Blackpool

Blackpool is a seaside town located in Lancashire, . It is attractively situated along the coast of the Irish Sea. During the 19th century the town gained prominence as a major hub of tourism. Unlike the other neighbouring places like the Fleetwood, Thornton Cleveleys, Poulton-le-Fylde and Lytham St Anne's, the town is totally urbanised.

Blackpool got its name from a former drainage channel which ran over its marshland. The water which ran into the sea in Blackpool was black in colour as it passed through the marshy land and it formed a “black pool” in the waters of the Irish Sea. The people who have their origin in Blackpool are called “Sand Grown” or “Sand Grown’uns”.

This town boasts many small businesses and self employed people. There are also some large employers; TVR earlier manufactured its sports cars at Bispham factory. Blackpool was also the original site of Swallow Sidecar Company the forerunner of Jaguar Cars.

Tourism sector plays a vital role in boosting the economy of Blackpool. In between 1900 to 1950 the factory workers of northern used to visit Blackpool to spend their annual holidays. Old photographs of that period stand evidences to the popularity of this town as a major tourist destination right from the early years. It was the preferred destination for visitors from Glasgow and remains to this day.

There are many famous hotels and bed and breakfast available in Blackpool, than the whole of UK. Today Blackpool still retains its prominence as the most popular sea side resort in the UK. The Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the most popular free attraction available in Blackpool that attracts visitors who wish to spend their weekend holidays here.

Apart from holiday destinations, Blackpool’s Winter Gardens regularly hosts many prominent political and trade union conferences. Blackpool is renowned for its summer entertainment venue as it specialises in variety of shows which features entertainers like Ken Dodd and Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown. There are many cultural festivals being organised in this town, the prominent among them are the Blackpool Dance Festival, an annual ballroom dance competition of international significance.

The Blackpool Illuminations offer a real treat to your eyes and soul. A series of light displays and collages beautifully arranged along the entire length of the sea front that extend up to seven miles and draws many visitors between the months of August and November, this is the time when the seaside resorts holiday seasons have already ended.

There are many specialised clubs, hotels and guest houses run for gays and lesbians. This converted Blackpool into a famous lesbian and gay destination. The nightlife in Blackpool will cater to the needs of hen and stag parties.

A weekend in Blackpool can be absolutely crazy and mad; scary, even. It really is the drink of choice for hardened northerners who think nothing of downing 20 pints before setting off on some argy-bargy with another group from Wigan or the like.  Some of the hotels are shocking, but at the end of the day, there is something unqiuely and quintessentially british about the whole thing. A stag party would be dead memorable if you could remember any of it!