Sexy start for new town centre store

Stars of the Dirty Dancing stage show – currently running at the Winter Gardens – came along to cut the ribbon at the new shop, after the brand relocated from Church Street to Victoria Street, in the town centre.

Store bosses say there were close to 500 people through the door at the opening event, which featured refreshments, special offers and a general party atmosphere.

There has been an Ann Summers store in the centre of Blackpool for 18 years.

The original town centre shop opened on December 2, 1998, on Church Street and remained in the same location.

It was the 20th Ann Summers store to open in the UK and in its 18 years never underwent a refit.

Manager Alison Jamieson has been with the store since the beginning – joining the team before the shop opened in 1998.

She has over the years trained many staff from across the whole of the UK, in her role for six years as a training manager.

More than 120 workers during that time passed through the doors of the Blackpool store, to be trained, from all areas of the country.

An area manager and director started their Ann Summers career being trained in Blackpool, by Alison.

At the grand opening of the new store, customer Claire Peel won tickets for the Dirty Dancing show.

Bex Doran-Brown, from the store, said the launch day had been a big success and staff were enjoying their new home.

She said: “The opening went amazingly well.

“The cast from the Dirty Dancing stage show had a lot of fun with the ribbon cutting and doing some moves for photographs, as well as mingling afterwards.

“We were so pleased to have them there.

“We had a fair few of our regular customers through the door on the day, but it was great to see a lot of new faces as well.

“All the staff are just so excited about the new shop and focused on establishing ourselves on the high street.

“We hope to open the store to a new host of fashion seekers, as well as all those lingerie fanatics.

“We are in love with our new-look store and hope visitors new and old will feel the same. It was long over-due, as we had never had a refit.

“Our Ann Summers store was the last standing mint store for one day before we moved – the last little tie to nostalgia which viewers of the ITV show, Brief Encounters, will be familiar with.

“We have enjoyed the programme reminding us what Ann Summers used to be like.

“Here’s to the future representing all things sexy on the Fylde coast, with the fantastic new store.”

The Ann Summers brand has been around for 40 years – offering lingerie, swimwear, nightwear, accessories, fancy dress oufits and ‘bedroom’ toys.