Blackpool Pleasure Beach: General Discussion

[pluk]

So pleased they are doing this, have been thinking for ages that its days might be numbered but this seems to suggest its not going anywhere for a good while.

Genuinely one of my favourite things at Pleasure Beach, things don't have to be thrilling to be fun and this is a lot of fun.

 

[MiserableMonkey]

Speaking of roller coasters, what can the Pleasure Beach actually afford?

A packet of Jaffa Cakes.

 

[BigAl]

Speaking of roller coasters, what can the Pleasure Beach actually afford?

A packet of Jaffa Cakes.

If a packet of Jaffa Cakes will count as a credit, I'm in!



Anyway, just spotted this which was posted on the 10th on the PB Facebook account:

Two special guests on park today Harry Hill and Julie Walters filming Harry Hill The Movie set in Blackpool. Keep an eye out for it!! A few cheeky behind the scene snaps to follow tomorrow

Except they never did post any other images...

 

[Spike]

Its the last one of its kind! Yiu can't tear history down!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Why? What is the obsessive need to keep rickety old rides in a park choked for space and in dire need of a new coaster to boost the appalling gate figures? :/

If they're not willing to replace old rides then they can kiss goodbye to the business.

 

[Rowe]

Mandy has recently been interviewed by the Blackpool Gazette.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach managing director Amanda Thompson is being so, well, nice I’m tempted to double back to double check the name on the office door. Is this the ice queen whose frosty persona projected onto our TV screens back in the ‘90s made women’s blood run cold ... and grown men weak at the knees?

The six-part fly on the wall series set at Blackpool Pleasure Beach did her few favours as Amanda’s first to admit.

For years she endured the fall out. “Strangers would shout abuse at me,” she recalls. “I came across as an utter bitch.”

She had no say in the editing, the final cut left to her father, the late Geoffrey (“WGT”) Thompson, to approve. “He thought it was funny. But he didn’t have to live with it,” she recalls.

Much of the real Amanda, Mands to her friends, was left on the cutting room floor. That said, this feisty, formidable woman doesn’t suffer fools gladly – and journalists even less so.

Reporters, she assures me, seldom crossed this threshold back in daddy’s day. “I think only the financial press got in here.” The partnership with Amanda’s brother, deputy MD Nick, works well, she says. “It’s great because as brother and sister if we have an argument it’s forgotten. At the end of the day we both want the best for the Pleasure Beach, and we want to hand it on to the next generation.

“The park is important not just in Blackpool but the industry itself. But it’s very tough. We have to constantly find how to drive numbers up in the town and here. I have managed to continue to invest in the business and in advertising and we keep money in Blackpool, we employ people from the town, keep business here, don’t take it down the motorway, keep families here and bring more back to town.

“One person in every 10 families has been to Blackpool or the Pleasure Beach but we have to get them back to see how the town has changed for the better. It’s not the same as some boiling hot foreign holiday but it’s different and darn good. People forget their good times started when they were younger and in Blackpool. They learned how to have fun on holiday here.”

Prior to her marriage once of the most sought-after single women in Britain, and on the Times Seriously Rich list to boot, Amanda has grown into a role which can’t have been an easy fit for her theatrical flair.

She still yearns for the blockbuster shows she introduced to Blackpool and beyond – via Stageworks International.

“To be honest I’d love to have many more shows here but unfortunately accountants don’t see shows as important as rides.

“ I think they are because they make people come here, stay longer and enjoy a different type of holiday.

“Live theatre is essential. Bean counters forget that.

“Theatre is challenging in difficult times and I’m the first to cut shows but we should have more. Back in 1998 I had 3000 people tipping onto the park at 9.30pm so the park stayed open later and Blackpool stayed open later.

“The move towards more shows in Blackpool this year –including Mamma Mia – is good because people don’t just want to go straight home after seeing a show, so it makes for a more vibrant town by night. We just have to manage the different groups in a positive way.

“I detested the 999 series on TV. Every town has problems with drink and prostitution and drugs but to show those problems in the way they were depicted here was irresponsible and damaging.”

It could be the late Geoffrey Thompson talking. Amanda’s a chip off the old block. She and Nick took over the business after a double tragedy, their father’s death followed days later by their grandmother’s, left the family bereft.

“Gran was heartbroken when daddy died. She had also lost a daughter, remember. Mary Louise died at 21, daddy’s older sister. I found some stuff upstairs today. A Poetry Society brooch with ML on the back so gran must have kept it. I keep trying to throw things away but there are nice memories there.

“I even found the old education list from 1982 that she was copied in on – gran was an amazing person. She was here every day.

“She couldn’t walk well but had all her faculties and remained a lady throughout and never lost her dignity which was lucky, remarkable and special.

“If you own a business you should take an interest in all departments and how people work together.

“You can’t be good at everything – I have no interest in accounts.

“We’re not in the situation of being able to buy the first new attraction any more as we don’t have the number of visitors coming through the gate as Blackpool doesn’t – but we can still try to be innovative. Between Nick and myself we have pretty much everything covered.

“You react very differently to decision making when you own a company, rather than come from the corporate world, because you care, it’s not just about finance or other factors.

“I am responsible for everyone who works here. That’s over 200 permanent staff, seasonal staff up to 1,800 at certain times.

“I have my little gang who I love and don’t want to move and take it to heart when they do.

“If you’re prepared to work hard and enjoy extraordinary situations quite regularly this is the perfect place to work. It certainly isn’t the same every day.

“If you want nine to five stability look elsewhere. If you want a challenge every day, as most face here, and are ready to accept it and go with it, the Pleasure Beach is the best place to work.”

Amanda’s earliest memories are of learning to skate for the annual children’s ice show. “Daddy did that too. We all did. Only Nick escaped. We never came here often as children. It was a treat. I was born in London. My parents lived there until, as daddy put it, we were summoned here. But he was made for it really.

“And the park taught me the work ethic early.

“When I was seven I wanted a pony and grandfather let me work on the pony ride.

“When the summer holidays ended my grandfather said, to the horror of my father, that I could choose a pony. I’d worked with them, looked after them, and chose my favourite.

“It made me understand the value of work.

“I’ve never objected to hard work. You get out of life what you put in.

“We train staff to high standards of customer service and try to make sure they are happy - if you treat people with respect they do the same to others.

“And if visitors choose to come here – particularly in tough times – they deserve the best time, and that goes for Blackpool all the way. Everyone thrives on visitors coming to town.

“We’re now seeing the first of the true Google generation leaving university, internet access all the way; it’s a challenge for me to understand how useful it can be, how reliant these kids are on it.

“I resisted an iPhone an awfully long time until my old phone broke - even I’m a bit hooked now although my print is so large everyone can see any message that comes in to me.

“I even tweet these days, chat away, answer questions, say inane things, use the word fabulous far too much!”

Does she regret not having children of her own?

“I wasn’t in the right relationship at the right time. I was with someone from 18 to 26 when we separated but I didn’t marry until I was 41 – in 2004.

“I concentrated on working. It wasn’t that I didn’t want children, I just didn’t need them as others did.

“I’m quite glad now because I’m selfish with my time.

“ I love my dogs but it’s easy to give someone a dog to look after rather than a child.

“When my sister’s kids came to stay when they were tiny.

“I never slept because I’d panic, checking on them all the time. I get texts from them today, usually when they want something, and I can spoil them, and not feel responsible for them, and if I tell them off and they run off to tell mummy, well, no nice present come the next birthday.

“But I’m responsible for an awful lot of other people...”

 

[djtruefitt]

That's quite a good interview with her, and does show her in a whole new light! I (and I think many others) still imagine her to be like she was on the pleasure beach program, very she clearly isn't like. I would love for them to do a new pleasure beach program just so we can see what she is like now!

 

[DiogoJ42]

... That's just what she wants you to think mate

 

[badlydrawnkelBel]

Its the last one of its kind! Yiu can't tear history down!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Why? What is the obsessive need to keep rickety old rides in a park choked for space and in dire need of a new coaster to boost the appalling gate figures? :/

If they're not willing to replace old rides then they can kiss goodbye to the business.

I'm all for redevelopment and new rides, please don't get me wrong. But I just how the new and old rides sit together and sometimes so effortlessly. I just enjoy theme park history and nostalgia, this was the reason for my post.

 

[TheMan]

Mandy has recently been interviewed by the Blackpool Gazette.

Great find Rowe! Very enjoyable read.

And, did I just find myself agreeing with her on things?!



;D

 

[Rowe]

Mandy has recently been interviewed by the Blackpool Gazette.

Great find Rowe! Very enjoyable read.

And, did I just find myself agreeing with her on things?!



;D

I found myself agreeing with her too, she does sound genuinely lovely and friendly with her heart in the right place though her actions not quite so much. Her ethics are something I would genuinely look up to.

 

[Sam]

Her ethics are something I would genuinely look up to.

Really?

The ride which was deliberately demolished as quickly as possible with no prior warning to avoid English Heritage stepping in and getting it listed for historical value? She's nothing but a vandal, who's only got her position by inheritance, not through merit.

 

[WillPS]

Her ethics are something I would genuinely look up to.

Do some research in to the closure of Southport Pleasureland, and the ensuing destruction and straight up vandalism, then see if you agree.

A thread was started by somebody on CPBE last year by somebody posting pictures of the site as they left it, sadly the team there chose to delete it but it was fascinating. As a quick example off the top of my head, the River Caves was left completely in tact, except for the control equipment which was completely smashed to pieces (so obviously had been done by somebody who knew what they were doing, rather just a random thug).

How can you excuse behavior like that?

 

[Novas]

'I worked really hard brushing some ponys for a summer, and I got given a pony. It taught me all about life.'

She truely is at one with the little people.

 

[Rowe]

Her ethics are something I would genuinely look up to.

Really?

The ride which was deliberately demolished as quickly as possible with no prior warning to avoid English Heritage stepping in and getting it listed for historical value? She's nothing but a vandal, who's only got her position by inheritance, not through merit.

Quote from: Rowe on Today at 00:38
Her ethics are something I would genuinely look up to.

Do some research in to the closure of Southport Pleasureland, and the ensuing destruction and straight up vandalism, then see if you agree.

A thread was started by somebody on CPBE last year by somebody posting pictures of the site as they left it, sadly the team there chose to delete it but it was fascinating. As a quick example off the top of my head, the River Caves was left completely in tact, except for the control equipment which was completely smashed to pieces (so obviously had been done by somebody who knew what they were doing, rather just a random thug).

How can you excuse behavior like that?

I agree with her ethics on respect towards employees, high standards in training as well as creating a workplace that offers challenges in unique situations.

I said in NO WAY that I looked up to the vandalism of Southport and I never agreed that it was a good idea.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Hmmm, so she decides to give an interview and say "I'm not a heartless bitch, honest!" Sadly all evidence we have about her says otherwise. (Including people who have worked with her, I've met a few techs who worked on her ice shows over the years).

Interesting read, nonetheless.

 

[BigAl]

Whilst looking at videos of various Ghost Trains and whatnot that can be found in Blackpool, I came across the website for one of the theming sculptors, Sarah Myerscough, that the Pleasure Beach has hired to make various pieces that many of you will recognise.

Sarah has also worked on theming for the Illuminations and 'Ripley's Believe It or Not!' as well! That link above takes you to her full Pleasure Beach album, but I'll pop a few of the photos on here as tasters (note that some of the sketches aren't hers but I'll post them to show what she used to work from + it's interesting ).



First up is her work on the monorail ride. She created the Bradley Beaver sculpture that sits in the train:

She made their Dali Style Elephant:

The Mad Hatter that joins a few riders on the Alice in Wonderland dark ride:

Turning the Tidy Tiger bin into the Schnorbitz Litter Bin:

She even did some repair and repainting of various pieces of existing theming, such as the Gold Mine workers that were sat on the benches in front of the ride, the Space Invader facade, the stone-age style theming on the Rib Shack Cafe and Arcade / Bowl-A-Drome and much more.

I haven't posted all the images and I've left some of the other work at the PB off because her website is really worth a look. There's some really fantastic creations on there!

 

[WillPS]

I can't think where the inspiration for that cave-man stone theming came from...!

 

[MiserableMonkey]

It’s the UK’s tallest roller coaster and it dominates the Blackpool skyline – and now is your chance to get a unique view of it!

Throughout the Blackpool Illuminations guests will have a chance to walk up the lift hill of the world famous Big One roller coaster in a series of escorted climbs 235ft up to get the best view of the Lights.

For just £35 guests can walk up the 420 steps to the top of one of Europe’s biggest roller coasters and take in the stunning views from the summit of the 42-acre amusement park and beyond for miles around.

This is the best view possible of the world famous Blackpool Illuminations and the first escorted climb will take place just a week after TV personality Jonathan Ross has flicked the famous switch in front of thousands of people.

It is your chance to see the Illuminations as never before and be the envy of your friends and family as you harness up and walk with five other guests – escorted at all times by experienced Big One operators – and climb into history!

The walks will take place on September 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th and October 4th and 11th and can be booked online in advance at www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com. There is a maximum of six climbers per walk and there will be two climbs on each event. Every climber will receive an exclusive certificate.

Nick Thompson, Deputy Managing Director of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, said: “The Big One is one of the most iconic roller coasters in the world. It was a world’s first for its sheer height and speed and we want to give riders an experience no other amusement park can give them.

“Walking the Big One is an amazing experience and it gives the climber a unique view of the park and the rest of the Fylde Coast. It will be a memory that will live with them forever and also a chance to see Blackpool at its best, when the Illuminations are on!”

Must admit, I'd give this a go if it wasn't £35!

 

[Martin]

£35 to walk up some stairs.

Mandy is a genius.

 

[Alastair]

It’s the UK’s tallest roller coaster and it dominates the Blackpool skyline – and now is your chance to get a unique view of it!

Throughout the Blackpool Illuminations guests will have a chance to walk up the lift hill of the world famous Big One roller coaster in a series of escorted climbs 235ft up to get the best view of the Lights.

For just £35 guests can walk up the 420 steps to the top of one of Europe’s biggest roller coasters and take in the stunning views from the summit of the 42-acre amusement park and beyond for miles around.

This is the best view possible of the world famous Blackpool Illuminations and the first escorted climb will take place just a week after TV personality Jonathan Ross has flicked the famous switch in front of thousands of people.

It is your chance to see the Illuminations as never before and be the envy of your friends and family as you harness up and walk with five other guests – escorted at all times by experienced Big One operators – and climb into history!

The walks will take place on September 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th and October 4th and 11th and can be booked online in advance at www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com. There is a maximum of six climbers per walk and there will be two climbs on each event. Every climber will receive an exclusive certificate.

Nick Thompson, Deputy Managing Director of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, said: “The Big One is one of the most iconic roller coasters in the world. It was a world’s first for its sheer height and speed and we want to give riders an experience no other amusement park can give them.

“Walking the Big One is an amazing experience and it gives the climber a unique view of the park and the rest of the Fylde Coast. It will be a memory that will live with them forever and also a chance to see Blackpool at its best, when the Illuminations are on!”

Must admit, I'd give this a go if it wasn't £35!

During the news "filler" sections between ad breaks during The Chase on ITV (before the news) they described it as "ever fancied climbing to the top of the world's tallest and steepest rollercoaster."