Blackpool's Basil Newby welcomes LGBTQ+ vision for resort which led the way as the 'gay capital of the north'

Basil Newby launched the town’s ‘pink pound’ economy when he bought the Flamingo Club in 1979.

Who is Basil Newby? Everything you need to know about the Blackpool entrepreneur and businessman behind Funny Girls, Flamingo and The Flying Handbag.

His empire expanded to later include other venues including Funny Girls, which also led the way as one of the first clubs where drag queens performed.

In the early days Basil recalls having a battle to get licences from the council because as a gay man he said he was not considered ‘a proper person’ to hold a licence.

Now times have changed to the extent the council is leading on proposals to formally recognise Blackpool’s gay quarter as a place to celebrate inclusivity and LGBTQ+ heritage.

A vision was unveiled this week to build on the existing concentration of gay-friendly bars, venues and guest houses in streets in the north of the town centre including parts of Queen Street and Dickson Road.

But there would be no label attached to the neighbourhood – instead its mantra would be – ‘Be who you want to be’.

Basil, 72, said: “I am pleased they are making an effort to do something like this, as when I opened the original Flamingo people came to it from all over the UK.

“When I opened the Flamingo, there were no gay hotels but after that they began to open.

“So Blackpool has always had a gay village. But what did the council do, but go and bulldoze the heart of the gay village where the original Flamingo was.

“There should be a blue plaque on the Sainsbury’s store which is there now, because we had people like Grace Jones, Divine and Lily Savage perform there.

“We were known as the gay capital of the north, and I bought the pink pound to Blackpool in the ’80s and ’90s.

“In the early days it was difficult for me to get a licence, as some people at the council in those days thought being gay meant I was an ‘improper person’ to hold a licence.

"So what’s happening now, shows just how much times have changed.”

Basil was awarded the MBE in 2014 for services to business and the LBTQ+ community.

Renaissance Charity , LGBT+ Facebook Friends, hoteliers group BAGS, Blackpool Pride Festival, and Claremont ward councillors Lynn Williams and Ivan Taylor are among those already on board with the LGBTQ+ vision, with further consultation due to be launched.