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Grand Theatre, Blackpool. More beautiful inside would you believe!
Canal Cruise and Classic Bus from Blackpool
26th August 2010
By Classic Bus to the Lancaster Canal.
2½ Hour Evening Canal Cruise & Hotpot Supper
Click here to download leaflet
Click here to download booking form
Thursday 26 August 2010
Full Timetable:
• Solaris, New South
Promenade: 5.30pm
• Blackpool Town Hall
(Market St): 5.45pm
• Canal Cruise with Hot Pot Supper from Lancaster 7pm - 9.30pm
• Return for approx 10.30
to 11.00pm —bus will drop off at Promenade Hotels from Starr Gate to Norbreck and in Town Centre
Cost: £25 per person
Book at:
• Solaris, New South Promenade 01253 478040
• Blackpool Tram Shop— North Pier
• Visit Blackpool—1 Clifton Street
Organised by the totallyTransport Event Group to help develop totallyTransport. Vintage Bus provided by Lancastrian Transport Trust and operated by Classic Bus North West.
July 2010: Blackpool Civic Trust Newsletter Extracts
Elaine issued the full newsletter by post on the 21st July. Here are some extracts.
Thursday 16th September: Visit to 'Light Works'
The new Blackpool Illuminations department at Squires Gate. We have been allowed two and a half hours for a tour and talk and showing off their archives.
Blue Plaque unveiled at 10 Vance Road, Alistair Cooke
This plaque commemorates Alistair Cooke famed for his Letters from America on the BBC. His parents came to Blackpool during the first world war and Alistair lived there with them. Thanks to our President, Barry, for sorint out the wording and ordering the plaque. Our apologies to the Mayor and Mayoress for giving them the wrong time and them having to return later.
Heritage Open Days 9th to 12th September
The programme for this is now available and thanks to English Heritage for their assistance. Don't forget to book as some places have limited access.
MacMillan Biggest Coffee Morning in the World, Friday 24th September
The MBCM will be held in the Visitor Centre on Stanley Park. All donations will be gratefully received. Make sure you come and have coffee with us.
Barrio Fiesta on Lawsons Field, 10am to 6pm, August 1st
Blackpool Civic Trust will have a stall so either volunteer to help or come and say hello. This is said to be a wonderful family day.
Civic Trust Awards for 2010
Do you have any interesting buildings being built in your area within the boundary of Blackpool. If so please let us know so we can put them forward for consideration for an award.
BLESMA and Blackpool Art Department talks
Thanks to both Jackie Longdon and Carolyn Primett for their talks. Following Jackie's talk we had a full attendance at the visit to the BLESMA house. Carolyn impressed us with the number of art projects underway in Blackpool, and we were grateful for the booklet.
Hosting Manchester Civic Society on 10th July
We arranged a tour of the promenade on a vintage bus and a civic reception with the Mayor and Mayoress along with a walk round St Johns Square, Brilliance and the Cenotaph. Thanks to several volunteers including Carl Carrington who gave up a special family visit to act as a great ambassador for Blackpool. Manchester Civic Society were very grateful and impressed by the regeneration work.
Corporate Member: Brooks Collectables
A new corporate member, Brooks Collectables of Waterloo Road, is welcomed.
New Member: Paul Maynard MP, Blackpool North
Mr Maynard is welcomed to the civic trust.
New Green Flag Award for Cavendish Park
Cavendish Park has been awarded a Green Flag Award. The Civic Trust no longer organise Green Flags but this is a prestigious award and Blackpool now has five, a credit to the Parks Dept. The five are: Stanley Park, Salisbury Woodland, Watson Road, Louis Horrocks Park, Cavendish Park.
Planning Proposals for Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Civic Trust was able to meet the planning consultants for Merlin Entertainment. A number of proposals have been made and from what has been seen there is no heritage loss. Changes to the building are being reduced by using 'pods' to contain new attractions. Concern was expressed about a drawing for the outside but Merlin stated it was very unlikely to reach the planning stage. Carl Carrington also attended and we both felt cheerful about the proposals.
North West in Bloom
Blackpool was visited in mid-July by the judges and we await their verdicts.
Shirley Critchlow and Barbara MCNichol
Two of our stalwart members passed away this year and we send condolences to their families.
Outing: Bispham Water Tower
Forthcoming outing to the Bispham Water Tower on Thursday 22nd July. We can only go in the latter 5 at a time so the visits will be at 2.00pm, 2.30pm, 3.00pm, 3.30pm and 4.00pm.
Your Voice - The Civic Voice Newsletter
Elaine has circulated the Civic Voice Newsletter, Your Voice. The headlines are:
What you can do
your voice includes a number of suggestions for things you can do. These are summarised in the checklist of actions below:
- Put 25th June 2011 in your diary as Civic Day and plan an activity which promotes your area, showcases your work and attracts new support to your civic society
- Register for Civic Voice’s first AGM on 8 & 9 October 2010 in Peterborough
- Enter your website or newsletter into Civic Voice’s awards
- Look at the opportunities to volunteer for Civic Voice
- Join Civic Voice Live on 29 June to discuss priorities for planning reform with Tony Burton
Read more on the Civic Voice website. Click here.
Territorial Army Centre Visit
On the 13th May we had an enjoyable visit to the Territorial Army Centre to see the Cadets Training. They are the Army Cadet Force, W Company, Palatine Detachment. We had previously spoken to their Lieutenant at a meeting and were surprised to hear just how many of the past cadets are now serving (or have died) in Afghanistan.
Link to the Palatine Detachment website
April Newsletter summary
We have a new Hon. Treasurer in Marian Cochran and a new Minutes Secretary in David Evans and I would like to welcome them both to the Executive Committee.
I would also like to thank Beryl Radcliffe and Pat Dimuantes for the years of service they have given to the Blackpool Civic Trust.
We had a lovely Easter Saturday at Blackpool Sixth Form College at their Ecofest. There was so much going on both inside and outside and the students and staff couldn’t have been more helpful and pleasant with us all.
Our outing to Brooks Collectables last month was also an eye opener to many of the members attending. It is the nearest we have to a museum here in Blackpool and we all enjoyed the showing of the two films we hadn’t seen before. It is at the corner of Waterloo Road and the Promenade next to McDonalds. Click here to see our photographs.
We are going to the BLESMA Home on Lytham Road on the 27th April at 2.00pm. This is a big treat as it is literally the home of a number of limbless ex-servicemen so is not open to the public. We do thank them for letting us look at this lovely old building.
Beautiful Blackpool is being launched at the Garden Place on Cropper Road on Sunday 2nd May at the Garden Place on Cropper Road so if anyone has time to help us for a short time on that day we would be most grateful.
Incidentally, we are very pleased to welcome the Garden Place as a Corporate member. One of the partners, Shaun Pickup, has been a member for the past twelve months and has now enrolled his business to corporate status.
May 13th at 7.00pm we are invited to the Territorial Army Centre (behind Aldi on Waterloo Road) to see the Cadets Training. Some of us were talking to their Lieutenant at a meeting and we were surprised to hear just how many of the past cadets are now serving (or have died) in Afghanistan. Let me know if you wish to attend.
Many thanks to all who served in the ‘Help for Heroes’ shop earlier this month and to the ones of you who have offered to help again next month.
Blackpool has become renowned for the work it does for the Armed Forces Week and it only right that we are involved as a Civic Society. Julian Mineur couldn’t sing your praises highly enough. We have been asked to help on two more occasions – 3rd to 8th May and 31st May to 4th June. Please will you put your name on the board or give me a ring.
The following involvement we have is with the Armed Forces Week Dinner at the Norbreck Hotel on the 25th June at 7.30pm. Tickets will be £15.95 so let me know by next Monday (26th) if you wish to attend. Tables are very much at a premium and booking very quickly because it is such a wonderful evening. This year they have to be booked through the hotel on a first come, first served basis and bookings can only be accepted with full payment.
How about the Tower and the Winter Gardens being bought by the Council? Wonderful news, isn’t it? Much needed funding can now be sought from outside sources to bring these wonderful buildings into the 21st Century. It’s time Progress came to the forefront. We will definitely have to keep an eye on plans for these two fine buildings.
Events for 2010 Announced
Visits to places in Blackpool and hosting societies from other areas. Join us, click here to read the list.
AGM Report
The AGM was held on 29th March 2010 in the Town Hall. The meeting agreed the report, the committee and to obtain a share of a Blackpool Tram on behalf of the trust.
Click here to read the report.
Click here to read the committee membership.
Click here to view the 2010 speakers
Click here to obtain a membership application form.
The meeting minutes will provide a full account and will be available shortly.
Cabin Lift at Queens Promenade Grade II listed
Built in 1930 the Cabin Lift has been Grade II listed as of the 8th March 2010. See page 1 of our Buildings Pages.
Click here to read the news archive