After the cruellest of winters for the Las Vegas of the Fylde Coast, Blackpool is preparing to reopen with a flourish on Monday.
The next stage of PM Boris Johnson's roadmap sees indoor hospitality and attractions reopening, with show venues, hotels and the B&Bs which the resort is famous for all allowed to re-open on May 17.
While social distancing restrictions will remain in place for the time being, a swathe of Blackpool's attractions are eager to welcome back tourists for the first time in months.
Councillor Gillian Campbell, Blackpool's Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism, describes the past 15 months as 'some of the most difficult and challenging times in Blackpool's long tourism history.'
“The stop-start nature of lockdowns and tier restrictions wreaked serious financial pressure on our tourism and hospitality businesses, large and small, and we are thrilled that from May 17 we can once again showcase all that we have to offer," she said.
Cllr Campbell said the resort’s tourism businesses had been meticulously planning for the time when they were allowed to reopen to ensure that visitors could enjoy a safe and enjoyable experience.
She added: “We have waited for this moment for so long and now we can safely say that Blackpool is back!”
Among the attractions reopening on May 17 are:
- Blackpool Tower and Circus
- Sandcastle Waterpark
- Coral Island
- Sea Life
- Madame Tussauds
- Winter Gardens
- Viva Blackpool
- Funny Girls
- The Grundy Art Gallery will reopen on May 24 with an exhibition of virtual art
- The Galleon music pub and The Waterloo
- All the arcades on the pier and the main ones on the Promenade
It's unclear when the arthouse Regent Cinema will reopen, however, although the larger cinemas are set to welcome back film buffs.
Funny Girls reopens on Wednesday May 19 with a brand new summer show which 'is better than ever'. The management joke that they've had 'a year to train' - and urge people to to join Basil, Betty, Zoe and the rest of the Funnies for some fun, frolics and food 'after a torrid year'.
Viva Blackpool, meanwhile, reopens on May 18 (Tuesday) for the first time in more than six months, with its Jersey Beats show celebrating the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Last month, during the first phase of lockdown easing on April 12, a host of self-catering accommodation and outdoor hospitality and attractions reopened to the public.
These included:
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Blackpool Zoo
- All three piers
- Self-catering accommodation
And, on May 7, the donkeys returned to the beaches. Protected by a special charter that guarantees their welfare and treatment and stipulates they must have Fridays off, the donkeys are bang up to date with chip and pin machines attached to their saddles.
Visitors to the attractions are advised to book ahead to avoid disappointment.
Meanwhile, the local authority has announced a two-month extension to Blackpool Illuminations season, which means it will run until January 3, 2022.
It's part of a £1m support package to help the resort's recovery following the pandemic.
Director of Tourism and Regeneration Alan Cavill said: "We're quite pleased that the attractions are reopening next week. One thing that's difficult for us to tell is how many accommodation providers we have lost.
"But it's lovely on social media to see people looking forward to going in to prepare for reopening and seeing people they've not seen for months, to see workmates again and get back to work.
"The excitement at the Tower is palpable - they are all really buzzing to get back to work and entertaining people as that's their calling.
"The good news is that the pandemic case numbers haven't risen that much in the summer, so hopefully it will be under control.
"What's fantastic is we've had no deaths in our hospital recently and the vaccine seems to be working in getting on with our lives. Hopefully we are getting through this."
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