyond her stage work, she also took on the… Read more »

Department for Work and Pensions Head Office

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has a significant presence in Blackpool, with one of its key head office sites located in the town. This site plays a vital role in supporting the department’s operations across the UK, particularly in areas related to welfare provision, pensions, and social security systems. Blackpool’s DWP offices are housed primarily in Warbreck House and Peel Park, both prominent locations for administrative and operational work within the department. Warbreck House, located near Layton railway station, has been a longstanding base for DWP activities in Blackpool. This multi-storey office complex accommodates thousands of employees who… Read more »

The Anchorsholme Park Project

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Between 2015 and 2019, Anchorsholme Park underwent a significant transformation as engineers from United Utilities undertook an £80m project to improve local sewage treatment systems. At the outset, the park was a scene of intensive construction, with towering cranes, vast holes, and heaps of excavated earth. For many, it seemed almost inconceivable that the park would ever regain its charm. However, by the time the project concluded, Anchorsholme Park had not only returned to its former state but had been enhanced into a vital community asset. The project was monumental, involving the construction of a 30-metre-deep storm tank, the relocation… Read more »

Blackpool Rugby Club

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In 1959, a group of former students from St. Joseph’s College, Blackpool, formed a rugby club known initially as the Old Josephians. Over time, the club evolved, first becoming the Josephians and later transforming into what is now known as Blackpool Rugby Club. The genesis of the club can be credited to Jack McCann, a distinguished member of the Manchester and District Society of Referees and an alumnus of St. Joseph’s College. Upon returning to the area in the late 1950s, McCann became an active member of the St. Joseph’s College Old Boys Association. He brought with him a fresh… Read more »

Simpsons Beverages

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Simpsons Beverages are pioneers in the science, art, and innovation of flavours for drinks brands and companies. Always at the forefront of emerging trends, they combine expertise and experience to help their customers become first movers in their categories. The business was established in Blackpool in 1934 by sole trader William Herbert Simpson, initially focusing on selling natural fruit squashes door-to-door. Over the next three decades, this operation expanded into a substantial delivery network spanning from Fleetwood, across the Fylde, to Preston. By the 1970s, in response to shifting market conditions, Simpsons sold its delivery arm and redirected its focus… Read more »

Fleetwood Town Football Club

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Fleetwood Town Football Club, based in the coastal town of Fleetwood, Lancashire, is a professional football club competing in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Known affectionately as The Cod Army by their supporters, the club also retains its traditional nickname, The Fishermen. They play their home matches at Highbury Stadium, wearing their iconic red shirts with white sleeves and white shorts. The club has a storied history, with the current Fleetwood Town F.C. being the fourth iteration since the original club was established in 1908. The original Fleetwood team achieved early success by winning the Lancashire… Read more »

The Growth of James Brearley & Sons

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The business was established by James Brearley in 1919, when he would frequent various gentlemen’s clubs throughout the Fylde coast, obtaining share orders from his clients, before heading off to place these on a weekly basis at the Manchester Regional Stock Exchange. James Brearley has a proud history of providing investment management and share dealing services to both private and professional clients for over 100 years. As one of the North of England’s leading Investment Managers & Stockbrokers, they employ over 60 people in four locations: • Primary. Walpole House, Unit 2, Burton Road. Blackpool, FY4 4NW • 7 South Preston Office… Read more »