Blackpool Tower Ballroom floor brought back to 'phenomenal' best

The restoration added to "the ballroom's wow factor", the man who led the work said

One of the world's most famous dancefloors has received its first extensive restoration in more than three decades to bring it back to its "phenomenal" best.

Three weeks of work at Blackpool Tower Ballroom has seen experts break down more than 100 layers of lacquer before sanding and resealing its floor.

It follows a £1.1m revamp of the ballroom during the Covid-19 lockdown.

General manager Kenny Mew said the work had delivered "unbelievable results".

Mr Mew said stripping the floor back to its original state was "something we have been wanting to do for a long time"

The floor, which has welcomed thousands of dancers and several series of the BBC's ballroom extravaganza Strictly Come Dancing over the years, is made up of more than 30,000 individual blocks of oak, mahogany and walnut.

Mike Philbin, who led the restoration, said it had been a "real honour" to work on "one of the most famous dancefloors in the world".

He said the job had been challenging, but the end result was "phenomenal... and regular ballroom dancers will really notice the difference".

"Visually, it looks incredible and only adds to the ballroom's wow factor," he added.

The ballroom has hosted several episodes of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing over the years

Mr Mew said stripping the floor back to its original state was "something we have been wanting to do for a long time".

He said he was now looking forward to "welcoming back our regulars" when the ballroom reopens on Tuesday and could not wait see the dancefloor "full and bustling again".

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