History

Blackpool is without a doubt the premier seaside destination in the UK with millions of holidaymakers visiting every year, however it’s easy to overlook the fact that this is a relatively new town in relation to the history of these islands. 

Indeed, until the mid eighteenth century, Blackpool was a tiny insignificant hamlet and it only became a fashionable destination later in the 1700s when visitors began to arrive in order to partake in sea bathing which had become popular for health reasons. Several hotels had opened to cater for the increase in visitor numbers by 1781 and in 1846 the railway reached the town, thus enabling many more visitors to enjoy the sea air.

Throughout the nineteenth century, Blackpool grew in size from a small town to a major seaside resort with the three piers and many of the current attractions such as the Blackpool Tower opening by the end of the century.

By the middle of the twentieth century the population of Blackpool reached 147,000 and while this has declined in recent decades, the town is still one of the largest in Lancashire and continues to be a hugely popular seaside resort.

In the late 20th Century, the availability of low-cost foreign holidays had a significant impact on the visitor numbers at Blackpool and the town experienced a downturn in fortunes, however in recent years this trend has been reversed and the resort is enjoying something of a boom right now. 

Today, Blackpool is once again a thriving seaside destination with a large amount of inward investment and ever popular attractions such as the Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Tower, SEALIFE Blackpool and the Blackpool Illuminations which draws in thousands of extra visitors during the winter months.