66-657: Blackpool South can refer to Both of these meanings relate to Blackpool , a town in North-west England. For other places of this name see Blackpool (disambiguation) . Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire , England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately 27 miles (43 km) north of Liverpool and 14 miles (23 km) west of Preston . It
132-668: A British tribe, the Setantii (the "dwellers in the water") a sub-tribe of the Brigantes . Some of the earliest villages on the Fylde, which were later to become part of Blackpool town, were named in the Domesday Book in 1086. In medieval times Blackpool emerged as a few farmsteads on the coast within Layton-with-Warbreck, the name coming from "le pull", a stream that drained Marton Mere and Marton Moss into
198-596: A Friends of the Illuminations stating that they saw the future of the Illuminations as being more interactive, and that "the group would help us shape the future of one of the country's best, free attractions." and would also encourage worldwide support. Separate from the Illuminations, as part of the Festival of Light, Blackpool Christmas Lights are switched on every year in November in a very similar fashion to
264-583: A local authority area, Blackpool's gross domestic product (GDP) was approximately £3.2 billion in 2020 – 0.2 per cent of the English economy. GDP fell by 2.2 per cent between 2019 and 2020. Seventy-five per cent of people of working age in Blackpool were economically active in 2021, with 51,600 in full-time employment and 7,900 self-employed. The average for the North West is 72.9 per cent and for England
330-460: A railway station in 1846 allowed more visitors to reach the resort, which continued to grow for the remainder of the nineteenth century. In 1876, the town became a borough, and by 1951 its population had reached 147,000. Blackpool's development was closely tied to the Lancashire cotton-mill practice of annual factory maintenance shutdowns, known as wakes weeks , when many workers chose to visit
396-402: A tenth of people aged 16 and over worked 15 hours or less a week. Blackpool's population is forecast to rise slightly to 141,500 by 2044, with the 45-64-year-old group showing the greatest decrease. The number of residents over 65 years old is projected to rise to almost 36,000, making up 26 per cent of the total population. There is just one tier of local government covering Blackpool, being
462-609: A £278,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant to restore the tramcar which first ran in 1962. It was withdrawn from service in 1999 and had stood derelict at the Rigby Road depot. The tramcar is due to return during the Illuminations Switch-On in 2008. In January 2008 it was revealed that another iconic illuminated tram, the Rocket tram, which had been in service between 1961 and 1999 but which had since then stood idle,
528-709: A £73 million coastal protection scheme that brought new promenades and seawalls for the town, funded by Government, the North West Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund. ReBlackpool also prepared the Talbot Gateway scheme, appointing Muse Developments to develop 160,000 sq m of office and business space, as well as retail and hotel units, on a 10ha plot near Blackpool North Station . Blackpool Council agreed to relocate its offices to
594-499: Is 74.8 per cent. Twenty-five per cent of jobs were in human health and social work – compared with 13.6 per cent nationally. Reflecting Blackpool's strong tourism industry, 10.9 per cent were in accommodation and food services. With aerospace company BAE situated in the wider area and the Civil Service one of its major employers, the proportion of people working in public administration, defence and compulsory social security
660-526: Is a pedestrian walkway running the length of the tableaux displays which are set back from the Promenade beyond the tramway. Blackpool Tramway runs along the entire length of the Illuminations and there are over one million lamps in the display. In 2007 the Egyptian tableau which includes Egyptian sarcophagus , which eerily opens to reveal a mummified secret, returned after an overhaul. Also at Bispham on
726-552: Is also due to be restored with expectation being that it would return to service for the Illuminations in 2009 at a cost of about £150,000 and with the help of the Friends of the Illuminations group. It takes twenty two weeks for all the lights to be erected in time for the Switch on each year and nine weeks to dismantle them after the display has finished. Most of the display is now operated on low voltage (12 V and 24 V) and in 2003
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#1732779783365792-459: Is also higher than the national average – 12.5 per cent compared with 4.6 per cent. In a survey of the UK's 63 largest cities and towns – using primary urban areas, a measure of the built-up area rather than local authority boundaries – the think tank Centre for Cities said Blackpool's gross value added (GVA) was £5.2 billion in 2020, with GVA per hour of £32.7. That placed it at 53rd and 40th place in
858-861: Is also the main centre of the wider Fylde Coast sub-regional economy, containing other coastal towns, including Lytham , market towns, an agricultural hinterland and some industry. Polymers company Victrex , in Thornton and formerly part of ICI , is one of the major private sector companies headquartered in the area. Sports car manufacturer TVR was based in Blackpool until 2006, and national jewellery chain Beaverbrooks , founded in 1919, relocated its head office to St Annes in 1946. Economic development officials highlight Blackpool's role in industry sectors including aerospace and advanced engineering, advanced materials technologies, regional energy, and food manufacturing. As well as BAE, leading aerospace companies in
924-534: Is certainly something I do not think we should be doing. I very much oppose it." The beam could be seen 30 miles away. Moore called for the beam to be stopped. The Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston said the laser has added to a "spiralling problem" affecting astronomy, as astronomical research is increasing carried out at sites outside Europe due to light pollution. At
990-446: Is described as being "a contemporary look at the concept of light and art working together to create entertainment". Each year the opening night of the Illuminations, The Big Switch On, held in a specially erected arena with a celebrity pulling a switch to turn on the six miles of lights. The first switch on ceremony was held in 1934 when Lord Derby flicked the switch to turn on the Illuminations. In 1993 BBC Radio 1 first broadcast
1056-473: Is in place to reduce urban sprawl , prevent the towns in the Blackpool urban area and other nearby conurbations in Lancashire from further convergence, protect the identity of outlying communities, encourage brownfield reuse, and preserve nearby countryside. This is achieved by restricting inappropriate development within the designated areas, and imposing stricter conditions on the permitted building. As
1122-562: Is staged. In 2007 the Festival started on 31 August with various lighting displays throughout the town with displays by artists and also Blackpool and The Fylde College . These included a mixed media display entitled "Donkey Fest" on the cliffs at North Shore, "Water is Everywhere" by Creatmosphere at the Water Tower in North Shore which was an architectural light projection depicting moving water reflections, animating and highlighting
1188-412: Is the main settlement in the borough of the same name . The population of Blackpool at the 2021 census was 141,000, a decrease of 1,100 in ten years . Blackpool was originally a small hamlet; it began to grow in the mid-eighteenth century, when sea bathing for health purposes became fashionable. Blackpool's beach was suitable for this activity, and by 1781 several hotels had been built. The opening of
1254-524: Is the third most densely populated local authority in the North West, with 4,046 people per square kilometre, compared with 4,773 in Manchester and 4,347 in Liverpool. In 2021, 41.0 per cent of Blackpool residents reported having 'No religion', up from 24.5 per cent in 2011. Across England the percentage increased from 24.8 per cent to 36.7 per cent. However, because the census question about religion
1320-596: The BBC television programme, Changing Rooms was commissioned to create special feature on Central Promenade outside Blackpool Tower, named Decodance . Llewelyn-Bowen had stated that he fell in love with what he called "Blackpool's high-kicking glamour and historical reputation for giddy glitz" while filming for the Holiday programme. The displays at the cliffs from North Shore to Bispham contain forty large tableaux holding more than 5,000 square metres in surface area. There
1386-587: The Blackpool Electric Tramway Company . By 1899, the tramway expanded, and the conduit system was replaced by overhead wires. The system still remains in service. The inter-war period saw Blackpool develop and mature as a holiday destination, and by 1920 Blackpool had around eight million visitors per year, still drawn largely from the mill towns of East Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire . Blackpool's population boom
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#17327797833651452-453: The M55 motorway in 1975 made Blackpool more feasible as a day trip rather than an overnight stay. The modern economy, however, remains relatively undiversified and firmly rooted in the tourism sector. Blackpool rests in the middle of the western edge of The Fylde , which is a coastal plain atop a peninsula . The seafront consists of a 7-mile sandy beach, with a flat coastline in the south of
1518-557: The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards investigated a fake lobbying role he was offered by undercover reporters from The Times . The constituencies were reorganised for the 2024 general election, following recommendations from the Boundary Commission for England that aim to make the number of voters in the country's seats more equal. Blackpool South was expanded to take in new wards near
1584-560: The Promenade from Starr Gate at the south end of the town to Bispham in the north. Since 2020 the illuminations season has been extended to run until after the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The current 2024–2025 season began on 30 August 2024 and will run until 5 January 2025. The Illuminations were first shown in 1879 when they were described as 'Artificial sunshine', and consisted of just eight carbon arc lamps which bathed
1650-525: The Winter Gardens , continue to draw millions of visitors annually. The town is home to football club Blackpool F.C. The team has one major trophy, winning the 1953 FA Cup . In 1970, a 13,500-year-old elk skeleton was found with man-made barbed bone points. Now displayed in the Harris Museum this provided the first evidence of humans living on the Fylde . The Fylde was also home to
1716-513: The unitary authority of Blackpool Council , which is based at Blackpool Town Hall on Talbot Square. Parts of the Blackpool Urban Area extend beyond the borough boundaries of Blackpool into the neighbouring boroughs of Wyre (which includes Fleetwood , Cleveleys , Thornton and Poulton-le-Fylde ) and Fylde (which covers Lytham St Annes ). Blackpool was historically part of the township of Layton with Warbreck , which
1782-553: The British seaside resort of Blackpool on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire. Also known locally as The Lights or The Illuminations , they run each year for 66 days (since 2020, this has been extended to 100+ days), from late August until early November at a time when most other English seaside resorts ' seasons are coming to an end. They are 6.2 miles (10 km) long and use over one million bulbs. The display stretches along
1848-443: The Illuminations by car, coach or bus. There are also open top trams which run along the tramway as well as horse-drawn landau . At Bispham there is a special walkway for the tableaux which also includes mixed media in the various large tableaux displays. The Illuminations cost £1.9M each year to stage. For the 2007 Illuminations, Interior designer and television personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen best known for his appearances on
1914-522: The Illuminations cut electricity consumption by 11% using new technology. Then in 2004 wind turbines at the Solarium on New South Promenade contributed to powering the Illuminations for the first time. The Illuminations now only use green electricity from renewable resources, comprising wind power , small-scale hydropower and biogas . The aim was for the display to be carbon neutral by 2010. In January 2008 Blackpool Council announced plans to start
1980-594: The Promenade. The original event preceded Thomas Edison 's patent of the electric light bulb by twelve months. The first display similar to the modern-day displays was held in May 1912 to mark the first British royal family visit to Blackpool when Princess Louise opened a new section of the Promenade, Princess Parade. The Promenade was decorated with what was described as "festoons of garland lamps" using about 10,000 light bulbs. The local chamber of trade as well as other local businesses requested Blackpool Council to stage
2046-696: The Tower's stained glass windows was carried out by local specialist Aaron Whiteside, who was given a Blackpool Council conservation award for the work. Refurbishment of the Winter Gardens conference centre was completed in time to host the Conservative Party spring conference in 2022, with further work announced in 2023. Blackpool Council was one of four local authorities in the Blackpool Fylde and Wyre Economic Development Company –
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2112-483: The Water Tower building. Also, "Hypodoché" by artist Ann Carragher, an expression of the artists personal relationship between life, natural processes, and the female 'space & voice' of architecture throughout the ages. The light installation consisted of water and light was exhibited at a town centre art gallery. Also there was the United Kingdom's first Illuminated Art Car Parade on 21 October as well as
2178-583: The area include Magellan Aerospace and Force Technology. In advanced materials, AGC and Victrex are significant companies. In energy, nuclear fuel manufacturer Westinghouse , the National Nuclear Laboratory and offshore energy companies Orsted , NVH and Helispeed all have operations in the area. Blackpool's travel to work area has 2.5 times the Great Britain-average concentration of food manufacturing workers. During
2244-439: The area was represented by just one constituency, named Blackpool . This was replaced by the new Blackpool North and Blackpool South constituencies. Blackpool North became Blackpool North and Cleveleys for the 2010 general election, when Conservative Paul Maynard became MP. Another Conservative, Scott Benton , won Blackpool South from longstanding Labour MP Gordon Marsden in 2019. Benton resigned on 25 March 2024, however, after
2310-656: The bidding process. The Casino Advisory Panel ruled that the "regeneration benefits of the supercasino for Blackpool are unproven and more limited geographically than other proposals". The government later abandoned the supercasino licence altogether following a legislative defeat in the House of Lords . In response to Blackpool losing the supercasio bid and lobbying from the town's disappointed leaders, ministers increased its regeneration spending, coordinated by an Urban Regeneration Company ReBlackpool, set up in 2005. Before being wound up in 2010, ReBlackpool led on Central Seafront,
2376-409: The centre "stuttered to a halt in the early 1970s". Large numbers of homes were deemed unfit for human habitation and by 1993, almost 30 per cent of households did not have central heating, compared with the national average of 8.5 per cent. A new masterplan in 2003 was a response to this decline and the growing threat from coastal erosion. It was described by English Heritage as a "bold attempt to ensure
2442-519: The cliffs from North Shore to Bispham, and the Illuminations were extended to its current length running from Starr Gate to Red Bank Road at Bispham. The Illuminations were ready to shine in 1939 but the outbreak of the Second World War again interrupted the annual display and post war austerity meant the lights were not switched on again until 1949. Every year there is also the Festival of Light which features interactive installations and
2508-411: The clifftop was a new BBC Portal video screen. Also in 2007 a new Doctor Who display appeared with monsters from the last three series of the show. At Gynn Square on Gynn Island, a Space Invasion with an opalescent mothership hovering more than 40 ft in the air, battling it out with eight spaceships arranged in formation defending their territory. The display which used colour-changing LEDs ,
2574-411: The construction of accommodations and attractions, fostering rapid growth in the 1850s and 1860s. A Board of Health was established in 1851, gas lighting in 1852, and piped water in 1864. The town's population exceeded 2,500 by 1851. Blackpool's growth since the 1870s was shaped by its pioneering use of electrical power. In 1879, it became the world's first municipality with electric street lighting along
2640-419: The corporation or town council. The borough was enlarged several times, notably in 1879, when it took in parts of the neighbouring parishes of Marton and Bispham with Norbreck , in 1918, when it absorbed the rest of Bispham with Norbreck, and in 1934, when it absorbed the rest of Marton. In 1904 Blackpool was made a county borough , taking over county-level functions from Lancashire County Council . This
2706-490: The development and there were plans for a new public transport interchange. In 2010, Blackpool Council bought landmarks Blackpool Tower , the Winter Gardens and the Golden Mile Centre from leisure entrepreneur Trevor Hemmings , aiming to refurbish them in a "last-ditch effort to arrest Blackpool's economic decline". Public ownership enabled significant further investment in the facilities. The restoration of
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2772-601: The district, which rises once past the North Pier to become the North Cliffs, with the highest point nearby at the Bispham Rock Gardens at around 34 metres (112 ft). The majority of the town district is built up, with very little semi-rural space such as at Marton Mere. Due to the low-lying terrain, Blackpool experiences occasional flooding, with a large-scale project completed in 2017 to rebuild
2838-608: The event in September of the same year. The subsequent event was such a success that in 1913 the council were again asked to stage the Princess Parade lights as an end of season event. With the outbreak of the First World War there were no further displays until 1925 when the lights were again on display and extended to run from Manchester Square to Cocker Square. In 1932 animated tableaux were erected running along
2904-476: The future of the town". Blackpool had pinned its regeneration hopes on an Atlantic City– or Las Vegas–style resort casino that Leisure Parcs, then owner of Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens, unveiled £1 billion plans for in 2002. By 2007, Blackpool and Greenwich in London were considered frontrunners among the seven bidders for Britain's first and only supercasino licence; however, nearby Manchester won
2970-436: The newly rebuilt Winter Gardens Conference and Exhibition Centre. Like most UK coastal resorts, Blackpool declined from the 1960s onwards with the rise of overseas holidays. This coincided with a lack of investment in the town and its facilities for both residents and tourists. Fulfilment of a 1965 masterplan to remodel the town centre was "limited and piecemeal", according to Historic England. Ambitious plans to redevelop
3036-565: The north of the constituency. The Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency incorporated Fleetwood and five wards from the Blackpool Council area, and was renamed Blackpool North and Fleetwood – as a similar seat was known between 1997 and 2010. In 2022 Maynard told the Blackpool Gazette : "I am sure that residents of Fleetwood will be glad to be reunited with the rest of the Fylde coast, as they are geographically." As
3102-530: The others being Lancashire County Council , Fylde Borough Council and Wyre Borough Council . It oversaw the development of the Blackpool Airport Development Zone, which came into existence in 2016. It offers tax breaks and simplified planning to employers. Blackpool Illuminations Blackpool Illuminations is an annual lights festival , founded in 1879 and first switched on 18 September that year, held each autumn in
3168-401: The population reached 473. Henry Banks, instrumental in Blackpool's growth, purchased Lane Ends estate in 1819, building the first holiday cottages in 1837. In 1846, a pivotal event marked the early growth of the town: the completion of a railway branch line to Blackpool from Poulton. This spurred development as visitors flocked in by rail, boosting the town's economy. Blackpool prospered with
3234-538: The promenade, setting the stage for the Blackpool Illuminations . By the 1890s, Blackpool had a population of 35,000 and could host 250,000 holidaymakers. Notable structures, like the Grand Theatre (1894) and Blackpool Tower, emerged. The Grand Theatre was among Britain's first all-electric theatres. In 1885, it established one of the world's earliest electric tramways, initially operated by
3300-612: The return of the Honda Goldwing Light Parade . There are a variety of rebuilt single deck cars, of different designs, all of which were rebuilt as illuminated theme trams. These run along the illuminated part of the Promenade during the Illuminations. A campaign by the local newspaper, the Blackpool Gazette in 2006 to get one of the Illuminated trams, Western Train, back on track, resulted in
3366-480: The sea. The stream ran through peatlands that discoloured the water, so the name for the area became "Black Poole". 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 Bispham Parish Church baptismal register include both Poole and for the first time blackpoole . The first house of any substance, Foxhall,
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#17327797833653432-415: The seaside. The local climate is mild and rainy also in summer. In the late 20th century, changing holiday preferences and increased overseas travel impacted Blackpool's standing as a leading resort. Despite economic challenges, the town's urban fabric and economy remain centred around tourism. Today, Blackpool's seafront, featuring landmarks such as Blackpool Tower , Illuminations , Pleasure Beach , and
3498-578: The seawall and promenade to mitigate this. Blackpool has a temperate maritime climate according to the Köppen climate classification system. Typically, cool summers, frequent overcast skies and small annual temperature range fluctuations. The minimum temperature recorded was −15.1 °C (4.8 °F), recorded during December 1981, however −18.3 °C (−0.9 °F) was recorded in January 1881. The absolute maximum temperature recorded in Blackpool
3564-530: The second half of the 20th century and up to 2007, Blackpool was one of the country's leading locations for political conferences, with the three main parties as well as bodies such as the TUC holding events at the Winter Gardens . With the Winter Gardens in need of refurbishment and parties preferring inland city locations to coastal resorts, Blackpool held no major political conferences between 2008 and 2021. The Conservatives returned for their spring event in 2022 in
3630-402: The settlements of Lytham St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, Warton/Freckleton and Kirkham separated. Blackpool's population was approximately 141,000 in 2021 according to census figures – a fall of 0.7 per cent from the 2011 census . It is one of five North West local authority areas to have recorded a fall in this period, during which the figure for England as a whole rose by 6.6 per cent. Blackpool
3696-543: The sixth annual Banquet and Ball on 9 January 2008, organised by the holiday trade umbrella group, Blackpool Combined Association, to raise funds for the Lights, the new Head of Illuminations, Michael Wilcock revealed new plans for the future of the Illuminations. These include, Each year in conjunction with the Illuminations the Blackpool Festival of Light, a fusion of art and light events and installations,
3762-570: The survey respectively. It was also in the lower half of the rankings for business start-ups, closures and overall stock, as well as the proportion of new economy firms. Blackpool is the third lowest local authority area in the UK for gross median weekly pay. Its growth rates were forecast to be among the lowest localities in the UK Competitiveness Index 2023 - along with Blaenau Gwent (Wales), Burnley (North West), Torbay (South West), and Merthyr Tydfil (Wales). Blackpool
3828-514: The switch on ceremony live when Status Quo were the guest celebrities, before in 1997 BBC Radio 2 started to cover it which continued until 2010, when GMG Radio , under its Real Radio and Smooth Radio brands took over the broadcasting of the switch on. Each year one main celebrity pulls the switch while there are performances in the Radio 2 arena with a pre-switch on concert featuring pop bands, singers and comedians. Most visitors drive through
3894-452: The town's urban area is highly built up, only 70 hectares (0.70 km ; 0.27 sq mi) (2017) of green belt exists within the borough, covering the cemetery, its grounds and nearby academy/college playing fields by Carleton, as well as the football grounds near the airport by St Annes. Further afield, portions are dispersed around the wider Blackpool urban area into the surrounding Lancashire districts of Fylde and Wyre, helping to keep
3960-423: Was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) during a 2022 United Kingdom heat wave . During an average summer, the warmest temperature reached 28.5 °C (83.3 °F) between 1991 and 2020. Precipitation averages slightly less than 900 mm (35 in), with over 1 mm of precipitation occurring on 147 days of the year. Blackpool is within a green belt region that extends into the wider surrounding counties and
4026-794: Was built by the Tyldesley family of Myerscough Lodge and existed in the latter part of the 17th century. By the end of that century it was occupied by squire and diarist Thomas Tyldesley , grandson of the Royalist Sir Thomas Tyldesley . An Act of Parliament in 1767 enclosed a common , mostly sand hills on the coast, that stretched from Spen Dyke southwards (see Main Dyke ). In the 18th century, sea bathing gained popularity for health benefits, drawing visitors to Blackpool. In 1781, The town's amenities, including hotels, archery stall, and bowling greens, slowly expanded. By 1801,
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#17327797833654092-438: Was complete by 1951, by which time some 147,000 people were living in the town – compared with 47,000 in 1901 and 14,000 in 1881. The town continued to attract more visitors in the decade after the war, reaching a peak of 17 million per year. By the 1960s the UK tourism industry was undergoing radical changes. The increasing popularity of package holidays took many of Blackpool's traditional visitors abroad. The construction of
4158-485: Was created from the popular alien craft which used to adorn the Promenade. In October 2007, a laser beam installed on the tower for the duration of the annual Illuminations was criticised by astronomer and presenter of The Sky at Night television programme, Patrick Moore who said, " Light pollution is a huge problem. I am not saying we should turn all the lights out, that is not practical, but there are some things which are very unnecessary. The Blackpool Tower light
4224-472: Was part of the ancient parish of Bispham . The township was constituted a Local Board of Health District in 1851, governed by a local board. In 1868 the Layton with Warbreck district was renamed the Blackpool district. In 1876 the district was elevated to become a municipal borough , governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Blackpool", but generally known as
4290-434: Was reverted in 1974 when Blackpool became a lower-tier non-metropolitan district with the county council once more providing services in the town. Blackpool regained its independence from the county council in 1998 when it was made a unitary authority. Blackpool remains part of the ceremonial county of Lancashire for the purposes of lieutenancy . Blackpool is covered by two Westminster constituencies : Until 1945,
4356-459: Was voluntary and has varying response rates, the ONS warns that 'caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses'. According to the 2021 census, 49.5 per cent of residents aged 16 years and over were employed (excluding full-time students, with 3.8 per cent unemployed (a drop from 5.4 per cent in 2011). The proportion of retired residents was 23.8 per cent. Just over
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