August 27 in blog
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 by the Lancashire resort’s snootier residents as “lowering the tone of the area”. Here, in 1960, a crowd of young and not-so-young dancers are oblivious to any social stigma as they enjoy the sun of a June evening. Open-air dancing at the pier head was in fact coming nearing the end of its life and came to an end in the mid 1960s.”
Leaving aside the irony of celebrating summer sunshine, this stirs the hopeless romantic in me. I’m not much of a dancer, as many will testify – though a slow cheek-to-cheek can just about be managed. But there is still something ineffably heartwarming about the sight of so many people enjoying themselves so very peaceably – just yards from where, nowadays, Friday and Saturday nights make the town centre a no-go area.
Given the new-found popularity of dancing, maybe now is the time to campaign for a return to tea dances at the end of the pier. It may provide a useful alternative to those not wowed by Joey Blower! Even if Ron Ogden (whose band is providing the music in the picture) is no longer able to provide the entertainment, I am sure someone could be found.
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