We're the new Funny Girls owners and we're bringing state-of-the-art fun to gold-standard Blackpool drag venue
“We want to keep everything that has made Funny Girls so famous.”
Blackpool's world famous Funny Girls kicks off its new season under new ownership with a new look stage and 'modernised' show.
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The iconic drag venue on Dickson Road was sold to Kane Oliver last month and the new impresario promises things will be 'the same, but different'. A bigger stage and runway have been installed to bring entertainers closer to the action during Hot Girl Summer which runs until September 6.
And Funny Girls legend Miss Scarlett will be returning to the venue for the first time in six years.
End of an era
Kane, who has a background in theatre, runs bars and venues throughout the UK. He bought Funny Girls from founder Basil Newby earlier this month after the venue was marketed at £3.5m by Christie and Co.
Mr Newby decided to sell up and retire after 40 years in charge of the Funny Girls brand. He said: "It's the end of an era but it's been a fantastic life and journey. It's a very emotional time for me, but I had my dream."
The new owner said he planned to keep "everything that had made Funny Girls so well known and loved throughout the world". But he said drag now had a much bigger audience, thanks to TV shows such as Ru Paul's Drag Race and he wanted to provide state-of-the-art, hi-tech entertainment to people new to the culture.
He said: "When the DJ at Funny Girls asks who is here for the first time, about 60 to 70 per cent of the audience puts their hands up.
“We want to keep everything that has made Funny Girls so famous, everything that keeps people coming back week after week, month after month or year after year, but we also want to do new things and provide an even higher standard of entertainment.
"This is our first season. We only properly took over three weeks ago, but, of course, we have been working behind the scenes for a lot longer than that and have come to know the performers well and they are with us every step of the way.
"Preparing for Hot Girl Summer has been very hectic. There were the musical numbers and dance routines to be perfected and this morning, we were still stitching costumes and finishing sets. The new runway and improved stage will bring the performers closer to the audience, putting people at the centre of the action.
"It is a spectacular show and we hope customers will notice the improvements but also realise that it is still the Funny Girls that they have come to love. This is the gold standard of drag venues, second only to the Moulin Rouge and we are very excited to see what we can achieve.
"We have plans to improve the restaurant and other areas of the building, but the fun and entertainment will remain as spectacular as ever. Funny Girls is iconic and loved all over the world, but, after 40 years, there is always room for some improvements.
"The return of Miss Scarlet after six years is a definite link to Funny Girls' tradition. She is a great dancer and performer and it is fantastic to have her back."
Blackpool institution
Funny Girls opened its doors for the first time in 1994 and was located on the corner of Queen Street and The Strand, before relocating to the former Odeon Cinema on Dickson Road. The Funny Girls building originally opened as a cinema in May, 1939, with a capacity of 3,000.
Mr Newby decorated the Grade II listed building in a traditional art deco style. Reflecting on how Funny Girls got started, Mr Newby said: "In 1979 myself with the help of friends transformed a ladies of the night club called the Flamingo into the most well known gay club in the UK.
"From then on the gay scene in Blackpool became Las Vegas on heat and allowed me to open more clubs and bars. In 1994, a star was born, we called it Funny Girls. After 47 years it's the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new chapter for Funny Girls.
‘We are the best at this kind of entertainment’
Kane, paying tribute to the original Funny Girls, said: "You only have to look at sites like TripAdvisor to see how popular the venue is. We are the best at this kind of entertainment and we will continue to give the audience what they love, but with a more modern take.
"Everyone at Funny Girls is so excited about the new season and the top class entertainment we will be providing will not disappoint."