£10m Lights museum for Blackpool - Blackpool Discussion Forums

gazman2k · #1 03-11-09, 11:32

PLANS have today been revealed for a £10m state-of-the-art Illuminations
museum on Blackpool Promenade.
The imposing six-storey glass fronted structure, which would be built close to Central Pier, would boast an exclusive roof-top restaurant, a ramped space where Illuminations could be displayed all year round and museum area for traditional seaside exhibitions.

This building will have special glaze with back-illuminated projection so live footage of the 2012 Olympics can be beamed on to the seafront facade.

I do hope this project gets going really soon in time for the olympics!

grannyclaret · #2 03-11-09, 12:05

That might be the start of a nicer looking Blackpool...

Pete · #3 03-11-09, 13:38

Gazman you beat me to it. I have been at a Tourism/reBlackpool meeting. They didnt mention the proposed Illuminations museum! But they did mention the snow village!!! They are hopeful they can work with the proposals to create a viable/sustainable business.
They are trying to improve things they mentioned an exhibition at St Johns on Thursday, Friday and Sat morning about the Talbot Gateway. The Comedy Carpet and Tower Headland is due to be finished mid Summer.

Christian1985 · #4 08-11-09, 22:58

The plans for the Illuminations museum sound excellent, just the sort of modern 21st century development Blackpool needs and will hopefully help to take Blackpool upmarket. As for the snow dome, that honestly sounds like the best plan we have had in years, 100 times better than the casino which I was fiercely against from day one. It will be a family attraction, a more upmarket attraction which will be good for Blackpool's image, create good jobs and I will definitely be using it too!!!!

SouthportFriends · #5 08-11-09, 23:01

Did the casino never see the light of day in the end? Sorry about being so clueless but I'm a bit new to the locality - did read about the casino a couple(?) of years ago but heard no more..

Christian1985 · #6 09-11-09, 18:27

Thankfully (as far as I am concerned) the casino never saw the light of day. The council at the time led by the worst Council Leader in Blackpool history (Roy Fisher) basically threw all our eggs in one basket. He basically went around talking Blackpool down all the time making us sound as low as possible trying to play on the sympathy of the Casino Advisory Panel (basically the people who decided where the supercasino would go). I always thought it was a terrible idea; it would have brought gambling addiction problems to Blackpool, crime and disorder and attracted the wrong sort of people to Blackpool. Then in January 2007, I anxiously watched the news awaiting the announcement and surprisingly Manchester had been chosen. I had mixed feelings; I liked the fact it was Manchester because it meant it wouldn't be Blackpool,but then it annoyed me because it was yet another case of all for Manchester and none for Blackpool in terms of regeneration funding. In the months after though the Government scrapped the supercasino altogether much to my delight. But then it came to light in Blackpool our useless leaders Roy Fisher (ex-Council Leader) and Steve Weaver (Council Chief Exec) had put no plan B in place they had thrown all our eggs in one basket and slammed the door on alternative opportunities believing the casino was our 'saviour'. But now much better plans like the snowdome and illuminations museum are in place and hopefully they will see the light of day.

Apologies for the lengthy of my story but hope this gives you some insight.

Karen · #7 10-11-09, 09:26

I was at the meeting last week and it all seemed very positive to me, the way in which the speakers were describing the "way forward" for Blackpool. It's a pity they didn't mention the Illuminations Museum, as I actually read about it in the Gazette the same day. Hopefully, fingers crossed, the snow dome idea WILL come together and Blackpool can look ahead.

gazman2k · #8 10-11-09, 18:33

Christian1985 - No need for the apology and thanks for the interesting input

Christian1985 · #9 10-11-09, 19:19

No problem, I like telling the story as Blackpool regeneration is something I feel very strongly about, I actually had a letter published on the subject today in the Gazette.

SouthportFriends · #10 11-11-09, 09:32

My own feelings on the supercasino were fairly negative I must admit, although when it was a current issue I had no plans to become either a Manchester or Blackpool resident. Always found it hard to square the governments support for such a venture with their anti-stance on smoking and drinking, all 3 being addictive behaviours with potentially catastrophic consequences for the susceptible individual. Good riddance to the plan I say.

merie · #11 11-11-09, 15:38

Yes its a good thing we didn't get the casino. Blackpool should be aimed at families and children especially. It needs to clean up its act, get rid of some of these stag.hen nights! I took my two sons out for a meal and walked back along the prom one evening. The state these people were in was disgusting..

Christian1985 · #12 11-11-09, 18:33

Precisely we are trying to make Blackpool more family friendly and go upmarket, get rid of the sleaze and tackiness, how did a casino do that? Las Vegas sounds like a fabulous place I would like to go one day, but it also has a notorious reputation for being trashy and sleazy because of the casinos, prostitution etc. I feel plans like the snowdome are much more realistic, have much more public support and will benefit everyone, that is the sort of attraction I would use regularly, it could become a new hobby for me.