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Saturday 27th Jun 2009 20:36:51
Blackpool
 Well, A****** needed (?!) a 'superheroes' outfit for this 'graduation ceremony' (the picture to the left there was taken later on, once home) taking place at his nursery the following day. To cut a long story short, and perhaps we're slightly disorganised here, but we had to go all the way to Preston to find one. Great. M**** drove. So, we got this Power Rangers outfit, looked at some hideous sofas at DFS and then were at a bit of a loss. To go home, having come this far, or to head into Preston or somewhere else nearby? In the end, we opted for the latter and chose Blackpool. I can't remember the last time I had been to Blackpool although I'm sure my parents must have taken me there once. I started saying to M****, "I haven't been to Blackpool . . . " and was then going to say, "since . . . " but maybe this was my first time. I had read about Blackpool, so I should have known what to expect but it was still a bit of shock. We drove pretty much into the heart of Blackpool itself, parking at something like Chapel Street car park. On the way in to Blackpool, driving along Central Drive, I remember thinking, "Oh dear, we must have approached Blackpool from the poor, dilapidated, scummy side." In retrospect, I don't think there is any other side . . . but then we didn't see a huge amount of Blackpool, so I'm prepared to be proven wrong. So that was one of the first things that struck me . . . the shabbiness of it all. The next thing that struck me was the quantity and sheer ugliness of those wretched 'mobile phone masts'. I'm talking about those ones that are dozens of feet high, festooned with various domes and panels and usually found atop the odd hillside here and there. But not in Blackpool. One of these was about half a mile from the Tower. It's one of those things, once you start looking out for them, you spot 'em everywhere. Wretched things. So yeah . . . we had lunch at Bella Italia and then wandered around for a bit, walking to the end of Central Pier (at the end of the pier, I was reminded of that familiar feeling you get in Morecambe: look to the sea and the view isn't that bad) and then, erm . . . well, I think that was about it. That was about all I could take. On the way back M**** asked if I would recommend Blackpool to people and, well . . . I guess if you know what to expect, then why the hell not? I guess Blackpool is an unpretentious, modern, lively, seaside resort with everything that entails. Perhaps the groups of men/women celebrating someone's stag/hen do just add to the colour. I just found the place thoroughly bereft and soul destroying but each to their own, I guess. M**** also asked if I would return to Blackpool . . . well, yeah, 'cos we didn't see a huge amount of the place, probably just the worst part.
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Comments received:
- Name: mel
- IP address: 192.168.0.1
- Date/time: Tuesday 30th June 2009 13:11:00
- Comment: Jonathan, you are such a snob! We (A******, R****** & I) had a lovely day out. The boys were fascinated by all the noise & lights & people & the tower & TRAMS!!!! Jonathan adopted his usual Victor Meldrew persona & spent much of the afternoon complaining. Joy!
- Name: Former Line Manager
- IP address: 86.147.208.192
- Date/time: Sunday 5th July 2009 09:27:51
- Comment: I'm with M****, there's lots to do in Blackpool, even though it looks like a hell hole. We go once a year to the zoo and for a wander by the sea and the kids love a "wacky warehouse" pub called the Outside Inn near Marton Mere. Maybe we could get in touch with you next time we're going.
Do you have a mobile phone? If you do, you have no right to complain about the masts. I can always imagine these anti-mast campaigners texting each other about how outraged they are with masts. And don't get me started about the anti-wind-turbine brigade. If all the anti-turbine freaks disconnected from the grid, we wouldn't need the turbines.
Whoops, may have gone a bit ranty there. Nice to hear about R****** walking.
- Name: jonath
- IP address: 192.168.0.1
- Date/time: Thursday 9th July 2009 06:56:30
- Comment: I think my problem with mobile phone masts is two-fold: (1) they're so freakin' ugly and I'm sure they don't need to be (aren't these things meant to be getting smaller and smaller and more discrete by the day?!); and (2) I don't think the health risks from these things have been entirely ruled out. But yes . . . meeting up near Marton Mere sounds like a fantastic idea. Erm . . . what else? I dunno what the problem with wind-turbines is. I don't mind them. It's the National Grid that annoys me, and the reluctance to embrace these and other alternative forms of energy. The word 'entrenchment' springs to mind.
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