Open Day planned as Phil Winston's Theatreworks and Nicky Figgins Dance Centre set for Bispham move

The popular market, on Red Bank Road, shut its doors for good in February after being a focal point of the village for more than 50 years, and the businesses based there have relocated in the local area.

Now, two well known Fylde coast dance/theatre schools, Phil Winston's Theatreworks College and Nicky Figgins Centre Stage Dance Academy, are to move into the premises

Sign up for our free newsletters now The new venue is to be called Stage Door Studios and for the past few weeks extensive renovation work has been underway, transforming the old retail site into bespoke studios, purpose-built for dance and theatre classes.

An open day is to be held there on Sunday April 14, at 4pm, to which local residents, not just pupils and their families, are invited.

Nicky says that she was keen to see the building which housed the market, which closed because it was no longer financially viable, will not lie dormant and empty but will be put to good use for the community.

She said: “Our dance school was based just behind the market for 13 years until we had to relocate to our current base on Naventis Road for reasons of space.

“I always dreamed of being able to make use of the market building and it has finally come true!

“The people from the market have helped us with the work and they will be coming to the opening too.

“I am a Bispham girl and most of our families are from Bispham, so it really is like we are coming home.”

Bispham Market closed because there were not enough traders renting stalls to make the overall market cost effective.

Stallholders said they did not blame the market owners and have all found new premises to trade from the Bispham village area, with a new version of the market now up and running nearby, on the corner of Red Bank Road and All Hallows Road.

Other former stallholders are trading from premises further down All Hallows Road.