60-644: Norbreck Castle Hotel is a large seafront hotel on Queens Promenade, in the Norbreck area of Blackpool , Lancashire , England. The hotel has 480 bedrooms and 22 conference suites, including the Norcalympia Conference Centre. Originally built as a large private country house in 1869, it was bought around the end of the 19th century by J. H. Shorrocks who used the house to entertain friends and colleagues at lavish weekend parties. The popularity of these parties led to Shorrocks running them on
120-637: 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 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
180-484: 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 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
240-575: A commercial basis by taking paying guests. In 1912, Shorrocks formed a public company and expanded the building, now named the Norbreck Hydro , in several phases, adding a ballroom, swimming pool and solarium in the early 1930s. By then the Hydro was patronised by nobility and the British upper class, in addition to being a venue for the top stars of stage, screen and radio. During World War II
300-609: A fight broke out when the lead singer Brian Setzer spat on the audience. The concert was cancelled when the police arrived. In 1988, the hotel was the venue for a conference where the Liberal Party and Social Democratic Party merged to form the Liberal Democrats . Writing in the New Statesman about the merger, the writer Jonathan Calder said of the hotel, "Blackpool’s Norbreck Castle Hotel does not lift
360-554: A health and leisure club. The hotel has 22 conference, meeting and banqueting rooms, the largest of which can accommodate 3,000 people. The Norcalympia is host to a number of events. In November 2001 the BUPA Care Homes Open tournament, an indoor bowls World Bowls Tour competition was held at the venue and filmed live on BBC Two . The venue is also host to the largest annual Elvis Presley contest convention in Europe,
420-482: 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 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,
480-583: 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
540-623: A non- ranking event, but became ranking in 1984. Steve Davis won the event six times and was the last champion. The tournament started as the Wilsons Classic in January 1980. It was an eight-man invitation event recorded by Granada Television . John Spencer defeated Alex Higgins 4–3 in the final to become the inaugural champion. The second event was held in December the same year, with Steve Davis defeating Dennis Taylor 4–1 in
600-564: A second smaller ballroom for private parties, two cocktail bars, a swimming pool and 400 bedrooms, 97 of which had private bathrooms. In the late 1970s, the hotel's disco became the venue for a number of concerts by punk rock , new wave and mod revival bands. Those who played there included the Angelic Upstarts , Penetration and the Purple Hearts . The venue also saw gigs by two bands before they became famous. Adam and
660-402: 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
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#1732790642080720-709: 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
780-499: 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
840-459: 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
900-861: 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
960-473: 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
1020-524: 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
1080-545: 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 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
1140-776: The European Elvis Competition . Other events held there include the Blackpool Classic Motorcycle Show , and the Classic snooker tournament between 1987 and 1990. It also hosts the biggest Model Boat show in the UK in October every year, with even a purpose built indoor pool. Play Expo Blackpool has become an annual event too, with thousands of people visiting to play games and listen to talks. The Crystal Boot Awards for linedancing are held there every year and attracts dancers across
1200-453: 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
1260-557: 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
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#17327906420801320-654: 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, the population reached 473. Henry Banks, instrumental in Blackpool's growth, purchased Lane Ends estate in 1819, building
1380-513: 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
1440-544: 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 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
1500-662: The Ants performed there when they were still a punk rock band in March 1979, a performance which One Way System drummer Dave Brown, listed in his top five gigs. And on 15 March 1979, The Pretenders played one of their first ever gigs at the Norbreck. Rock bands starting their careers on tour included Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and the first solo appearance of Ozzy Osbourne after leaving Black Sabbath. The American band The Stray Cats , who had moderate chart success 1980/81, also played one of their first UK gigs here. They were booed off stage and
1560-696: 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 –
1620-551: 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, 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
1680-583: 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
1740-439: 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
1800-656: 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,
1860-409: 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
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1920-411: The children were staying there, after the story was leaked to the local press and what was described as an "abusive mob" of hotel guests forced the children to be removed from the hotel. The hotel is owned and operated by Britannia Hotels , and one of four owned by the group in Blackpool. The hotel contains two restaurants and two bars. The hotel has its own 35 seat cinema and a games room as well as
1980-500: The colours to win. Mercantile Credit took over the sponsorship for the 1985 and the event was renamed Mercantile Credit Classic . Willie Thorne won the only ranking tournament of his career, by beating Cliff Thorburn 13–8 in the final. In 1986 Jimmy White won his first ranking tournament by defeating Thorburn 13–12 in the final. In 1987 the event moved to the Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool , but only just
2040-419: 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
2100-490: 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
2160-601: 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
2220-608: The final. In 1982 , the Russian automobile manufacturer Lada became the sponsor of the event and it was renamed to Lada Classic . Steve Davis made the first televised maximum break (147) in his quarter-finals match against John Spencer . Terry Griffiths won in the final 9–8 against Steve Davis. In 1983 the field was expanded to 16 players and moved to the Spectrum Arena in Warrington . Bill Werbeniuk reached
2280-541: 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 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
2340-476: 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
2400-557: The globe to the venue. 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 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
2460-460: The hotel was commandeered by the British government as offices and accommodation for evacuated civil servants. The hotel remained under government control for eleven years until being handed back in 1951. At that time the hotel had - open-air parking for 250 cars, five tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course, a bowling green, a 600-seat restaurant, a ballroom which when used for conferences seated 850,
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2520-471: The last 16 played in the final stages, as the opening rounds were played earlier in the season. Steve Davis won in the final 13–12 against Jimmy White. Davis won the event the following year, this time defeating John Parrott 13–11. In 1989, Doug Mountjoy won his second consecutive ranking tournament, having previously won the UK Championship , by defeating Wayne Jones 13–11. The following year
2580-598: The mill towns of East Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire . Blackpool's population boom 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
2640-436: 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
2700-565: 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
2760-426: The only final of his career, but lost 9–5 against Steve Davis. In 1984, the event was granted ranking status. Steve Davis met Tony Meo in the final. Davis was level at 8 frames each with Tony Meo and only the colours were left in the deciding frame. As Meo lined up on the yellow, a spectator yelled out "Come on, Tony!". Although Meo took time to compose himself after the shout, he missed the yellow and Davis cleared
2820-495: 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. Classic (snooker) The Classic was a professional snooker tournament, which began in 1980 and ended in 1992. It was originally
2880-523: 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
2940-530: 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
3000-402: 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
3060-443: The spirit at the best of times, and in January 1988 its Soviet ambience was enhanced by the trams and melting snow in the streets outside." In 2003, a group of fifteen children who had just returned from Hong Kong to study at Rossall School were isolated at the hotel over SARS concerns and were kept in a self-contained wing with a nurse. However, they had to be removed by Rossall School for their safety when hotel guests found out
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#17327906420803120-570: 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
3180-452: 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
3240-423: 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
3300-501: Was a tournament of upsets, as only of four of the top sixteen players reached its seeded place. Steve James won his only ranking tournament by defeating Warren King 10–6 in the final. The tournament moved to the Bournemouth International Centre in 1991. Stephen Hendry reached the final of the tournament in 1991 and 1992, but lost 4–10 against Jimmy White and 8–9 against Steve Davis respectively. After
3360-571: Was among Britain's first all-electric theatres. In 1885, it established one of the world's earliest electric tramways, initially operated by 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
3420-406: 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 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
3480-472: 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
3540-434: 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,
3600-459: 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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