Jewel in the crown for the Golden Mile

In 1968, Blackpool’s Golden Mile gained a new jewel in its crown with the opening of an ambitious entertainment centre bearing its name.

Owned and operated by the Blackpool Tower Company, its spacious state-of-the-art two-storey building housed both amusement attractions and fun fair rides under one roof, making it the perfect destination for those rainy days.

Located just south of the former Central Railway station, the Golden Mile Centre offered a modern alternative to the ramshackle collection of the charmingly dingy arcades housed in former boarding houses and hotels along that part of the seafront, and with their added hut like frontages on what would have been the buildings’ former front gardens.

The new facility was carpeted, bright and spacious, and catered for all tastes.

Its ground floor formed the huge arcade section with the latest slots and gaming machines.

There were also a couple of children’s rides, initially a mini carousel, flying Comet Jets and a rotating Dalek squawking “Exterminate!”

The set up was also complimented by a café at the rear and a traditional bingo stall.

In one case Essie’s Bingo, where I worked as a change giver during the summer of 1977, enticing passers-by into a game with the promise of prizes “as seen on TV – usually Police Five!” I don’t think Essie herself was highly amused.

The escalator up to the upper floor brought visitors into a high ceilinged area with full size windows lining the entire length of its frontage to allow for more natural light and a panoramic view of the sea, giving an even greater sense of open space.

This was the perfect setting for the indoor fun fair and was able to house all the classic rides such as a full size carousel, waltzer, Dodgem cars, helter skelter and a double decker “Roller Ghoster” with its big dipper style drop like the ghost train at the Pleasure Beach.

This operation also over spilled into an outdoor area at the side of the building to include children’s rides such as the bumpy Astroglide slide, a miniature big wheel, carousels, and a small roller coaster. The centre quickly acquired an international reputation and during the winter months hosted an annual exhibition of new gaming machines which operators from all over the world would visit.

The outside area hosted new rides which, being there on a promotional basis, meant lucky youngsters got to try them for free! During the early 1970s, the centre was joined by Blackpool’s first Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Odditorium, which set up shop just next door in the former Victoria Hotel.

A modern façade was put on the front of the building to blend the attraction with its neighbour, and hide the fact that its interior was an original Victorian structure. Nevertheless it provided a complimentary sideshow the adjoining rides and slots.

On the other side of the centre, however, came the arrival of more direct competition.

With the Central Station building finally demolished, the space left played host to an outdoor fun fair complete with full size big wheel and Dodgem cars, and a couple of modern rides including the rotating arms of the Octopus and the undulating Everest ride with its tilting cars.

This set up ran for a couple of seasons, its last heralded by an intriguing sign set up by the Joe Coral organisation declaring “What Las Vegas did for America, we are going to do for Blackpool.” An ambitious development was on the way and destined to become a more serious rival for the Golden Mile Centre. Towards the end of the 1970s the upper floor of the Golden Mile Centre became the home of the Space City exhibition, showcasing costumes, props and sets from the TV shows of Gerry Anderson which included – as its loop Tannoy used to annoyingly remind those of us working nearby – “Thunderbirds, Stingray and Space: 1999!”

It was very much intended as a rival to the nearby Doctor Who Exhibition and remained there for a number of seasons before being moved to a new home at the Pleasure Beach. Further changes came with the arrival of the 1980s which saw some of the traditional rides removed and replaced by new installations, including an updated Dodgem track and the Looper ride with circular cars that riders could rock until they literally rolled right over.

Progress also saw the loss of the outside children’s fair, the area replaced by the single storey extension which continues to operate as Mr B’s amusement arcade complete with its own café.

Meanwhile, Barry Noble’s two storey Funland arcade replaced Ripley’s and the competition was shifting up.

The centre began to look dated against its new immediate competitor in Coral Island, which opened in 1978 on the Central Station site with its Vegas casino style plush interior and sloping split level floor space. Though primarily a machine arcade, it also included its own ghost train and monorail

Thus as the decade marched on, time called on the centre’s glory days as an arcade and fun fair, and the building was adapted to house new attractions. The upper floor became the Sea Life Centre, its opening slogan declaring “Sharks in Blackpool.”

The ground floor was divided into units which have since served various outlets, the latest being Adventure Golf and the Star Trek exhibition, while Mr. B’s was sectioned off to continue as a self-contained arcade. In 2010 the council acquired the Golden Mile Centre as part of a £40m deal which also included Louis Tussauds, the Tower and the Winter Gardens. The council are now tendering for an operator to further develop the complex in a bid to transform that section of the promenade, while Mr. B’s is earmarked for redevelopment as part of the £300 million vision for the Central car park site.

Whatever the outcome it seems the future of the Golden Mile Centre is assured.