Tag: Events

John Barnett MBE Becomes High Sheriff of Lancashire

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John Barnett MBE, a successful businessman from Blackpool, officially started his role as the new High Sheriff of Lancashire on Wednesday 13 April 2016. At the installation ceremony at County Hall in Preston, he promised to do everything he could for the people of Blackpool and Lancashire over the next year. In the Fylde Coast community, he’s well known for founding Radio Wave and serving as Chairman for many years after he retired. Even though many of the High Sheriff’s powers have been reduced over time, the role still carries out important duties. It’s a voluntary position with no salary… Read more »

Gordon Brown pulls bid for ‘Super Casino’ in Blackpool

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Blackpool was really hoping to get a super casino to help revitalize the area and boost the local economy. In 2007, though, the British government, led by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, decided to give the license for the super casino to Manchester instead. This was part of a broader plan to set up regional casinos across the UK. The decision to choose Manchester over Blackpool stirred up controversy. Blackpool was considered a strong contender because of its history as a tourist spot and the potential benefits of a super casino for its economy, especially since the town played a key… Read more »

Houdini comes to Blackpool

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Harry Houdini came to Blackpool in July 1905. While he was here, he performed at the Tower Circus, located in the famous Blackpool Tower complex. This performance was part of his UK tour, where he displayed his amazing escape acts and illusions. Houdini’s appearance in Blackpool, just like his other shows, attracted a lot of attention and mesmerised the local crowd. The Tower Circus, a key venue in Blackpool, offered a perfect setting for Houdini’s thrilling and bold escapes, adding to the town’s storied history of entertainment and magic. The text and images below refer to his acts performed elsewhere,… Read more »

Blackpool Football Club reaches Premier League

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Blackpool is the only club to have moved up from every division of the Football League through the play-off system. They secured promotion after beating Cardiff City 3-2 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 22 May 2010. This win marked Blackpool’s return to the top level of English football after a 39-year absence. Manager Ian Holloway was ecstatic about the promotion stating that they achieved the impossible dream, and they have done it their way. Concluding that it was the proudest moment of his career. The club is now managed by Steve Bruce and has a Blackpool-born… Read more »

The Beginning of Blackpool Illuminations

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The Blackpool Illuminations, often called the “Switch-On” lights, started back in 1879 when Blackpool’s council celebrated the first use of electric lights along the Promenade. They kicked things off by spending £5,000 on a trial of electric street lighting. They set up eight arc lamps on 60-foot poles along the seafront. At the time, people were still using candles for light, so this new setup amazed everyone and got nicknamed “artificial sunshine.” These electric lights drew curious visitors to Blackpool, starting an annual tradition that continues to this day. Although the early lamps had a quirky issue—they would often go… Read more »

Blackpool Born David Thewlis Lands Harry Potter Role

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David Thewlis landed the role of Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter films after a detailed casting process. He first appeared as Lupin in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” where he brought a lot of depth and warmth to the character of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. People really praised Thewlis for showing Lupin’s struggles with lycanthropy and his role as a mentor to Harry Potter and his friends. His performance added a lot of talent to the Harry Potter cast and helped make the series so successful and beloved. David Thewlis was born and raised… Read more »

Elton John concert at new seafront arena ends early due to weather

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Sir Elton John was forced to cut short his concert at the new seafront arena in Blackpool due to severe weather conditions, much to the disappointment of the 11,000 fans in attendance. The concert, which took place at the Blackpool Tower Headland arena on 16 June 2012, had already been delayed by half an hour because of the weather. This was the first major event at the venue, located directly opposite the iconic Blackpool Tower on the Comedy Carpet, and there was a palpable sense of excitement as fans gathered for what was set to be a memorable evening. However, after… Read more »

Blackpool Airport Closes Its Doors To The General Public

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Blackpool Airport in Lancashire, England, has been around since it opened in 1909. It played a key role during both World Wars and hosted various airlines over the years. It stopped handling commercial passenger flights on 15 October 2014 due to financial losses and the inability to find a buyer to keep it running. The airport had been losing money for a long time, and its owners, Balfour Beatty, decided to close it after failing to find a suitable investor. This resulted in job losses and inconvenience for passengers flying to destinations like the Isle of Man, Dublin, and Belfast…. Read more »

Stanley Matthews and the 1953 FA Cup Final

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Stanley Matthews is best known for his crucial role in Blackpool’s 1953 FA Cup victory over Bolton, a match often called “the Matthews Final.” He was the first footballer in Britain to be knighted, played in 54 international games, and was the first to win the European Footballer of the Year award in 1956. In 1962, he went back to Stoke and kept playing until he was fifty. The 1953 FA Cup final, also known as the Matthews Final, was the eighth to be held at Wembley Stadium after the Second World War. The football match was contested between Blackpool… Read more »

The Riverdance Shipwreck

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On 31 January 2008, a container ferry got stuck on the beach near Anchorsholme, close to Cleveleys. By the morning of 1 February, people in Cleveleys and Anchorsholme woke up to find the Riverdance shipwreck on their shores. The Riverdance ferry was traveling from Ireland to Heysham when a huge wave hit it during a strong storm with winds up to 80 mph. This caused the ferry to tilt and eventually run aground at Anchorsholme, where northern Cleveleys begins. Emergency services, including the RNLI and helicopters, quickly responded. They later described the weather as some of the worst they had ever… Read more »