I should really hate Morecambe big time.
The day they pulled down Frontierland was a very, very sad day for me and I vowed that I wouldn't return..besides what was there to return to?...
This isn't the first time I have eaten my words on this message board..
Last Saturday 12/ 7/03 was a lovely hot day..the sort of day that makes a six year old daughter ask for a trip to the seaside. Based in the Blackpool area last weekend I swallowed my pride and agreed on a trip to "Eric's place" with said daughter, wife and inlaws..
According to a local shopkeeper ALDI are moving in on area occupied by The Empire buildings on the prom..I don't know what the Empire buildings are / were..is this Frontierland area?..There were certainly evidence of tonnes of soil being moved at this hallowed spot.
(Good old log flume..or what remains of it is still standing proud at the back as of course is the Polo Tower at the front and the cablecar turnaround).
Next up The Midland Hotel..This has definately seen better days..But wait..all is not lost..
"The Midland Hotel has been sold to the property developer Urban Splash. The new owners hope that the listed building will eventually be able to reopen as a hotel and restaurant. The hotel had been on the market for the last few months after the last restoration project collapsed due to the rising cost of the project."
Next up Thora Hird..
Twenty six years ago (or thereabouts) The Victoria Pavillion closed its doors to the theatre going public but now there are rumours that the building could be converted into an entertainment centre named after the lady in question.
My daughter enjoyed the swing boats and kids' rides along the front. There are actually two separate areas of amusement rides..One near the jetty and the other situated in the area once occupied by the old swimming pool.
The latter has a waltzer, Crazy River water splash, dodgems, roundabouts and mirror maze.
The Tern project should be commended..the works of art dotted around Morecambe are a treat.
The stone jetty is a pleasure to walk down and the cafe at the end serves up good food at reasonable prices.
I have saved the best for last..(Nick, this is one that I'm sure you would enjoy)..It's a bookshop on the prom stacked high full of books and boxes of books and alleyways of books and more books crammed into a very small area. There are books behind you, to the side of you and balancing precariously on a rickety shelves above you..I would best describe it as a collection of small rooms and alleyways made of books. Yet the guy in charge seemed to know every book he had in stock, where it was, publisher etc.. I swear he knew every book he didn't have in stock as well!!
Whilst in the shop a lady came in asking for a book she had been searching for for years.
The owner didn't have it but told her that she would eventually find it in her travels and not to give up.
He then told her that he once found a book he had been searching for for 25 years and the feeling he had on finding it was great..
The lady was thankful and turned to leave.
He then added that the book he had found and read had turned out to be "bloody rubbish"
Everyone in the "alleyway" laughed..You had to be there
The shop is organized chaos but is simply wonderful..A hidden treat that I wasn't expecting and made me think that, you know, Morecambe maybe does deserve a second look...