by The Blackpool waterfront promenade is nicer than the Rio promenade. Its art deco buildings would grace Miami Beach without complaint. The Tower is the original Angel of the North, along with its saucy devil. On a summer’s day, the beach at South Pier is one of the best places to be – on earth.
I am not being facetious or satirical. If I had 2p for every spinning article written hack south “oop north” for a day to the UK’s most visited seaside holiday I’d have enough to try all the slot machines and a penny drops on the prom. . I was born and bred in Lancashire and, after years of living elsewhere and traveling the country, still have a soft spot for Blackpool.
And now, a ground-breaking new museum, Showtown – which opens on March 15 – not only adds cultural weight to the town’s diverse offering, it also explains and communicates Blackpool’s appeal, uniqueness and even its shortcomings and challenges. .
The weather can be one of the latter. I arrived on a cold windy and driving rain day. The sea was rough and rolling. I checked into the Boulevard Hotel, which is very smart indeed, and a bit surreal. My suite looked north along the coast road. At the rear, the rooms face the Pleasure Beach amusement park and the Big One – the UK’s tallest roller coaster, can be seen in the future. Personally, I prefer the leisurely pace of the trams, but I’m sure kids love waking up to a big bang.
Despite the bad day, I decided to walk into town. I chose an inland road, avoiding the coastal winds but also taking me through Blackpool’s infamous underbelly. I went down Bond Street. Unlike the famous high street in London, this one was short on big brands and high fashion. On one side was the back of a B&B and on the other a cafeteria, chip shops, newsagents, barbers. Guest houses were occupied at cross streets. A few faces, in red or cream sandstone, looked as if they had once been proud. Several buildings were burnt out. Snack bars and restaurants wanted to trade off-season with cheap deals. Old school fare such as scampi and gammon tails was promised. One chain bar advertised: “Kids eat for £1”.
As I got closer to the centre, the Blackpool Tower could be seen at the end of the street. It still has the power to surprise. As do the Winter Gardens, the Turf Theatre, the Metropole Hotel and the small green pagoda-like shelters near the North Quay. The Victorians understood decoration as well as functionality.
To escape the fog, I entered the Grundy Art Gallery behind Blackpool’s Carnegie library. The work of JC Robinson, responsible for some of the town’s finest modern buildings, including Bispham tram station, Carleton Crematorium and the long-lost Derby Baths, has been celebrated photographically. In another room was a Blackpool FC “Seasider firsts” list. The team claim – if that is the case – they were playing in the first match in England where riot police were deployed and “the first recorded use of ammonia in a dispute between football fans”.
It was the perfect introduction to Showtown. The £15 million project, which has been ongoing for over ten years, is located on a prime corner under the tower; a hotel is also planned. Described as a “Museum of fun and entertainment”, with a bright, bold color scheme and interactive displays, it is intended to appeal to young people and families. There are bags of laughter and fake poo among the displays. But this museum is also a significant cultural asset.
Six galleries spread over 10,000 square feet take visitors on a journey that travels through time through the genius passions that created the Blackpool: Seaside, Magic, Circus, Illuminations, Shows and Dance. Original costumes, props, puppets, posters, boards, disco booths and dance floors provide physical evidence. Voiceovers and visual collages connect the stories. Film clips and posters remind us of the famous people – and curiosities – who performed on the town’s piers and theaters – from Gracie Fields to the “Amazing Telepathic Girl”, George Formby to Winifred Atwell, Orville to Peter Kay (who it has the color of Ribena. Amarillo suit on display).
The prom can have many of the elements – Punch and Judy shows, stand-up comedy, the Gipsy Petulengro – of course, but there’s something to be said for treating popular cultural artifacts. You think, reflect, question. That is very much the secret of the caged circus animal models and the product used to squeeze the tiger. Why are comedians and ventriloquists so afraid of relationships? Why do people visit caretakers on holiday? Why does the Blackpool Lights continue to draw huge crowds when there is more technology in a smartphone? The tooth marks in the bit used by an “Iron Jaw” trapeze artist are worth seeing.
But Showtown thrives because of the quality of the curation. The Council’s researchers, illustrator Alex Williamson (who made the collages) and acclaimed museum designers Casson Mann worked together to bring the “golden age” to life, without putting it away or on no way dusty and sepia-tinged. Objects, ephemera and stories gathered from Black Age Council collections, together with items on loan from the V&A, as well as rarely seen items from performers Strictly wardrobe, combined to create an engaging and diverting experience.
Is the real Blackpool a comedown after a few hours in Showtown? It could, yes. Roberts’ Oysters Bar has closed. The North Quay was closed. The alternative hotel Art B&B, which received funding of £1.3 million from the Council, has closed. I wonder if Linn Dubh is giving up on the off-season trade – something it more or less created a century ago.
But it was not really a downer to return to reality. Because, when I left the bright colors and razzmatazz of Showtown, spring had arrived – as if by magic – there. Linn Dubh has always had whatever tourists want to get out of it. The new museum is a treasure trove of past glory. But the town can turn it on and it looked great. The tide had gone back, and the weather with it. The beach was sparkling and golden. Prom made me want to dance – or at least speed up my walk. We should not forget seaside towns that arose because of their eternal truths: ocean, light, air; sunlight, far horizon, big skies. We added fun, games, rides, twists, fish and chips, and all our human flaws to this.
Showtown open to the public on March 15. 10am–5pm Mon–Sun. Tickets are £15 (adults), £11.50 (ages 4-15), £13.50 (students/seniors) and children under 3 are free; they are valid for 12 months.
