Town Centre Economy Section 1
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Business Partnerships Report – July 27, 2018 SectionTown 1: VisitorCentre EconomyEconomy ALFIE’S COMING HOME FOR SWITCH-ON One of Lancashire’s greatest music talents is coming home – to switch on the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations. Actor and international singing star Alfie Boe, who was born in the resort and raised in neighbouring Fleetwood, will pull the switch to trigger the start of the 2018 Illuminations season at the official Switch-On concert on the Tower Festival Headland on Friday 31 August. During the free four-hour show there will be performances by Ella Eyre, Jonas Blue, Diversity, DVJ (Diversity Junior) and Club MTV DJs, R3wire and Varski. Alfie Boe is a two-time Brit award and Silver Clef winner. He has had two number 1 albums as part of Ball & Boe alongside close friend Michael Ball, selling-out three UK tours and performing in their own prime-time ITV specials. The pair also appeared on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing episode in the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. The Tower Ballroom will also be the VIP after-show venue for this year’s Illuminations Switch-On party. The ballroom will cater for several hundred VIP ticket-holders as part of the biggest event in the resort’s entertainment calendar. Full details, go to www.visitblackpool.com BLACKPOOL’S HEATHROW TAKEOVER Blackpool is featured in a new “Tourism Takeover” at Heathrow Airport, showcasing the resort to millions of passengers. The resort is featured in a large 3D backdrop that Terminal 5 passengers can use to take selfies and share online. The frame, which also features Liverpool’s Albert Dock and the Lake District, is expected to be in place for a number of years. It features a range of fun facts about the region to tempt tourists from across the globe to visit the North West. AIR SHOW 2018 Blackpool’s two-day Air Show is back this summer with a fantastic programme of aerial entertainment. The spectacular free event will take place on Blackpool Promenade on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 August and will include a breath-taking finale by the world-famous Red Arrows. The event, which is being sponsored by Northern, will showcase the very best in British aviation with a wide range of aircraft and some of the country’s most talented pilots. The programme will begin shortly after 1.30pm on both days, with the best viewing points on the promenade between North and Central Piers. Crowds will be able to see The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which features a Spitfire, a Hurricane and a Lancaster Bomber; an RAF Typhoon thunder across the horizon; aerobatic displays from the Turbulent Team, Wing Walkers and The Blades; and some of the world’s best aircraft flying over Blackpool seafront including a Strikemaster, Chipmunk and Swordfish. The RAF Red Arrows team will bring the show to a spectacular end on the second day with another awesome display of speed, agility and precision. For full programme timings and regular updates, go to www.visitblackpool.com/airshow. Blackpool Transport Services is trialling a new “Park & Glide” facility over the Air Show weekend, giving visitors the opportunity to park on a large site at Blackpool Airport and use a shuttle bus to get them to the tramway on the Promenade. SOOTY’S BIRTHDAY HONOUR A new plaque has been unveiled on Blackpool’s North Pier – where Sooty, the children’s TV favourite, was discovered 70 years ago. Sooty and his pal, Richard Cadell, appeared on ITV’s This Morning, with presenter Alison Hammond broadcasting live in the resort, to reveal the new honour ahead of a big birthday party on the pier. Magician and puppeteer Harry Corbett bought Sooty from a stall on North Pier as a present for his son, Matthew, in 1948 – and he made his television appearance four years later. Matthew handed over custody of Sooty and his sidekicks Sweep and Soo 20 years ago to Richard. ZOO’S RECORD-BREAKER Blackpool Zoo is gearing up for its busiest summer after the launch of its single biggest investment. Project Elephant Base Camp is proving to be a huge attraction and since it opened in early spring there has been a 15 per cent increase in visitors, with record numbers in May and June. The multi-million pound facility combines one of the UK’s largest indoor elephant houses with a huge outdoor habitat and an immersive themed visitor experience. The resident herd consists of Kate, who has lived in Blackpool Zoo for 46 years, Tara, who came from Twycross Zoo in January and Minbu, who arrived from the same zoo in March. Plans are currently underway to transport two remaining female elephants from Twycross and the search is on to identify a bull elephant to complete the group. LIVEWIRE POSTPONEMENT Blackpool’s LIVEWIRE Festival, which was due to take place on four nights over the August Bank Holiday weekend has been postponed until next year. The decision was made due to the ill-health of a key member of the festival team. The line-up for the event had included Mariah Carey. SANDCASTLE AWARD Sandcastle Waterpark has been awarded the Changing Places People’s Choice Award for its toilet facilities for people with disabilities. The award, which is voted for by the public, invested in the facilities five years ago as part of its Access For All programme. The Sandcastle beat more than 1,100 providers to win the award. AMANDA’S HONOUR Amanda Thompson, managing director of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, has been named the world’s most influential woman in the theme park industry. She has been listed seventh in the Power 10 of a new influencer list from Blooloop – a networking and news website for the attractions industry. It also includes Bob Igor, the chief executive of the Walt Disney Company and Thierry Coup, senior vice-president of Universal Parks & Resorts, who tops the list. NEW OPERA HOUSE SHOWS FOR 2019 Three more shows have been booked for the Blackpool Opera House in 2019. The award-winning musical, Kinky Boots (pictured right), which features songs written by pop icon Cyndi Lauper, will run from September 30 to October 12 as part of a new UK tour. Cult musical The Rocky Horror Show is also heading to the Opera House for one week from June 24. The legendary rock’n’roll musical is returning to the UK as part of a worldwide tour. It has already been seen by more than 30million theatregoers. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert will run from for a week from October 21, 2019. This new version of the show is being co-produced by Jason Donovan. Three other shows have already been lined up for the Opera House in 2019 – Rock Of Ages, Green Day’s American Idiot and Dr Dolittle. SEARCH FOR TOTO Producers of the Opera House Christmas show, The Wizard Of Oz, are searching for a dog to join the cast on the Yellow Brick Road. They are looking for two dogs to cast in the role of Toto, with them alternating between performances. Winning owners will also receive £500 to cover expenses during the run of the show from December 7-30. Auditions will take place during August in Preston (7th), Blackburn (8th), Lancaster (9th) and Blackpool (10th) with the grand final being held at the Winter Gardens on Sunday 26 August. Applications can be submitted at www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk/search-for-toto/ DESTINATION MARKETING A new Blackpool Has It All TV ad has been launched in Scotland and across the north of England. The ad, which is intended to show the scale and breadth of Blackpool’s attractions will run throughout the school holidays, supported by extensive digital and PR activity. The campaign has been co-funded by a range of partners including Merlin Entertainments, Blackpool Council, Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Transport, Winter Gardens and Sandcastle Waterpark. PIER TO PIER SWIM The inaugural pier-to-pier open water swim took place in Blackpool on July 21. Led by Blackpool-born Dr Julie Bradshaw, who competed her first solo English Channel swim at the age of 15, the new event took place over 1.6km from North to South Pier. The swimmers were transported by tram from Sandcastle Water Park to the start line. Various partners involved in the event included Blackpool Council, Beach Patrol, the Sandcastle and Blackpool Transport. Places were limited to the first 100 applicants. NEW FILMS Two new films shot on location in Blackpool have been unveiled. The More You Ignore Me, written by Jo Brand and starring Sheridan Smith, opened in UK cinemas at the beginning of July. Eaten By Lions, filmed in Blackpool and St Annes in 2017 and featuring Blackpool-born actress Hayley Tamaddon, alongside comedians Johnny Vegas and Jack Carroll, had its world premiere at Edinburgh Festival. A full UK release date has yet to be announced. NEW CAVING ADVENTURE AT ASCENT The North West’s first indoor caving system has arrived at the award-winning Ascent Trampoline Park in Blackpool. The system is a fully immersive experience suitable for children and adults, giving them the opportunity to twist and climb through a sophisticated network of tunnels with various special effects and activities, including haze machines, fossil hunts, wind effects, stalactites, sounds and hidden tunnels. Caving sessions last for one hour. All participants are fitted with a hard hat and torch to help them navigate throughout the tunnels. BEACH HOUSE EXTENSION Plans have been submitted to extend the Beach House Restaurant and Bar on Blackpool Promenade. The proposal would see an additional seating area and new toilets built on the beach-facing side of the existing restaurant.