Author: Ed

Salvation Army Citadel and Blackpool Grammar School

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The Salvation Army Citadel in Blackpool, located on Church Street, is a significant historical and community landmark. Constructed between 1904 and 1905, the building was originally the Raikes Road Technical School, designed in the Baroque style by architects R. B. Rots, Sons, and Hennings. Later, it served as Blackpool Grammar School before becoming the headquarters for the Salvation Army. The building is a Grade II-listed structure, characterized by its red brick and terracotta details, a slate roof, and a prominent copper-domed tower on the southwest corner. Today, the Citadel is a vital center for the Salvation Army’s mission in Blackpool…. Read more »

Warwick’s Amusements

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Warwick and Janet, along with their family, marked 50 years of running Warwick Amusements across the Fylde coast. Looking back on their journey, the couple expressed how much they’ve enjoyed the last five decades. While they continue to play an active role in the business, they’re excited to see their children and grandchildren take it forward as Blackpool undergoes a period of renewal. Both Warwick and Janet come from families steeped in fairground traditions, with their grandfathers being travelling showmen who took rides and slot machines around in wagons. In the early 1970s, as a newly married couple with a… Read more »

Sands Venue Resort Hotel & Spyglass

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The opening of the Spyglass Bar offers a sneak peek into what Blackpool’s £30 million Sands Venue Resort Hotel will bring when it eventually opens on the Promenade. Although the hotel itself remains unfinished, the £600,000 Spyglass Bar began welcoming guests on 26 August 2021. Despite a £10 million loan from Blackpool Council, the hotel project has faced delays due to ongoing disputes between the developers and contractors. Developer Peter Swann, along with the hotel’s official website, maintains that the Sands Venue Resort will be Blackpool’s first five-star hotel, offering a luxury spa, gym, conference rooms, valet parking, and stunning… Read more »

The Blackpool Tower Dungeon

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The Blackpool Tower Dungeon offers an exciting and immersive experience that takes visitors on a journey through the dark and often grisly history of the region. Located beneath the iconic Blackpool Tower, this unique attraction combines live actor-led shows, thrilling special effects, and interactive exhibits to bring historical events to life in a way that’s both entertaining and spine-tingling. The Dungeon features a series of themed areas, each telling a different chapter of Blackpool’s past, from medieval tortures to the infamous Lancashire witch trials. Visitors can expect to encounter characters from history, including notorious criminals, witches, and characters from local… Read more »

Blackpool & The Fylde College

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The technical college, originally completed in 1936, has evolved through several mergers over the years. A school for fishermen has been based in Fleetwood since 1892, and in 1987, this nautical college merged with Blackpool and the Fylde College to form the institution that exists today. The college’s main campus is in Bispham, with a network of additional campuses across the Fylde coast, many of which are connected to the University Centre on Palatine Road. Altogether, the college operates from nine campuses along the 17-mile stretch of coastline in the Fylde. Bispham Campus The primary site for school leavers and… Read more »

The Original Coasters Restaurant

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Coasters Restaurant was first built in the late eighties or early nineties. Sometime afterwards, the marketing manager from Blackpool Pleasure Beach approached Malcolm Clement from Prontoprint on Whitegate Drive about getting a new menu designed. Malcolm then subcontracted the work to Encore Design, which was taken over by Deeper Blue twenty years later. Like the designers, it would appear that Coasters Restaurant has moved on too… from Ocean Boulevard to inside Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The new restaurant has a somewhat more restrained decor than before. The old place had actual roller coaster carriages converted into dining booths whereas the new… Read more »

Lancashire Energy HQ

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Opened in September 2017, the £12m Lancashire Energy HQ (LEHQ) is a state-of-the-art facility developed by Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC) and co-funded by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership. Located within Blackpool Airport’s newly established Enterprise Zone, the centre is purpose-built to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in the engineering, manufacturing, and energy sectors. LEHQ offers a wide range of training programmes for individuals aged 16 and over who are looking to advance their careers in these high-demand industries. The facility is equipped with industry-standard resources and staffed by experts in education, ensuring high-quality STEM training. The evolving… Read more »

Roy Castle Photo Exclusive!

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The following pictures were taken by Marilyn Read in 1988 during a Plumb Centre group tour of Portugal and are being published for the first time on Blackpool Timeline. Whilst these photos weren’t taken in Blackpool, Roy Castle is from Cleveleys and spent a lot of time entertaining in Blackpool, including his world record attempt at Blackpool Tower for Record Breakers, the TV show he hosted since its first airing in 1972. The Tower rope slide event can be seen towards the end of the video (featured below in this post) with many of his career highlights. Roy Castle entertains…

Blackpool Amusements

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Blackpool’s newest family entertainment centre offers fun for all ages, spread across two floors in the iconic former Woolworth’s building, located right next to Blackpool Tower. The vibrant, selfie-friendly décor sets the scene for a great time, while the impressive prize shop and spacious café on the second floor—offering stunning views of the promenade—make it the perfect spot for both excitement and relaxation. Unlike traditional arcades, this modern venue is designed with families in mind. Crown Leisure has transformed the space into a bright, welcoming entertainment hub that caters to everyone. This new arcade replaces the former Golden Mile Amusements,… Read more »

Grab City Fire

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In October 2002, a devastating fire broke out at Grab City, a popular amusement arcade located on Blackpool’s Golden Mile. The blaze, which caused an estimated £5 million worth of damage, also trapped the arcade’s manageress, Christine Hindle, inside the building. Fortunately, she was rescued by firefighters. The fire, later determined to be a deliberate act of arson, sparked a large-scale investigation. It was revealed that the fire had been set as revenge by a disgruntled couple, Terrence and Beryl Newton, who had fallen out with the arcade’s owner, David Bowen-Price. The Newtons, who operated market stalls within Grab City,…