It included a 25-table snooker area and boxing, squash, badminton and gym facilities. Joe Davis performed the opening ceremony, and Steve Davis described it as the "best club in the country of its time". In 1989 the club was closed and replaced by a bowling alley.
Decline. Like many other UK coastal resorts Blackpool suffered a decline in tourist numbers. This was due to: foreign travel to the Mediterranean growing in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s due to its more reliable hot weather and sandy beaches.
The market closed for good in November at the end of the 2022 season. On Monday 17 October 2022 we went to take one last look around before it closed for good…
The aquarium closed in 2010, following the Towers' management contract being awarded to Merlin Entertainments, which also ran the nearby Sea Life Centre, and was replaced by The Blackpool Dungeons attraction.
On 15 October 2014, the airport's terminal and Air Traffic Control provision was closed, with the last scheduled flights to Dublin and the Isle of Man leaving in the late afternoon.
🚨 Blackpool Residents Fight Back! Migrant Hotels Protest & Town Centre Tour
What is Blackpool Airport used for now?
Blackpool Airport is a major base for flying activities on the North West Coast and for those conducting business in the North West of England. It provides an excellent entry and departure point for Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man with easy onward travel via rail and road links to the rest of the UK.
As people's tastes changed, the popularity of open air swimming began to fade. South Shore Baths finally closed to the public in 1981, to be demolished in February 1983. The next chapter was about to unfold – the building of Sandcastle Water Park Blackpool.
The menagerie where Jim Walmsley had 'tended to the animals as though they were his own children' would close in 1973 following the opening of Blackpool Zoo, preceded by the closure of the aviary. The old aquarium would last until 2010.
A new themed entertainment and event suite will open at The Blackpool Tower this summer and will be used for family entertainment, events and conferences. The new suite, which will be appeal to all, is due to open in August 2019. It replaces the children's play area, Jungle Jim's.
The Eiffel Tower is bigger than the Blackpool Tower, in fact it is almost double the height! The Eiffel stands at 1083 feet (330 metres) compared to the Blackpool Tower's height of 518 feet (158 meters). The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world for the first 40 years following its opening.
Built in 1939, as the ground floor of a multi-story car park on land known as Talbot Mews, the bus station was taken out of use in 2002. It was preceded by an open-air motor-coach station.
Stallholders at a market in Blackpool have said they are "very sad" it is closing after 37 years because the council has ended its lease. Bonny Street Market will shut at the end of November to make way for the £300m development of Blackpool Central leisure complex.
In the 15th century the area was just called Pul, and a 1532 map calls the area "the pole howsys alias the north howsys". In 1602, entries in the Bispham Parish Church baptismal register include both Poole and for the first time blackpoole.
Average life expectancy for women in Blackpool is just under 79 years, compared to the national average of just over 83. Deprivation is blamed for the poor health outcomes in the town, with many people moving to the resort from other areas of the country with pre-existing illnesses and conditions.
Did you know that Blackpool was spared from bombing because Hitler wanted it as a personal playground after World War II? The Fuhrer dreamed of his troops goose-stepping down the Golden Mile and unfurling the Swastika on top of the Blackpool Tower.
After Liberman's death, Hardy never worked with another driver. She later married Funny Car owner Fred Frey and after they divorced, Bill Hodgson, who tunes George Reidnauer's Excalibur Corvette Nostalgia Funny Car.
Thankfully, nestled inside The Blackpool Tower is Jungle Jim's, an indoor play area perfect to wear your little nippers out. Set within an amazing lost city, monkeys of every shape and size can swing, climb and explore to their heart's content.
Dating back to 1894, The Blackpool Tower Circus is the oldest permanent circus arena in the world. It's the home of laughter and fun, so grab your popcorn and enjoy the show! Selected dates and show times until 2nd November 2025. Check the full schedule online.
Blackpool Zoo has a diverse range of species, having over 1000 animals in our care including Asian elephants, gorillas, orangutans, lions, tigers, penguins, giraffes and sea lions to name a few. Explore some of the species we have below.
The Water Palace experienced continuous financial difficulties, and finally closed in 1996. Throughout its lifespan, the Water Palace was renowned for poor health and safety, and several accidents were publicised in the local press, although these were not the direct reasons for its closure.
In a highly controversial move it was decided that Derby Baths should close. People were furious and protested to keep it open. But in March 1990 the bulldozers moved in to demolish it. It has remained an empty space at the side of the Grand Hotel ever since.
