In pictures: 135 years of Blackpool Winter Gardens
- Published
Blackpool's Winter Gardens is holding an open day offering the public backstage access to the famous venue for the first time.
To celebrate its 135th anniversary, visitors can go behind the scenes throughout the complex of buildings that are home to theatres, ballrooms, exhibition halls and public spaces.
The Grade II* listed Winter Gardens first opened to the public on 11 July 1878, with a ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor of London and mayors and mayoresses from 68 towns throughout the country.
The original opera house was named Her Majesty's Opera House. It was completed in 1889, at a cost of £9,098, and was designed by the theatre architect Frank Matcham, who also designed Blackpool's Grand Theatre and the Tower Ballroom.
Hollywood stars such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Bob Hope have all graced the Opera House stage and more recently Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Peter Kay and Will Young have performed there.
At the end of 1934, the Empress Ballroom was re-floored with 10,000 pieces of oak, mahogany, walnut and greenwood.
The Royal Variety Performance in the presence of the Queen was held in December 2009 with a cast including Bette Midler, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Buble and Peter Kay.
The Winter Gardens has also hosted political party conferences, the World Matchplay darts tournament, punk festivals and the annual British Homing World Show of the Year, Europe's largest pigeon fair.
- Published7 October 2013
- Published19 January 2013