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Blackpool Pleasure Beach announces closure of legendary ride after 64 years

The end of an era.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 22nd April 2024

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has announced that it’s time to say goodbye to one of its legendary rides after more than six decades.

The Lancashire seaside theme park is calling on fans to travel from far and wide to help “wave the chequered flag for a final time” as it bids farewell to the beloved Grand Prix ride after an impressive 64 years of racing.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the attraction, Grand Prix is a track ride that opened at Blackpool Pleasure Beach all the way back in 1960 – but, after more than six decades in action, the resort announced that the ride would not operate for the 2024 season as it is “planning a new attraction” instead.

And so, a “spectacular send-off” is being planned in a couple of months time in a bid to properly show the historic ride the love it deserves.

Grand Prix: The Final Lap is all set kick-off from 6pm on Friday 7 June, and tickets are now on sale and already selling fast among those keen to wave the race off into the distance.

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A description for the highly-anticipated event on the Blackpool Pleasure Beach website reads: “It’s lights out, and away we go. As our Grand Prix ride leaves the pits for the final time, join us in celebrating 64 years of racing.

“An evening of memorable performances by local artists and musicians, live DJ sets, and entertainment from Pleasure Beach’s own Grid Girls. Of course, as the main event, guests will have the chance to enjoy the Grand Prix for one final time, experience the same G-force as an F1 driver on ICON, and receive a commemorative certificate to verify that they were one of the last people to ride such an iconic ride, as well as a memento ticket.”

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The legendary Grand Prix ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach is to close after 64 years / Credit: Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Real-life supercars provided by Bispham-based business Elite Competitions, along with the Pleasure Beach’s own Jordan F1 car, will also be there on the day for fans to marvel at, and you’ll even be able to have your pictures taken with the iconic vehicles too.

You’ll be greeted with prosecco on arrival to the party, all before you get to tuck into a wide array of Grand Prix-themed snacks and food.

As mentioned, tickets to Grand Prix: The Final Lap are now on sale on the Blackpool Pleasure Beach website, and will set you back £50 each.

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Find out more and book tickets here.

Featured Image – Blackpool Pleasure Beach

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Liam Gallagher says he’ll ‘gig in Lidl’ if Co-op Live still isn’t ready – and they sound pretty game for it

Danny Jones Danny Jones Liam Gallagher says he'll play a Lidl supermarket is Co-op Live isn't ready for June gig

Following the ongoing palaver with Co-op Live, Liam Gallagher has joked that he’d happily play his scheduled gigs in a Lidl if the arena still isn’t ready – at least we think he’s joking…

Wednesday night saw more shows postponed, moved to rivals AO Arena or cancelled altogether, with Manchester legends Elbow now set to be the venue’s opening act on Tuesday, 14 May.

Fingers crossed, anyway.

With Liam Gallagher having been named as one of the first acts booked to play Co-op Live last year, many are now wondering whether the venue will even by June, with the former Oasis frontman set to play four Definitely Maybe 30th-anniversary sets. That being said, he’s come up with a solution if not.

Turns out Liam Gallagher isn’t an Aldi man, he’s team Lidl.

Vintage LG, we’ll give him that.

Obviously a bit of a tongue-in-cheek quip at the venue being sponsored by a supermarket and convenience store chain, it could have been any other competitor that the ever-witty youngest Gallagher brother picked but it somehow made it extra funny that he chose a budget brand like Lidl.

However, with the 51-year-old already having fun with stunts like voicing the tannoys on the Metrolink last year, for instance, we wouldn’t put it past him to take this joke a little further.

Better still, not that we’re getting carried away or anything but Lidl themselves seem pretty keen on the idea too; they even spent the time to build an entire setlist for the fictional show. Fair play.

Some top-notch punnage going on here, it has to be said.

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Can you imagine? Liam Gallagher swapping the occasional tambourine shake for beeps from a barcode scanner as he moves back and forth on the conveyor belt. We know it’s absolute nonsense and we definitely shouldn’t be even remotely considering it… BUT it’s the stuff of dreams and strange things have happened.

A lot of stranger things have happened this week alone. As for the latest with Co-op Live, the Chairman and CEO of key-backers Oak View Group, Tim Leiweke, issued a full statement sharing his “sincere apologies” and insisting that they understand “there is work to be done to rebuild your trust in us.”

With the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Peter Kay, The Black Keys and more having their gigs pulled by the venue due to numerous issues, including an air conditioning unit falling from the ceiling, fans are understandably fearful that other upcoming events could face delays or general misfortune.

Much like the venue itself, we imagine we’ll be playing catch-up on this whole saga for the foreseeable, but here’s a recap of the story so far:

Co-op Live boss issues statement as troubled Manchester venue takes ‘a short pause’
A whirlwind round-up of Co-op not-so-Live’s chaotic ‘opening’ weeks.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Lidl GB/Exit Festival (via Flickr)/The Manc Group

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Gavin and Stacey will return with a 2024 Christmas special for its final episode

Danny Jones Danny Jones Gavin and Stacey new Christmas special 2024 last ever episode

After some pretty big rumblings earlier this year, it’s finally been confirmed that Gavin and Stacey will be returning for a Christmas special this year and what will be its last-ever episode.

The beloved British comedy last aired back in 2019 with their previous Christmas special and fans of the show have been crying out for more ever since.

Well, it turns out they’ll be getting just one more go around the block as co-creators James Corden and Ruth Jones revealed that they have now finished writing their third and final Xmas special which will tie a festive bow on the trio of series which started all the way back in 2007.

Sharing a picture of the script on social media, the pair wrote: “Some news… It’s official!!! We have finished writing the last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey. See you on Christmas Day, BBC One. Love Ruth and James”.

That’s an early present if we’ve ever seen one.

The news comes just a couple of months after co-writer and co-star Jones went out of her way to rubbish the rumours live on the radio, stating that the so-called sources who had claimed a deal had been struck between the BBC and Netflix had been sorely mistaken.

However, what was actually going on was a bit of a red herring as she carefully chose to talk down any notions of another series but didn’t categorically dismiss the potential Christmas special.

In fact, she actually went on to add: “All I can say is, if there was something to say on that front, James [Corden] and I would happily announce it, we would.”

And that’s exactly what they’ve done. Well played, Nessa.

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As for details surrounding the final chapter in the Gavin and Stacey story, we have very few details at this stage but fans of the iconic show will already be wondering how they might pick up from where certain threads left off.

With Corden and former co-star Matthew Horner having famously parted ways several years back too, it will be interesting to see whether those fences will be mended in time for the final-ever episode of the show that put them both on the map.

Production companies Baby Cow, Corden’s Fulwell 73 and Jones’ Tidy Productions are all behind the special and, given the momentous occasion, it will likely have a primetime slot on the TV guide when it finally rolls around this holiday season.

So get your remotes, baubles and bhunas at the ready because Gavin and Stacey is coming back for one last time and it’s sure to be a TV event that people all across the UK will remember for years to come.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — BBC/James Corden (via Instagram)

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