The Belle Vue Strawberry Gardens of Blackpool

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Long before modern housing estates and busy roads reshaped the land around Whitegate Lane, one of Blackpool’s most distinctive attractions grew from something deceptively simple — strawberries. The Belle Vue Strawberry Gardens became a celebrated destination during the nineteenth century, drawing visitors from across the Fylde Coast at a time when the resort was expanding rapidly beyond its original seafront focus. The origins of the site can be traced to the Victorian period, when entrepreneur John Hodgson developed pleasure gardens on land close to what later became the Belle Vue public house. As Blackpool evolved into a major seaside resort, visitors increasingly sought attractions away from the crowded promenade. Belle Vue offered a more rural setting on the outskirts of town — a place where holidaymakers could stroll through landscaped grounds, enjoy fresh air and sample seasonal produce. Strawberries and cream became the defining feature of the gardens. Served alongside tea and light refreshments, they attracted families during the summer months who came to relax among orchards and strawberry plots. Over time, the site became widely known as the Belle Vue Strawberry Gardens, its name reflecting both its horticultural focus and its role as a social meeting place.

As the Victorian era progressed, the gardens expanded into a more elaborate leisure venue. Historical accounts describe bowling greens, ornamental gardens, tea rooms, boating lakes and outdoor performance spaces. Bands played for dancing crowds, and seasonal celebrations and firework displays drew large audiences during the height of the holiday season. Like many pleasure gardens of the period, Belle Vue combined entertainment, nature and hospitality long before cinemas, amusement parks and large-scale attractions became dominant. The Belle Vue public house became closely linked to the gardens’ identity, and although the attraction gradually declined as twentieth-century development overtook the area, the name endured in local memory. Urban expansion eventually replaced much of the original landscape, leaving only fragments of the once-popular retreat.

Today, little of the original Victorian layout survives, yet remnants of Strawberry Gardens can still be seen. What remains has been cared for by local residents who have taken pride in maintaining the space and preventing it from disappearing entirely. Community involvement has played a key role in preserving awareness of the site’s past. A dedicated Facebook group now brings together residents and enthusiasts who share photographs, memories and historical information about the gardens. In spring and summer, community gatherings and informal parties are held on or near the site, echoing its original purpose as a place of social enjoyment. These events, along with small planting initiatives that reference its strawberry-growing heritage, help ensure that the story of Belle Vue Strawberry Gardens continues to live on.

Though the fields and pleasure grounds have largely given way to modern development, the legacy of Belle Vue remains woven into the area’s identity. It stands as a reminder that Blackpool’s rise as a tourist destination was shaped not only by piers and illuminations, but also by quieter rural attractions where visitors once gathered to enjoy music, gardens and bowls of freshly picked strawberries in the Lancashire countryside.

In 2019 and again in 2025, the Strawberry Gardens site received recognition through the North West in Bloom initiative, part of the wider Britain in Bloom scheme. Award certificates displayed by the local community group reflect the efforts made to enhance and maintain the space, highlighting the residents’ ongoing commitment to horticultural care, environmental improvement and the preservation of the area’s heritage.