Stanley Park in Bloom

I have always been a terrible one for taking an indirect route wherever I am going. I always feel compelled to take a detour along the way. On a recent trip into town, I could have walked in a straight line down Park Drive, but instead I took more of a 'v' shaped stroll through Stanley Park. This is a place you not to be miss this time of the year. The ducks are out, the lawns in trim, the flower displays are magnificent. This park is the pride of Blackpool without a doubt.

A few things you probably didn't know... The park covers an area of 256 acres with a rough circular perimeter of 2.2 miles. The park has a grade II listed status and is a garden of historic interest. The two cast ornamental lions adjacent to the Cafe are believed to have initially belonged to Pope Leo X, and, therefore were created around the year 1500.

Layton Allotments Open Day - 25/07/10

Yesterday I visited a local allotment open day at Layton. All-in-all it was a well organised fund raising event held by the kind volunteers and committee members of Layton allotments. There was various stalls, fresh fruit and veg for sale, live jazz and plenty of plot holders on standby to offer their advice and tips. There is another open day event being held on the 1st August at Lawson Road allotments for anyone interested in 'growing their own' or to simply have a nose and show your support.

Bloomfield Road, Half-a-Job

Pictured above, the state of the pavement after recent ground work on Bloomfield Road. Please, someone tell this is not the finished job, it looks a right bodge. Additionally, either end of the bay parking are beds filled with soil. It has been some weeks since the work stopped and there is nothing 'blooming' in them apart from weeds! The word 'scruffy' springs to mind.

Hoopla Stall

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7764159/Blackpool-hoopla-tourist-game-impossible-to-win-court-told.html

This is something I have been meaning to blog about for a while now. A few weeks back, I decided to take a detour along Blackpool's front. I mistakenly walked past one of the Hoopla stalls when a husky voice shouted 'Allright mate, where you from?' confronting me head on. I replied 'Sorry, no thank you, I am local', he muttered back in sheer ignorance repeating exactly what I had just said 'Uhhhh, sorry i'm local'. The cheek and rudeness of it.

Everyday, tourists old and new are harassed by these operators who mislead and pressure them offering varying incentives and free games to get them to part with their cash. Once taken in, they make it difficult for the player to leave. Those who say no, often fall victim of verbal abuse.

The stalls are total and utter tac and in my view do nothing but tarnish Blackpool's new image. It was not so long ago one stall made headlines in the local paper, some of you may remember this.

Two words... get rid!

McDonalds 'Ride Through' Rigby Road

Just walking by Rigby Road behind the football stadium this afternoon. I almost could not believe my eyes when I saw the above. I remember very well McDonald's staff refusing to serve me on a motorcycle a few years ago, since when were horses exempt? These riders clearly are a law above the rest.

ReBlackpool

Walking around the town, I found this web address on the fringe of a construction site rather interesting. Reblackpool.com gives a great insight into the ongoing urban regeneration in Blackpool. Their blog is well worth a look at too, the town has come a long way in just a few short years and there is a lot more to come yet. Have a read for yourself.

I made a detour to the promenade this afternoon, I could not resist the lure of the ocean breeze as I caught wisps of it inland. The new promenade looks fantastic with it's sleek curves, dual elevated walkways, it's a seascape engineering marvel. There is seating which form part of the seawalls, therefore no woodrot and no need for painting benches, the railings are made from a shiny and sleek aluminium, which will not rust like cast iron railings would. Overall it looks uplifted and spacious and blends well with the ongoing regeneration in Blackpool.

I look forward to it's completion and being able to stroll the full length, making a few stops along the way... for the odd my whippy and a bag of chips laced in salt and vinegar. Mmm, I am making myself hungry already.

This Season's Crop

If you are a bit of a forager like myself you have every reason to be excited this year. A nice walk around Marton Mere today, I took the chance to see how the wild fruit crops are fairing. The apple trees, pear trees and scrambles of blackberry canes are absolutely teeming with developing buds. It is a sure sign there is going to be a bumper crop of massive proportions this year. Best get hold of a demijohn, apple cider on the house this year I think.

Keep checking the blog, I will let you know when the fruit is ripe!

Local Produce

If you pop to the ASDA or Tesco's in Blackpool, you will see some seasonal delicacies on the shelves at the moment, British strawberries for example grown somewhere down south of England. Believe it or not, Blackpool might be a seaside tourist town, but it has a few agricultural power houses of it's own.

Just outside Blackpool in Kirkham, a well known farm produces some of the best strawberries I have ever tasted. Little alpine strawberries packed with a juicy sweet flavour to rival those much larger tart and tasteless 'Elsanta' varieties typically found in the supermarket. For just £1.50 a punnet, they can be found stocked at the little greengrocers on Whitegate Drive next to the Saddle Inn.

If you happen to like raspberries too, then head over to Booths. Picked fresh from Barrow & Son's nurseries less than a mile away from their nearest store, the taste is out of this world. Picked today, in store tomorrow.

Feel free to share your favourite local produce by leaving a comment.

Travel Out to Wrea Green

I am truly amazed at the little gems of places which can be found around Blackpool's outskirts. If you ever find yourself getting a little bored of the same old same old, it is worth knowing what else there is on your doorstep. A spontaneous drive outside the seaside walls, led me to stumble upon this little village just a few miles away 'Wrea Green'. Fylde is not really known for it's geography as such and it can be difficult pointing that old integral compass of yours in any direction other than toward the tower or Fleetwood estuary. Fylde is to say the least a bit on the flat side.

Wrea Green is a little Lancashire village located just off the A583 towards Preston. It looks like something out of heartbeat with it's black and white painted cast iron signage, a traditional post office telephone box, mews houses adorned with long-fronted gardens and several thatched cottages, the odd pub, and the place sits on the fringe of farmland and wood. In the centre of the village is a large lake like pond with it's own ducks, surrounding it a large well kept lawn with the occasional bench to take it all in. This is a place where you can let your mind drift, for just a while.

Dunes of Christmas Trees

I took my first trip to Blackpool's sand dunes today, very nice it was too. They seemed to stretch for miles and the panoramic views from the heighest peaks were worth the strenuous climb up. I could not however fathom for the life of me, why a large section of the beach was littered with old Christmas trees. I did eventually find the answer on a sign post pictured below below for your reading. What an ingenious but very simple idea, and an unseemingly useful end for the life of these felled trees.

"Golfing"

Feeling a little under the weather lately, thus not blogged for a while. An old friend of mine prompted me to write something, not knowing what to write about, and not knowing what to do with no money in Blackpool, I decided to take a stroll. Anyway, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, I stumbled upon an old pastime 'golfing', though not in the literal sense.

In my teens, I spent many a school holiday 'golfing'. I would either go it alone or bring a mate with me and out we would go searching for golf balls which we could knock out 50p each to this chap who owned an antiques store. What started out initially as a walk to Mere nature reserve, I ended up following a path which circumnavigates De Vere's golf course 'Herons Reach' and stumbled upon 10 gleaming white golf balls. Scattered intemittently along the public paths hedgegrows and rough grasses waiting for my retrieval, it was like finding treasure. I quite enjoyed the afternoon out just looking to see what could be found and enjoying the views across the greens. Seems I have found something to do when bored.

Wireless Blackpool

I parked up the other day in the town centre, went over to the meter to dauntingly pay and pickup my ticket to affix on the car window. Now there will be those who care to look on the reverse, and those who do not. More often than not though, there is usually some kind of coupon with discount admission off an attraction, the slogan which caught my attention this time was "Blackpool's FREE WiFi network is here!". Those net savvy readers checking out this post will know how expensive browsing the web can be on your 3G handset or using a PAYG hotspot such as BT openzone.

Well, I checked out the website, and true to their word it's free. Just look out for the Wireless logo pictured above at selected town centre restaurants, cafe's and venues next time you stop by for a coffee or lite bite. For a list of venues visit: http://www.wirelessblackpool.co.uk/

Sweet Smelling Tangerine

I started a new job this week, above is one of the factories in Blackpool which I walk by every morning on the way to work. Many locals will know of this building, though as I am not from Blackpool originally, I know nothing about Tangerine Confectionery other than the sweet smells which waft up my nostrils as I pass. The smells had left me a little intrigued to be honest so I decided I would do a little digging when I got home to find out the secrets behind those large tainted glass windows.

About Tangerine... they are the largest sugar confectionary manufacturer in Europe with a turnover of around £150,000,000 a year. It has seven production sites across the UK, with it's head office right here in Blackpool. The Blackpool site was originally built for manufacturing tiles, but switched to an altogether tastier product line when George Burton set up his 'Gold Medal Biscuit' production here in 1939. In 1967, a liquorice unit was introduced, and in 1995 the site closed off production of biscuits altogether and started producing confectionary in earnest making some of the nation's favourites, Allsorts, Dolly Mixture, Gums and Jellies.

Stanley Park Frozen Danger

"Kids Dicing With Death on Lake" this attention grabber was the headline in the Blackpool Gazette, Friday evening. Blackpool Council have also issued an urgent warning making the following announcement on their website...

"Young people in Blackpool may be enjoying time off school as a result of the snow but they are putting their lives at risk by ignoring safety around ponds and lakes of ice.

Stanley Park rangers are very concerned to see that some people have been playing in the middle of the frozen Stanley Park Lake. Although the lake is completely frozen the ice is very thin and could crack at any time, especially as the day warms up and ice begins to thaw.

Martyn Day, park ranger at the park said: "We have been moving children off the lake when we see them but as soon as our backs are turned they are back on the ice. They are dicing with death as one wrong move could see them fall through. I am very surprised that so many people are not aware of the dangers. I even saw one man try to cycle across the lake."

Councillor Tony Williams added: "Snow is a lot of fun for young people and there is nothing wrong with enjoying it. However it shocks me that they would risk their lives playing somewhere so dangerous. It is difficult to occupy children when they are unexpectedly off school and even harder if parents still have to go in to work but I would urge parents to make sure they know where their children are and keep them away from dangerous areas."

The advice from the park rangers is to stay away from the ice altogether and do not attempt to cross it. Rangers are now making regular patrols of the lake."

Stanley Park Sports Centre

The new year has begun and already I have taken the first step toward making that resolution I promised myself. I popped down to Stanley Park sports centre earlier this morning to enroll and have my induction. I have to say I was very impressed.

A friendly member of staff showed me around their state of the art gym facilities which included a suite of intelligent exercise devices. First off I was shown how to use the treadmill. Members log on with their own user credentials via the computer interface located at the front, it was teaming with information i.e. how far you have run, how many calories you have burnt, adjustment options for speed and incline, you could even watch TV with the built in tuner or listen to music if you prefer. I was quite literally, amazed by it all and cannot wait to go next.

At just under £30.00 per month, this represents tremendous value for money, the direct debit option comes inclusive of classes and swim. If you don't want to be tied down, then their is the pay as you go option.

This is a superb facility for the people of Blackpool, why not check it out sometime.

Blackpool Allotments

Reading a recent copy of the local Gazette, this reader gave his thoughts on the allotment situation in Blackpool. "Inspirational allotments - Ever since watching River Cottage on TV, I have been inspired to 'grow my own', surprisingly enough at the unlikely age of 25. For the past year I've been growing in small pots, I recently decided to apply to several allotments in the area. I was saddened by the long waiting lists of anything between three and four years. Blackpool clearly has a shortage of plots. There are many benefits which come with this pastime. It gets people outside enjoying nature, exercise, gives a sense of achievement, well-being, reduces stress and is great for the community. Just a simple addition of more plots or allotment sites would give so much to Blackpool. Think of them as outdoor community centres, no bricks needed! name and address supplied."

Good on the boy I say, this is the day and age of couch potatoes and youths sitting down watching television with their 'tv dinners' or playing their computer games in what I perceive as very unhealthy and unsociable lifestyles which does little to promote cohesion within our local communities or society as a whole. It is good to hear this young man describes taking his interest 'at the unlikely age of 25' by growing his own but does not have enough space. I too have to agree with him that I am saddened to hear of waiting lists of up to 3 years across most of Blackpool's allotments.

I think there is something here which Blackpool could build on further, it could become a leader in promoting good healthy lifestyles and has already demonstrated that it is committed to doing so. The town recently deployed a 'Pay as you Go' cycle scheme which is great for visitors and locals alike, hubs are located at key points across the resort. It has fantastic sports facilities and a spectacular lengthy promenade, the beautiful Stanley Park Gardens and Marton Mere wildlife sanctuary. Why not add to that list and give the people of Blackpool the opportunity to grow their own and encourage people of all ages within it's communities to get stuck in. The health benefits from this pastime are great and like the land itself should be reaped. Scattered across the town there are many overgrown and unused spaces which could be used, so why do we not do something about the shortage of plots, 3 years waiting lists say there is clearly a call for it!

In my opinion, one of the best chippy's I know...

For those who live in Blackpool, when you think of where to go for a good old traditional British takeout and you want the best, a few places might spring to mind. Award winners such as Harry Ramsden's, The Cottage or even your own local down the end of the street? If you can overcome the hype and fame, or "thats where we have always gone too", then there is an absolute gem of a fish & chip shop I discovered quite recently that you should all know about 'Preston Old Road Chippy', which coincidentally enough, it is located on Preston Old Road.

It may look plain on the outside and plain on the inside, but do not be deceived by looks. Preston Old Road Chippy is run by a very hard working chinese couple who run an impeccable fish & chip shop service for the communities of Marton. I have tried some of these award winning fish and chip shop chips, and frankly I do not know what the hype is about sometimes.

In my opinion, Preston Old Road Chippy have mastered the fine art of the humble British potato chip, deeply fried and ripened to perfection, slightly moist and perfectly tasty. An 80p side portion is plenty for two and at a push even 3 which represents tremendous value for money. A large fish will set you back at just £2.30, I don't think you can even buy and cook it yourself for that. If you want a healthy option, a smaller fish is available for just £1.80. No quality is spared and you can expect to find old favourites such as 'Hollands' pies plus all the usual fish & chip shop condiments such as mushy peas, chip shop gravy and a few alternatives for the more discerning customer. Once you have put your order in, you won't be waiting long.

Give it a try sometime, don't just take my word for it.

Marton Mere

Up until quite recently, I took my first walk around Marton Mere, a tranquil refuge on Blackpool's urban fringe. It is an important conservation area which is nationally recognised as a site of special scientific interest for its bird populations, but also supports a variety of other nationally important species such as dragonflies, butterflies, bats and orchids. It is equally a quiet recreation area and environmental education centre for schools.

The site was formerley Blackpool Corporation's rubbish tip, today it is described as a biodiversity hot spot with a diversity of habitats including open water, reed beds, grassland as well as pockets of woodland and scrub. Visitors and locals alike can enjoy the area through the designated footpaths around the site and visiting numerous bird watching hides.

It is also a great place for foragers, here you will find plenty of free pickings. At the right times of year there is an abundance of apples, pears, blackberries and elderberries in the brush. Let us know if you find anything exciting.

A few facts: Blackpool Tower

A few facts... Blackpool Tower was opened on the 14th May 1894. It's design and structure was inspired by that of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. This Grade 1 listed building stands 158m (518ft 9") half that of the Eiffel Tower, and can be seen as far as 30 miles away.

The top of the tower is home to Britain's highest royal mail post box. Maintenance access is by 563 steps from roof to the top of the tower. There are 5 miles of cables which feed 10,000 light bulbs which are used to illuminate the tower. 2,500 tonnes of iron, 93 tonnes of cast steel and 5,000,000 bricks were used to construct the lower buildings and tower. The cast steel and iron are distributed in such a way that if it did ever collapse it would fall into the sea.

Stanley Park

It has been a good year or so since I visited Stanley Park last, the regeneration work there is still ongoing and coming along very nicely. Blackpool has much to be proud of, the flower displays are a real showcase, it is little things like this which make a difference. I know locals like to go to Stanley Park as much as visitors do, but good flower displays are a good sign that Blackpool is taking tourism seriously. You would be surprised looking around at other seaside towns which let themselves down for the simple reason of saving a few quid, landscaping out the flower beds for more low maintenance alternatives, we should consider ourselves lucky.

Another thing I noticed was that Stanley Park Cafe appeared to have been taken over? The last time I stopped by there for my usual hot chocolate, sandwich and a cake, there was notices of do's and dont's plastered all over the walls, staff were talked down to, photographs of the proprietors were affixed like a shrine, it made you feel most uncomfortable. This all appears to have changed, in my humble opinion it is still as expensive as before, but there is more choice on the menu.

I will have to make more of an effort and visit the park more often, it is truly beautiful all year round and each and every season is different. The park is very family friendly and there is always something to see. It is well worth mentioning bring some bread with you for the ducks or some nuts for the squirrels which are very tame.

Blackpool Arts and Culture

I am somewhat impressed by the regeneration which has been undergoing some years now in Blackpool. The town is progressively cleaning up it's act toning down it's 'kiss me quick' image, adopting a more upmarket and cosmopolitan approach. By building upon it's staple attractions, Blackpool is becoming a town which caters for people from all walks of life, be it romantic couples, families, tram enthusiasts, thrill seekers and to add to the list art lovers.

I particularly like the way in which it is capturing 'art and culture', for those who have visited the promenade will see there is now a whole section with modern sculptures, a wind funnel and even the world's largest disco ball on display, it is quite a spectacle too. Without any music you can happily sit back on a warm or mild evening and tranquilly pass time soothed by the light display it creates.

I will write some more on this as the blog progresses...

Introduction to Blog Blackpool

As this is my first post, I would like to introduce you to 'Blog Blackpool'. A blog setup by local individual who shall remain anonymous for it's entirety.

The blog will cover a wide array of local subjects from recreational pastimes to local politics and even giving a bit of praise where due. Articles will be of my own personal experiences or general knowledge, I will also give the opportunity for members and readers to come forward and have their say about anything published here in confidence.