Love where you live!

Is it the people? The seaside? Our world famous attractions?

Whatever your reasons, there’s plenty to love about Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, and this month The Gazette will be highlighting what’s great about living here.

We love to celebrate the inspiring people living on the Fylde coast, or the events – like the annual darts competition or last year’s hugely successful Livewire Festival – that make us stand out from the crowd.

So every day this month you can look for the ‘I love the Fylde’ logo in the paper for your daily fix of good news from the Fylde coast and its residents.

We’ve always covered the positive local stories our readers love – and now we’re going to be shouting that extra bit louder about them.

Blackpool Mayor Coun Ian Coleman is among those who regularly proclaims his support for everything good about the resort.

He said: “I love Blackpool because the vast majority of people are fun-loving, caring people who do their best to make other people happy - residents and visitors alike.

“Blackpool offers so much for so many people and that’s the reason our visitors keep on coming back. It’s about putting smiles on faces.

“Children think they are in seventh heaven when they arrive here, and if the children are happy, the adults are happy.

“Blackpool definitely gives more than it takes.”

Elaine Smith is a leading light with both the Friends of Stanley Park and the Winter Gardens Trust.

Her involvement with two of the resort’s most popular attractions is borne out of her love of Blackpool.

She said: “I came to Blackpool in 1945 when I was 10, and I thought I’d landed in fairyland. There are bad bits of course, but I think it’s so different here and Blackpool has its own magic.

“Stanley Park has recently been named the best park in the UK and what’s so wonderful is the public voted for it.

“On Saturday I was at the Winter Gardens Open Day and that has been part of my life since I was 15 and started dancing there. I also met my husband there.

“So I love the Winter Gardens, but when I’m showing people round the Tower Ballroom is also one of my favourite places.”

Stanley Park was named the best park in the UK last November following a public vote.

Radio presenter and Blackpool panto regular Steve Royle said: “I love Lancashire for it’s people and places. The people are undoubtedly the friendliest and funniest, and being a comedian I regard those character traits as the most important.

“I’ve travelled all over the world and I can tell you there’s no place like Lancashire!”

Businessman Simon Rigby, who owns The Villa hotel at Wrea Green and recently bought Bonds of Elswick, said: “It’s about the people. Yes, great countryside, great attractions and world class businesses, the Lancastrian spirit and self reliance. Self-starting and not braggers, but quietly confident in what we do.”

And radio presenter Hayley Kay added: “I think it’s the people who make Lancashire such a great place to live and we have some great characters too!

“People here have a brilliant sense of humour and don’t mind poking fun at themselves.

“You also don’t have to look too far to find kindness here, whether that’s people who volunteer for a local organisation or people who fundraise for good causes, there’s so many genuinely lovely people here in Lancashire.”