The End of the Pier

The Great British Seaside Resort: sun, sand, piers, funfairs and donkey rides. But that is only part of the attraction. If you love being beside the seaside, talk about it here!

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The End of the Pier

Postby Gary » 07 May 2003, 19:31

Picture the scene...

It's Sunday morning 4th May 2003 and the North Pier at Blackpool is quiet....

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/themagiceye/beachstorypage25.html

To my far right the Venetian Carousel slowly comes to a stop. A little nearer to where I am standing a sweet shop displays fudge and nougat in all shapes and sizes. (How fresh is this? Who cares? Who buys it anyway?)

What is it about the Great British Seaside that makes me stop in my tracks and makes me want to contemplate and reminisce?

So there I am looking across The Irish Sea with The Pleasure Beach's very own Pepsi Max Big One in the distance..It looks so small from here and compared to Ohio's 420ft ride that opened this week I suppose you could say it is.

Where can roller coasters go from here?

Does Blackpool really need one of these?

To satisfy our never ending desire to go faster and higher Roller Coaster designers (in my mind anyway) have lost the plot somewhere along the way.

Maybe I'm just yearning for my lost youth when I crave a ride on the long gone Virginia Reel?..Perhaps the ride wasn't all that good after all but the days were always sunny then and everyone was smiling.

Am I getting old when I look towards The Wagon Wheels on the Central Pier and remember that in 1990 this 33m high, 216 passenger carrying amusement ride was cutting edge?

..I'm not sure what will become of this view from The North Pier in the years to come but I hope that at least the three piers stay and thrive.

But just listen to me!!..Here I am on one hand longing for the past but on the other knowing that to survive Blackpool has to look to the future.

And what am I doing about helping Blackpool in its present day struggles to survive I hear you ask??

..Well, nothing really.

I'm just as guilty as one of those millions of people who visit the resort for the day and then head off home.

Blackpool needs people to stay and spend.

What I do know is that, whether I like it or not, the beloved traditional Blackpool of my youth (if it ever existed) has long gone and only sad remnants remain.

Soon, these too will go.

Hi tech casinos and pyramid like hotels anyone...?

There is no doubting the fact that Blackpool is on the edge of change.
Please pass through the turnstiles if you are riding again.
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Postby Nick » 08 May 2003, 20:00

Things are really going to change. The Council sent me a copy of their masterplan document. Big changes are afoot:

Several huge casinos and casino hotels to be built in the Pleasure Beach North Car Park and cross over Bond Street.

The Sandcastle Centre to be demolished and replaced by a glass aquarium.

The entire Golden Mile to be demolished and redeveloped as a long, winding shopping mall style building, lined by casinos/hotels.

And most amazing of all: the huge car parks (on the old railway line) to be landscaped with trees and lakes!!

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Postby Graeme » 08 May 2003, 20:50

Nick wrote:The Sandcastle Centre to be demolished and replaced by a glass aquarium.


Is it likely to be better than the existing aquariums? There is already a Sea-Life Centre and one in the Tower complex isn't there?

Nick wrote:The entire Golden Mile to be demolished and redeveloped as a long, winding shopping mall style building, lined by casinos/hotels.


That is a shock! How on earth have they persuaded every shopkeeper, arcade owner etc to comply?
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Postby Nick » 09 May 2003, 21:13

I doubt they have. This is the Council's vision. They will hope that owners will fall in line, or at least be influenced by the plans. If not, they can of course use a compulsory purchase order.
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blackpool changes

Postby dave » 12 May 2003, 21:21

hi nick.. in the recomended changes refering to the sandcastle does that
include the grosvener casino which is next door.
they have only recently moved there from station rd
also there are plans for a indoor theme park in one of the casinos to be built on the golden mile i dont think mr thompson will be pleased with that.
and i think silcocks leisure might be thinking of planning a casino type
attraction on the golden mile.
in the long run it might be a good thing for all the changes it certainly wants wakening up in blackpool a lot of people are opposed to it but i bet there are more for it.
even the churce have got involved when it was first rumoured the diocese of blackburn which blackpool must be part of were up in arms about the
harm and bad effect it may have i know what they are tyring to get at but at the end of the day it's down to the individual what they spend ther money on.. anyway we'll have to wait and see what happens but i think there are some exciting times ahead regards dave....
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Postby Nick » 12 May 2003, 21:46

Grosvenor Casino are, I believe, only leasing the space in the Sandcastle. Whether they will remain long term, I don't know.

The big Casino proposed by Leisure Parcs on the Central Station site does not form part of the council's plans (much to the apparent annoyance of Leisure Parcs). It has been replaced by a conference centre. Whilst casinos do form part of the plan, they are not going to be the central focus they were expected to be. The council want Blackpool to attract a wider range of visitors, not just gamblers.
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Re: blackpool changes

Postby Graeme » 13 May 2003, 22:20

dave wrote:also there are plans for a indoor theme park in one of the casinos to be built on the golden mile i dont think mr thompson will be pleased with that.


Geoffrey Thompson getting some competition would be the best thing that could happen to Blackpool! Another amusement park there would make it much more appealing as a resort. Plus, there are some types of ride that the Pleasure Beach doesn't offer. We need some big B&M coasters, for instance. They are the greatest steel coaster manufacturer of our times - Blackpool should have some of their coasters, particularly a hyper and sitdown looper!

Also, another park might be more inclined to get a woodie. I'd love Blackpool to get a couple more woodies, but it's unlikely the Pleasure Beach will, quite understandably!

EDIT - corrected quote html :D
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