Pleasure Beach Blackpool is offering wristbands for just £22 when booked online, from this Friday to August 31st.

Now visitors can explore the new attractions of Nickelodeon Land, bask (hopefully) in the sun next to the Spectacular Dancing Water Show and ride the UK’s biggest coaster, the Big One, for just £22. That is a saving of £10 for adults and a further saving of £5 for juniors. The adult gate price is £32.

Pleasure Beach also welcomes back Hot Ice, dubbed as ‘Spectacular dancing on ice’, at the Pleasure Beach Arena, from July 6th. Matinee performances are just £5 with a wristband or Pleasure Beach Pass. Visitors can pay just £10 for an evening ticket.

If visitors do not wish to ride the crazy coasters, then a £5 Pleasure Beach Pass is also available, as unlike most theme parks, not everyone has to pay full price if they do not wish to ride.

For June only, Nickelodeon Land Wristbands are just £18, they can be booked online at Pleasurebeachresort.com or at the ticket centre, located on the ground floor of the Casino building.

Nickelodeon Land is a new £10.3million 6 acre site at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, which used to be the area home to Beaver Creek, it features 9 new rides and all the Nickelodeon characters.

So what do you think, is this value for money?

NEW Blackpool hoteliers Dave and Debbie Mifsud found they got the perfect welcome to the town when they visited a recent hospitality trade show in the resort.

For the couple threw their business card in for a raffle at the stand of Fleetwood accountants Jones Harris at the Lancashire Hotel, Catering and Hospitality Show in the Winter Gardens.

And they were delighted when their name was pulled out of the hat first, earning them a box of truffles and champagne from Harrods, as well as a large Easter bunny soft toy.

Dave and Debbie moved to the town from Swindon in January to take over the Chimes Hotel on the Promenade.

Debbie said:

“I’m delighted because I never normally win anything.”

It was only a chance visit to the resort which led to the life-changing move north.

Dave worked in the building industry and Debbie ran a cafe owned by the couple, but with the building trade suffering and business in the cafe quiet, they were invited to visit some friends for a short holiday in Blackpool to escape their problems.

Debbie explained:

“It was only after that visit that we started to think about taking on a hotel here. Neither of us knew much about the area but when the opportunity came up to take over the Chimes, then it seemed to good to miss.”

After spending most of their early part of the year sorting out problems with booking agencies, the couple are now keeping their fingers crossed for a warm summer and busy season.

Debbie is pictured receiving her prizes from Jim Baker of Jones Harris and Joanne Walmsley of the North West Business Support Centre.

Jim Baker and Joanne Walmsley present the champagne to Debbie Mifsud

FOR ANY fan of the classic Monty Python sketches, going to see Spamalot – Eric Idle’s musical reworking of the original Monty Python and The Holy Grail – is a test of comedic faith. But with the posters declaring the show to be winner of the Tony Award’s Best Musical, there ought to be nothing to worry about…

Spamalot has been from Broadway to London’s West End, and now to Blackpool where it plays at The Grand Theatre until Saturday. It is a particularly poignant moment for Jodie Prenger (winner of I’d Do Anything) whose performance as the Lady of the Lake marks her homecoming to the seaside resort. Alongside Phil Jupitus, as King Arthur, she shone in a truly entertaining and vocally spot on parody of the diva role – perhaps something of which she has had personal experience of late? Jupitus meanwhile clearly enjoyed his role as the King of the Britons and embodied the essence of foolhardy naivety characterised by Graham Chapman in the original film. What is more, the on-stage relationship between the two was charged by laughs and silliness and comedic timing – something which simply can not be taught.

The Knights of the Round Table were also well-suited for the performance, including Todd Carty – aka Eastenders’ Mark Fowler – as a near-brilliant match for Terry Gilliam’s Patsy. Several of the actors, such as David Langham and his hilarious knock-kneed dancing, as the effeminate Prince Herbert, clearly have an innate Python-esque spirit, and were able to give credence to a lot of the ‘new’ material. It is partly this casting which in a sense saved the show from what I had feared it might be: a mere re-enacting of The Holy Grail on stage. At first it took me a while to settle down and become comfortable with seeing familiar sketches performed by the wrong people; the skits always played out slightly different in my memories.

But while the stage show embodies the major scenes of the film, such as the Knights who say ‘Ni’ and the French castle scene, there is also a lot of ‘new’ storyline that holds the attention of the weariest of Python fans. And added to that, even more new musical material, with the birth of anticipated classics such as Find Your Grail, He Is Not Dead Yet and The Diva’s Lament, which sees Prenger’s wonderfully over the top self-pitying at her diminishing part. However, it is fair to say these aren’t a patch on the compositions of the original group. Nevertheless, some of the favourite songs were there, including Knights of the Round Table, Brave Sir Robin and, of course, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. And, with a running time of only two hours, there is no need to worry about the show exhausting itself.

This is not, as I feared, brilliant comedy performed by amateurs, instead the original film concept has been reworked: it is a new spoof in itself, tackling the musical genre and the film from which it came. A lot of the show has been modernised and brought into the 21^st century, so while it still probably appeals to the sillier of the Python fans, it also does well to reach out to those who have no previous knowledge of Monty Python, as well teenagers and older children. This is a show to go to lightly, without trying to match the performance you see on stage with that of the original. If you want laughs a-plenty and a celebration of good old British traditions of cross-dressing, rude jokes and nonsensical humour, then look no further than the Grand Theatre for the rest of the week.

Monty Python’s Spamalot

Grand Theatre, Church Street, Blackpool, FY1 1HT

Monday 18 – Saturday 23 April 2011

Performances 7.30 pm evenings and 2.00 pm Thursday and Saturday matinees.

Tickets from £17.50

For more information see www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk or contact the venue on 01253 290190

FYLDE Coast businesses went head-to-head to in a battle of the brains and helped raise more than £3,500 for charity.

Twenty-two teams took part in a charity quiz organised by Fleetwood accountants Jones Harris at the port’s North Euston Hotel – and it was the hotel’s own team that triumphed.

But more importantly, the event raised £2,183 on the night and, with Barclays Bank also contributing a further £1,500, then a cheque for £3,683 will be winging its way to the chosen charity.

A raffle held on the night helped contribute to the total, while sealed bids were also taken for a number of items of sporting memorabilia, including a signed Manchester United football.

Jane Craig, tax manager at Jones Harris, explained that the North West Motor Neurone Disease Association was chosen after her brother-in-law Graham Egan was diagnosed with the disease last May and sadly died in December. She said:

“On a personal level I am totally overwhelmed. The association gave fantastic support to my sister Claire, 11-year-old niece Molly and all the family and continue to do so. A couple of representatives from the association attended on the night and were thrilled with the amount raised.”

BLACKPOOL OPERATIC Players stage the hit musical Guys and Dolls at the Blackpool Grand Theatre until Saturday, including the best-loved songs Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat and Luck Be A Lady Tonight.

Set in 1940s New York City, ­­­­­­the clownish Nathan Detroit is desperately trying to find the perfect venue to stage his next floating craps game, without the authorities or his adoring fiancé Adelaide finding out.  In the meantime local gambling hotshot Sky Masterson is passing through on his way to Havana. In a bid to secure the $1000 deposit needed for the venue of his choice, Nathan proposes a bet that Sky can not take the renowned Save-a-Soul missionary Sarah Brown, on his travels with him. What follows is a show about the fallibility of human nature and the two-way dependency of men and women.

The performance was visually very engaging, with dazzlingly bright costumes and set, and the dancing living up to the glamour of the 1940s music hall. Some of the choreography was at times a bit ambitious and the cast could have benefited from using a little superglue on their hats! Yet the vocals were excellent and well-suited to the stage, as one might expect from an operatic group. They were near enough pitch-perfect with the characters Adelaide and Sky as some of the best performers on the night.

One thing that is certain, the cast put their all into the performance, which was a times very impressive for an amateur dramatics group. However, a tendency to stumble on lines and break out of accent risked being a little distracting. There’s a lot of fun to be had with a musical like Guys and Dolls, which I am sure the Players are beginning to realise as they relax into their roles. Overall the Blackpool Operatic Players made an excellent go of an otherwise demanding and difficult musical to pull off, and nowhere was that more evident than in the enjoyment all around the auditorium.

Guys and Dolls

Grand Theatre, Church Street, Blackpool, FY1 1HT

Wednesday 13 – Saturday 16 April 2011

Performances: 7.30pm evenings, 2.00pm Saturday matinee.

Tickets start from £12.50.

Contact the venue for more information on 01253 290190 or visit www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk

Pleasure Beach Resort’s latest million-pound investment has had its opening date finally confirmed, after months of preparing new attractions suitable for the whole family during the winter period.

Nickelodeon Land will open with 12 new rides, a Nick shop, restaurant and game stalls on Wednesday 4th May. Whilst the official opening ceremony will occur in the morning, the area will open to the public at 2pm – meaning that cartoon characters such as SpongeBob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer will be able to greet children and parents in real-life.

Among the highlights is the  SpongeBob Splash Bash, a one-of-a-kind teacups ride where those on the attraction have access to water squirters. Those waiting in the queue will not only be able to watch, but also soak riders in this ride that will get you in a spin! For some of the older visitors seeking something a bit more thrilling, the Avatar Airbender involves a spinning disc, which Aang will push higher and higher. There are rides for toddlers all the way to grown-ups, something which makes Nickelodeon Land’s six acres suitable for everyone.

Amanda Thompson, MD of Pleasure Beach said ”We are delighted to welcome Nickelodeon to Pleasure Beach. Both of our brands represent fantastic family fun and Nickelodeon Land will combine Pleasure Beach’s reputation for amazing rides and attractions with Nickelodeon’s favourite fun characters to produce a wonderful attraction, which will wow visitors to the park.”

NOVEMBER 2011 marks the end of an era for Blackpool’s world-famous tramway, as the multi-million pound upgrade works draw to a close and many of the heritage tramcars operate for the final time before entering preservation. Whilst some tram classes will live on in a modified state on Blackpool’s new tramway, many are never to run again in the resort, including the ‘Progress twin car’. To mark this occasion, Tramways Monthly has organised a special enthusiasts’ tram event on the final day of the 2011 operating season, Sunday 6^th November, hiring twin set 672/682 from 1100 until approximately 1730 to operate a number of special trips along the current operational length of the tramway.

The Progress twin cars were the brainchild of Joseph Franklin, with the first prototype unit entering service in 1958. Following successful trials, the first production trailer, manufactured by Metro-Cammell of Birmingham and numbered T1, was delivered on 16^th July 1960 with a test run following the next day. Nine further trailer cars followed which were then paired with 10 converted English Electric Railcoaches for their new purpose as towing cars; featuring new front ends similar in style to the earlier Coronation cars, which also matched those of the new trailer cars.

Since then the class have undergone various changes, with seven sets being permanently coupled and modified to enable them to be driven with the trailer leading. A series of mini-overhauls also took place in 2003-4, which saw five sets painted in bright Metro bus liveries of the time, leading into what was to become the twin cars’ finest hour when a sudden ban was imposed on double-deck trams operating north of Thornton Gate. 2007 saw the start of the twin car demise, though, and, despite a mini-revival due to fleet shortages in 2010, just two twins remain in service for 2011.

With this in mind, Tramways Monthly has booked twin set 672/682 – the first of the class to receive the Metro colours – to operate the ‘Twin Car Twilight’ tour on the final day of twin car usage in Blackpool, thus bringing to an end 51 years of history when it returns to the depot. Whilst the final route of the day is still to be confirmed, the tour will begin at the Pleasure Beach and make a number of trips to Fleetwood and Little Bispham – regular stamping grounds for the class throughout their lives – in both daylight and after dark, as well as other points of interest along the tramway. Tickets for the tour cost £10 and bookings are now being taken via the Tramways Monthly website – http://www.tramways-monthly.com/tram-tours-2011.

Blackpool’s Sealife Centre is to receive a new exhibition for 2011, coming all the way from the Asian continent.

Giant Japanese Spider Crabs will premiere as part of the ‘Claws’ Sealife exhibit this Easter, which can each grow to three metres in diameter – bigger than most creatures showcased at the aquarium. The newly-relocated crustaceans are known to have a maximum lifespan of nearly a century, and are often found 50-600 feet below sea level off the coast of Japan and Korea.

In the new exhibition, visitors will learn about these fascinating creatures, with interactive elements aimed at the whole family. Along with the giant crabs, a new collection of lobsters will also be added to the Golden Mile attraction.

Jenn Newton, General Manager of Sealife Blackpool said : “The Japanese Spider Crabs are a fantastic addition to the family of sea life exhibitions we have here in Blackpool. Visitors can also see the Colossal Coconut Crab, which gets its name from actually being able to crack open coconuts with its huge claws.”

BUSINESSES in the hotel and catering industry on the Fylde Coast are gearing up for one of the most important dates on the calendar.

The Lancashire Hotel, Catering and Hospitality Exhibition returns to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens for a second year on April 6 and 7 and, with just 25 stands remaining, looks set to be a sellout.

Many exhibitors and the show sponsors will already be making plans for the two-day event, which gives them a vital opportunity to meet with both customers and potential clients, as well as showcasing their products. With the event being staged just before Easter, it’s an important and exciting time for businesses in the industry as it marks the start of a new season.

This year’s show is being sponsored by Fylde Coast accountants Jones Harris and Rawcliffe & Co as well as renowned ceramics manufacturer Villeroy and Boch.

Mark Loynton, of Villeroy & Boch, said:

“I visited the show last year and was really impressed with the organisation, footfall and the varied range of hospitality industry visitors, some of whom were my customers. It’s great that we have this show to exhibit our products right on the doorstep of our customers and prospects alike in Lancashire. It was with this in mind that I had no hesitation in booking a stand – and coupled to that  we are a proud sponsor of this year’s show.”

Other exhibitors were also quick to praise the event. Reece Bywater, catering development manager at Booker Wholesale, said:

“We’re delighted to be involved with the show. As one of the largest cash and carry businesses in the country, it was very useful for us last year to be able to meet many of our customers from the Blackpool area. Some of the bigger shows are a bit anonymous but at the Lancashire show you know that most of the people attending are local customers, which is great.”

Another exhibitor, Bob Woolf, of Classic Drinks, said the Lancashire show and its sister event in Carlisle the following week would be the only ones at which his company would be taking a stand this year.

“We’ve always had a presence in Blackpool. We don’t go to any of the bigger shows in Manchester or Birmingham. It’s always good to have a show in Blackpool to start the season off, where we can meet our customers and show them how professional we are.”

One new feature this year will be a series of presentations by some of the country’s leading tourism organisations about their plans for the coming year. Among those taking part will be Merlin Entertainments, Crown Leisure, Lytham Hall, Preston Guild Hall and the Sandcastle Water Park.

Another attraction will be the Lancashire Young Student Chef of the Year competition, held over two days and judged by Fylde-based celebrity chef Nigel Smith.

More than 5,000 trade visitors are expected to attend the show, which is organised by the Bispham-based Consortium of Events and Tourism. This year, for the first time, the exhibition is being held in conjunction with Clifton Quality Meats, the firm behind the Caterama trade event which has been held in the town for the last 25 years.

Anyone interested in booking a stand or more information should visit www.lancashire-show.co.uk, call 01253 808033 or email lancsshow@gmail.com.