The Times’ photo archive on page 55 has a wonderful shot today of open-air dancing in 1960 on Central Pier. It say: “Jollity by the seaside under the midsummer sun Always considered the ‘people’s pier’ because of it’s speciality, open air dancing, the Central Pier, Blackpool, was looked down on in Victorian and Edwardian times
Read More →

Oh Photoshop. What wonders thou hath wrought. How you seduce and tantalise. How you make me want to believe my eyes and overcome my cynicism. Four years ago, we found out that John Kerry’s running mate was John Edwards because some clued-in employee snapped the newly-painted Kerry/Edwards campaign jet in the hangar as the paint
Read More →

The end of the Olympics is a tricky task for the British. We have to hope Mayor of London Boris Johnson does not contrive to drop the Olympic flag when it is handed over – or leave it in the overhead locker on his Economy-seat flight home. We have to hope Leona Lewis and David
Read More →

So Travelodge are taking over the historic Grade-II Clifton Hotel. Well, I suppose it could be worse. At least it isn’t another nightclub. But it shows how Blackpool is changing. Last night on Northwest Tonight I saw a hotelier saying he had only taken £200 last month – and was selling up. I’ve written before
Read More →

Spent the afternoon at B&Ms in Cleveleys packing customers’ bags in aid of the fund for Cleveleys town centre Christmas lights. It can’t be that time of year again already, can it? It’s only August. No pictures to prove it – camera batteries ran out – so those of you who don’t believe me will
Read More →

No-one can say British seaside weather isn’t changeable, can they? Of course, it’s more than an inconvenience in towns like Blackpool and Cleveleys which rely on tourism so much. Driving up and down the prom, I have really felt for the bedraggled tourists I have seen – many of whom dressed in expectation of better
Read More →