| Blackpool's Famous Golden Mile |
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The Golden Mile is the somewhat romantic name for the string of
amusement arcades and other attractions along a stretch of the sea front (slightly less than an
actual mile) between the Central and North Piers.
The Golden Mile grew when owners of properties along this stretch of Blackpool's seafront
either opened or let stalls selling rock, seafood and sheet music. This quickly grew into
freak shows (real and faked), amusement arcades and waxworks. |
| Actually behind the Golden Mile is the Coronation Rock Company's
shop. Blackpool-made rock - sticks of candy made by stretching and rolling the candy whilst
still warm, is sold throughout the UK.
Most sticks of rock have the name "Blackpool" (or whichever
resort they are sold in) lettered through the length of the stick. The letters are made approx
four inches by 2 inches and are shrunk to a tiny fraction of this size as the rock is stretched
and rolled out. |
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Stalls selling Blackpool rock are to be found all over Blackpool and when on the
Promenade one is never far away!
Some idea of the selection of shapes and flavours can be gained from this photo. Apart from
rock sticks, jars of rock nuggets, novelty shapes to look like bacon and eggs, baby's dummies
etc., giant lollipops and many other items can be found. |
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Coral Island opened on schedule in 1978 and had a Las Vegas style frontage, colourfully illuminated at night.
The photograph on the right shows the South Entrance in 1998. |
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| The Sea Life Centre offers the visitor eye-to-eye contact with sharks from a reinforced glass tunnel through the shark tank. It is housed in a former two-storey amusement arcade that boasted a dodgem car ride on
the second floor. This arcade was one of the first of the large arcades to be built. The
Golden Mile was originally a string of stalls and side shows. The Spider Woman, the
two-headed 9 foot tall monster, mermaids etc were all part of the fun.
For a look at Blackpool in the 1930s, try to catch the Gracie Fields film, "Sing As We Go", which was filmed in Blackpool and includes the secret behind the Spider Woman! |
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The cream tiling of Blackpool circa 1930s is to be found here and there. Many
buildings at that time were built with the same finish. At one time a fairy grotto, the
building seen here now houses a host of amusement machines. Daleks once frightened children
in the basement one of several Dr Who exhibitions in England.
To the left is Louis Tussaud's Waxworks, named after a relative of Madame Tussaud. |
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