Viva Blackpool: Taking the bull by the horns, showbiz-style

Founded eight years ago in August 2012 by business partners Leye D Johns and Martin Heywood, Viva has swiftly become one of Blackpool's most prominent entertainment hubs. A vast 33,000-sq.ft establishment, it has three main rooms - the Cabaret Theatre, the Round Room, and the Festival Suite - and hosts everything from in-house productions and visiting shows to bespoke private birthday parties, business meetings, and weddings.

"I'm the absolutely hilarious, drop-dead gorgeous, 6'4", blonde-haired, blue-eyed compere... but anyway, back in the room!" said Leye, who is the resident's comedian and host of their in-house shows. "I do the entertainment side and Martin does the business and tech side of everything.

"We wanted to do it properly and on a big scale so we went in with two feet," added Leye, 52, who previously had a residency at the famous Alabama Showboat from 1994 to 2009 and who supported comedian Joe Longthorne on UK and European tours. "We gave up our full-time jobs, sold most of our stuff, sold our nice cars, and took a big risk.

"We took the bull by the horns and we just kept going, which is what you have to do in this industry: keep supplying the good shows and people will keep coming back. It was just a case of never wavering and becoming more consistent. It's been a journey and we've had our ups and downs, but we've managed to come out the other end."

Situated next door to the famous Blackpool Tower on the promenade, Viva has its own restaurant and American-style grill and employs over 100 people, while its resident shows include 'Viva Voulez Vous – A Celebration of the music of ABBA', 'All You Need Is Love - The Discovery of Beatlemania', and 'The Jersey Beats – Oh What A Nite!' which tours internationally during the winter and returned following shows in Los Cristianos in southern Tenerife.

"We do good-quality entertainment - big productions, dancing girls, and large casts - and we're spreading our wings with the touring side of things," said Leye, who is from Barrow-in-Furness but who has lived in Blackpool longer than the time he spent in Cumbria. "We go back to places and they're really busy, so that's good. Touring is great, but I'm not a fan of busses - I'd much prefer being draped with grapes and fed blue M&Ms.

"Entertainment is what you make it: if you love your job then you're very lucky and I've never done anything but entertainment. It's a cut-throat business and, with the way social media goes, everybody wants to be that overnight success but you've got to be consistent and pay your dues," he added. "I don't want to poo-poo the nitty-gritty side of it: it's really fun and you've got to make it a laugh but it comes down to hard graft."

Having worked on the promenade for over 27 years and now leading a team of experienced entertainers, vocalists, comedians, and showgirls, Leye says he is loving life at the heart of what is fast becoming a Blackpool institution.

"No two days are ever the same; no two hours are ever the same," he said. "We've got a big team and some wonderful people who work their butts off on the floor for us and we're constantly bringing new stuff in: we do shows 12 months a year and have loads of visiting shows, too.

"When you look back on the risks we took - financially and personally - it could've gone really badly, so it took balls to do it and now we've got a 10-year plan to expand, we've got the 2020 shows in the bag, and we're working on the 2021 shows," Leye added. "We've stood the test of time."