History of Blackpool Central Pier

Blackpool Central Pier is the one with the Big Wheel and fairground rides. But do you wonder about its past? Take a ride in our time machine and explore the history of Blackpool Central Pier.

Designed to be a place of fun, in the early days that meant dancing and steamer trips. Modern amusements and rides arrived much later.

We went for a walk around Central Pier in autumn 2020. Take a look –

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The History of Blackpool Central Pier

Local historian Nick Moore has collected together information about all of the history of Blackpool. Have a look at his free to access online resource ‘History of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast’. Nick’s very kindly provided the following information about the history of Central Pier.

On 30 May 1868, The South Pier Jetty Company opened what we know as Central Pier, with the name ‘South Jetty’.

It was the success of Blackpool North Pier which encouraged the formation of the Blackpool South Jetty Company.

The new development obviously caused raised eyebrows in the town! And because of his support for the new pier, Major Preston’s name was rapidly erased from the foundation stone of nearby North Pier! And there was no public opening ceremony.

When built, South Jetty was 1118 feet long, with an entrance hall, two shops, several kiosks, and a pier head lounge. It’s now 1,112 feet long (or 339 metres), shorter than it was when it originally opened. The 120 extra metres of landing jetty was used at low tide by Steamboats. Excursions once left from here, just as they did from North Pier (more about that below).

The People’s Pier

The pier was unsuccessful at first, but in 1870 Robert Bickerstaff introduced steamer trips and open air dancing on the pier head. It soon became known affectionately as the “People’s Pier”.

A new tollhouse appeared at the entrance in 1878. On the pier itself were shops occupied by photographers, confectioners and fancy dealers. Plus a floor for dancing, and refreshment rooms.

From 1878, the Central Pier Company’s steamers “Wellington” and “Nelson” ran to Southport, Llandudno, Lytham, Barrow, Peel and some other places.

More interesting information about the Blackpool Excursion Steamers

By 1888, Central Pier was featuring Professor Taylor “eating, smoking, and writing underwater” and acts such as the “White Coons”. Pierrots were first seen on the pier in 1907. Adeler and Sutton were succeeded by Fred Allendale’s Premier Pierrots, then in 1922 by Wylie-Tate’s Super Pierrots.

A 400-foot long iron pier extension for the steamer boats replaced the old wooden jetty in 1891. You can see the extension in the next photo, taken in 1920.

A central dancing platform was added, which was to became an open-air theatre in 1949. The steamer jetty washed away much later, in 1964.

A Change of Name

In 1893 Blackpool’s third Pier, South Pier, opened. ‘South Jetty’ was renamed Central Pier to avoid confusion and it’s been called that ever since.

Here’s another familiar name for anyone interested in Blackpool’s history – Robert Bickerstaffe. He was the first manager of Central Pier and also coxswain of the first Blackpool lifeboat. He’s remembered in the redevelopment of Bickerstaffe Square (the area around Sainsbury’s) at Talbot Road and the Council offices (Bickerstaffe House).

In 1903, the eastern-style White Pavilion was added at the landward end of the pier, later demolished in 1966.

Changing History of Central Pier

• The Electric Grotto Railway was built by Messrs. Meinhardt in 1904, but it was removed following objections from the Corporation in 1907: the building housing it was retained.
• In 1909, the pier unveiled its “Rollerator” ride, an innovative mix of skating and switchback. It still kept its own Roller Skating Rink however.
• The Joy Wheel opened in 1911, with speed boats and racing car rides following in 1920.
• In 1913, a suspected Suffragette bomb was discovered on the pier, just before a visit by the King and Queen.
• Redman’s Café was opened on the pier on the 1st of December 1914, after the original premises had been converted into the Church of England Temporary Social Club for Soldiers on the 27th of November.
• In 1932, an “Automatic Chip Dispenser” was unveiled on Central Pier. Along with a new photograph booth, and a guess-your-weight machine.
• In 1945, the pier mounted a display showing a V1 and a V2 rocket which had been dropped on London. It cost 6d to enter. The pier later displayed a replica German U-Boat conning tower.

Arriving by Train

Central Pier was also close to the site of the long closed Blackpool Central Railway station.

From the pier you’d have crossed the tramway and promenade, walked a little way along Chapel Street (the road heading to the Courts and former police station) and there was Central Station, on your left.

Tens of thousands of holiday makers arrived there every year and spilled out of the trains for a day at the coast. Now, plans are unfolding to redevelop the Central Station site once again.

An age of modern entertainment

In 1949 an open-air theatre was created. The theatre at the beach-end continued to have shows. Morecambe and Wise topped the bill in “Let’s Have Fun”.

Peter Webster first appeared at the open-air theatre on Central Pier in 1951, playing to 1,000 people twice daily – mainly children. “Uncle” Peter Webster went on to star in over 5000 shows.

In 1965, the Circlorama Cavalcade 360 degree cinema appeared on Central Pier. It had been backed with cash from Harry Talbot de Vere Clifton after the success of the London original, made by the firm of Harkness Ltd. When the London show closed, it was erected on the end of the pier ready for the summer season. It was a total failure, as it kept breaking down due to the salt air. At the end the season it was dismantled and removed/reassembled in Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall.

New Amusement Arcade and a New Theatre

The Central Pier Theatre was demolished in October 1966. Now, the building at the front of the pier was rebuilt, to house the Golden Goose Amusement Arcade. A new theatre was also built on the site of the old dance floor, opening in 1967.

In 1967, the Dixieland Palace replaced Central Pier pavilion, above the Golden Goose Arcade on 31st May. It had the “official biggest bar service” in Britain. The pier head’s open-air dance floors became the New Theatre, dancing was moved to the White Pavilion, and the Venetian Bar was opened in the centre, to cater for both public and the pier’s theatre artistes.

The Dixieland Showbar opened in 1968 along with the Golden Goose amusement arcade. The Dixieland had its own Golden Fry Restaurant – specialising in “chips in a basket”. Further out, before the theatre, was the Venetian Bar – frequented by performers during intervals. Fire destroyed the Dixieland on the 22nd of September 1973, but it was soon reopened.

The Golden Age of Central Pier

Dixieland was refurbished in June 1986, becoming Maggie May’s Showbar. Linda Nolan played nine consecutive summer seasons there, following this with two summer seasons on South Pier. Maggie May’s was later renamed “Peggy Sue’s Showboat” and then “Legends”.

• The jetty at the end of the pier was removed at the end of 1975, the low water jetty already having been demolished in 1968.
• On February 24 1979, a security guard was on the pier doing his rounds and reported seeing a UFO. “A ball of orange light rushed past with a roaring noise, leaving a lingering smell of ozone”. The Ministry of Defence was notified, deciding to take no action.
• Cinema 180 opened on Central Pier in 1979. By 1981 it had changed into Cinema USA, and by 1983 to Cinema 3D. It was housed on the centre of the pier in a giant geodesic dome.
• Oz nightclub opened on the pier in 1989. It changed to Sequins in November 1990, then Legends Showbar, Club 1-11, and finally, to Wicked.

More Old Blackpool Photos

Love old photos? You’ll enjoy our ‘Old Blackpool’ Pinterest Board. When we find any interesting historic photos around the internet, we pin them here.

Recent Chapters in the History of Central Pier

Still as popular today as it ever was, Central Pier is now known as the one with the fairground rides. It’s a heady jumble of sights, sounds and smells, where loud music mixes with seagulls, and candyfloss with sea air.

The Big Wheel

The Big Wheel opened on Central Pier on 13 April 1990.

It’s 108 feet high, holding up to 216 people in 26 carriages. Burton’s Wagon Wheels were the original sponsors.

At the same time, the Wheel House Bar and Disco, and the Super Waltzer also opened.

Maintaining the Big Wheel on Central Pier

It’s a familiar landmark on Blackpool seafront. But, standing over the sea and beach, the Big Wheel is very exposed to the weather. So it’s taken to pieces every few years, cleaned, inspected, maintained and replaced, to turn again for another season.

It’s quite a strange site when it’s dismantled. The circumference disappears bit by bit, until all that’s left is the frame of the legs that hold it up.

The local starlings love the Big Wheel though! It’s one of their perches for the thousands and thousands of them that fly in Blackpool’s famous starling murmurations each year.

No doubt there will be many more chapters to unfold in the history of Central Pier over the years to come.

• Take a look around the Central Pier of today

Fire at Central Pier

At 3am on the morning of Friday 17 July 2020, a fire broke out in a workshop at Central Pier.

• There’s more about the fire, and photos of it, here

Thankfully, fire crews managed to put it out quite quickly. It wasn’t as bad as it might have been. We went to take a look a few days later –

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Watch our walk-around video at the top of this page and you’ll see that the fire damage wasn’t anywhere as bad as it might have been!

While you’re here…

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