Under tight security both Tory and Labour packed their way into the Winter Gardens for many years for their annual show until they opted for different venues towards the end of the noughties.
But once again Blackpool is gearing up to host its first major political conference in 15 years with the Conservatives returning this weekend.
We dug into our archives and those of Getty Images to find some of the key moments at Tory Conferences through the years.
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Residents urged not to be alarmed as security ramps up for Blackpool’s Conservative Party Conference
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1. Conservative Party Conferences
John Major in the crowds at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool 1995 Photo: submit
2. Conservative Party Conferences
Conservative Party Conference at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool Photo: Martin Bostock
3. Conservative Party Conferences
Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith and his wife Betsy in Blackpool, 2003. He had delivered a tough conference speech to improve the Tory leader’s personal ratings Photo: Stefan Rousseau
4. Conservative Party Conferences
Margaret Thatcher with husband Denis arriving at a ball after the Blackpool conference in 1981 Photo: Colin Davey
5. Conservative Party Conferences
Tory Party leader William Hague, addresses the 1997 party conference Photo: Mike Foster
6. Conservative Party Conferences
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at the Tory Party Conference in Blackpool in 1981 Photo: Hulton Archive