What happened to the Blackpool Nightlife?

Dixieland NightClub on Central Pier was always busy in the season.

Young visitors used to fill the town during the illumination weekends.
It was like a tradition handed down.
And the illuminations were just a smokescreen for a weekend drinking binge in Blackpool.

Doesn't seem to happen anymore.
 
Last edited:
Sven said:
I’m in my mid 30s and Blackpool was brilliant when I was young with the syndicate, sanuk, Jenx etc. we had some great times and would be out Thursday to Sunday most weeks. It wasn’t the heyday of Blackpool but it was a brilliant place to start going out.

We also had bands like the White Stripes,
Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, the Strokes at the Empress ballroom. They were massive bands at the time and how many people get them playing in their town?

A lot of people will argue their era was the best because they were young and having a great time, then things change, you get older and nothing seems as good. It’s part of growing up and eventually becoming a grumpy old bastard.

I’m sure kids of today will have their places too. I’m rarely in Blackpool these days but there seems to be plenty of new places popping up and it’s more diverse than it used to be. We went in a lovely wine bar last time we were there, there was nothing like that when I was going out.

There’s been a change in drinking habits too, I’ve got a 23 year old brother and a 19 year old sister and their habits are very different to what mine were at a similar age. They seem a lot more health conscious and go out for food more, they don’t hit it hard as we used to.
Click to expand...
It will have been busier when the club scene was going, the Syndicate held 4k and they came from all over just for that.

I havent been out in Blackpool for ages but from all accounts it's still busy and it's a different type of scene these days.

Seems it's doing pretty well for this day and age in comparison to others.
 
Times have changed, I was living in Blackpool in the early 80’s and it was buzzing. There were 4 TV channels, no computer games, no internet so it was completely different then.

I lived round the corner from the Saddle and I used to go out most nights of the week with my next door neighbour for the last hour either there or the Boars Head. I used to go clubbing on a weekend, Addison’s, Trader Jacks, 007, Sands, later in the decade the Star was my regular Saturday night venue. I remember going out midweek when the clubs had 10p a pint nights too.

I used to play football off Highfield Road on a Tuesday evening and go for a drink after, I played Sunday afternoons on Stanley Park and went to see BFC home and away and watch every Seagulls ice hockey home game too. I have no idea how I afforded it but was never in debt.

Now technology has taken over, young people’s lives are very different to back then. I’m sure Blackpool has a thriving night life still but it will be completely different to 40 years ago and it will be completely different again in another 40. All I can say is I had an absolute blast back then and they will be happy memories I will never forget.
 
Sooty59 said:

What went wrong with the Blackpool Nightlife? Short answer we all got old!​

Where do I start 😂 😂 In the 70's & 80's everybody (well most) people went to the pubs on a regular basis & there were hundreds of them to choose from. Nobody was that bothered about units of alcohol, smoking or anything else really. People drank far to much & drove home (don't forget pre breathalyser you only had to be able to walk a straight line) It was very common to go to the pub at dinnertime when at work & was accepted unless you were absolutely pissed as a fart. Then some people drove later that night to town got pissed went to a club & even drove back home after all that. Things started to change over the next 20 years & people started to get more health conscious & plod got more effective in arresting drunk drivers! Things continued to change as the pub culture started to fade & places started going bust & closing, the smoking ban accelerated this, along with people being more aware of too much of anything doesn't do you much good. Why back in the day did we pay high prices to go into night clubs? well I can only really say it was to chase women in my case & I never drove. Today as far as I can see these matters are carried out mainly online, bloody hell in 1970/80 if someone actually signed up with a dating agency it was probably because they were fat bald with acne, halitosis, piles & a Reliant Robin. Times change & from what my kids have told me & the grandkids clubs still exist as I'm aware of & they still get wankered to the Nth degree but after all that most youngsters seem to start relationships on social media, that's the big difference as I see it. I've not been in a nightclub in over 20 years & I doubt I'll ever go to one again. Unless they'll allow the dog in 😂
Click to expand...
nailed it
 
Wouldn't dream of going on a night out in Blackpool now but that's probably my age. Maybe a pub crawl on the front from the Pleasure Beach.

Used to be brilliant. Used to do Heaven and Hell every Thursday and then Insomnia (topping street) to bust some moves to Trance music and drink water.
 
I’ve just read through a thread off here from 2020, called Old Nightclubs, sorry, too much of a technophobe to work out the link.
Some good memories on there, too.
I think it’s Poolsider telling a story of pulling in Stix before he’d even reached the bar! 😂😂
Now that place was a dive - I got pulled by a (female) wrestler in there, I say pulled, I think nowadays they’d say abducted!
😮
 
Just to deviate, who remembers the dog track at Rigby road?
Used to go with work colleagues for occasions, then for food afterwards by the track ( I think it was).
 
tangerine.com said:
Just to deviate, who remembers the dog track at Rigby road?
Used to go with work colleagues for occasions, then for food afterwards by the track ( I think it was).
Click to expand...
that was the old rugby club/dog race track? I’ve already mentioned Stix, or am I still tripping? 😂😂
 
Matesrates said:
Worked at the Lemon Tree on weekends, fights every night, we, the bar staff were security as well and had broken chair legs behind the bar, they came out regularly.
Click to expand...
I’m shocked, Mates.I thought you were a nice old fella! I apologies for anything I might have said recently! 😂😂😂
 
I think a lot have missed another massive point aswell. It's so bloody expensive. Blackpool in the 90s was brilliant I agree but full of trouble. As a manc we had to watch our back and not only in the flying handbag. Lol. I had a blow out a few Saturdays ago and had a great time in walkabout black pug soul suite. But went out with £300 woke up steaming still about 11am with £4 in my pocket. But like I say had a great time and all the young ones seemed very respectful. Even got offered some free cocaine in a beer garden I won't mention the pub but I refused. But fair play Blackpool is still a great night out. Not as good as Manchester but not far behind.
 
Remember going to the Mariners at Norbreck before and after its refurbishment in the 80s. Great times. It was always cyclical when a bar was modernized, busy for a couple of years until the next bar was done up.
 
Had some great nights in the Mariners, bit too far out to go regularly as a cab ride into town was extortionate £3😂. First clubs I went to were, Calypso, Traders, Adam and Eve and Mardi Gras in early 80's and last one was The Flamingo about 4 years ago. Inbetween those years most probs every other club in town and surrounding areas, wish I had took it a bit easier with the drinking but deep down wouldnt change a thing of my past. Great times with great friends.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top