- Written by Ian Youngs
- Entertainment/Arts Reporter
A new museum dedicated to Blackpool's glory days of entertainment includes Strictly Come Dancing costumes, vintage Sooty dolls, Stan Laurel hats and more.
Showtown highlights the town's rich history as the seaside home of show business, with exhibits including George Formby's ukulele, Tommy Cooper's fez and Peter Kay's purple suit.
The £13 million Blackpool's first permanent museum opens on Friday and hopes to contribute to the town's current regeneration.
This “museum of fun and entertainment'' is located at the back of the resort's now faded waterfront, on the site of The Palace Nightclub, one of the former sites of many amusement parks.
The new attraction showcases the town's place as the spiritual home of ballroom dancing and Strictly's second home, with former winner Stacey Dooley and professional dancers Joanne Clifton and Katya Jones The costumes worn in the BBC show are on display.
Going back further, six galleries include the door of the Blackpool police cell from which Harry Houdini escaped in 1905, a Mr Punch doll from 1850, and vintage designs of the town's famous illuminations .
Blackpool was also famous for its variety shows at the end of the pier. On display are suits worn by Morecambe and Wise from the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, the uniform worn by Danielle Roo in the Queen's Silver His Jubilee in 1977, and fellow comedian Bobby his ball red braces. Etc.
The V&A Museum in London loaned 28 items, including Tommy Cooper's trademark fez and other props, as well as the Sooty and Sweep puppets from the classic children's show.
After Harry Corbett bought Sooty from a joke shop on Blackpool's North Pier in 1948, the character became a favorite on children's television.
Liz Moss, Showtown's chief executive, said the museum is “a fascinating, bright, cheeky, bold collage of all these stories and entertainment greats, but also truly innovative.” It was done in a colorful way.”
She told BBC News she hoped the event would highlight the town's place in the entertainment industry and “bring new visitors” to the town, adding: “As part of the revitalization of Blackpool, I hope this event will be useful.”
The town was one of the top destinations for British holidaymakers in the 19th and 20th centuries, but is now considered one of the most deprived places in Britain.
Council leader Lyn Williams said: “Blackpool sometimes gets a bit of an unfair edge in the press, but I don’t think we recognize the society’s contribution to history. I think it’s important for residents to celebrate that. I think it's very important to be able to do that.”
“We recognize the challenges in Blackpool and are working hard to resolve health and housing issues.
“There is a major regeneration going on and for residents and visitors this is another great attraction to visit and that is what Blackpool does best.
“It's also linked to other cultural things happening around town.”
“Brilliant” culture
A major new cultural strategy has been developed to bring together the town's talent and raise its profile as a creative hub.
This involves large venues and organizations like Left Coast. Left Coast works with the community on practical and creative projects, such as the People's Pantry, where residents can come together and exchange food. There is also a combined laundry and library facility, which also hosts art workshops.
Left Coast also has an artist-led ice cream business that caters to tourists and provides employment during the summer months.
Left Coast artistic director Tina Redford says the idea behind the city's strategy is that “the offer here is as attractive as going to Manchester, Liverpool, London, Birmingham or Bristol. to confirm,'' he said.
“It's actually meant to enhance what you're seeing here, because it's real and it's great, it's just that sometimes it gets buried under all the other noise.
“So the real ambition is to make it stand out and make it visible so that people want to be a part of it.”