21 Blackpool central pics are poignant reminders of streets stepped back from the Golden Mile in times past

Historically it was the area where the steam trains pulled in to Central Station – the first place holidaymakers saw when they stepped out of the station including the anticipated sight of the Tower rising from above the rooftops. It’s also where many of the guest houses and smaller hotels stand on the edge of the main town centre and shopping area. It’s traditionally home to souvenir shops, joke shops, fish and chips and the main central car park. As decades rolled by the area sadly declined and now has some of the worst pockets of deprivation in England. Nevertheless there is still a strong community spirit.

The photos show some of the key buildings, pubs and shops, mainly from Central Drive, right through the decades from the 60s to the 00s.

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