What is this in Blackpool ?

[Mrblobby]

I was looking at a webcam yesterday .

Does anyone know what the flat area is in front of Blackpool tower ?

No prizes for spot the seagull .

[Jimgward]

War of the Worlds?

[Mrblobby]

Thanks Jim , I think the war of the worlds type thing is perhaps a wind indicator ?

I have now put a ring around the flat area I am puzzled by .

[Jim B]

If its where I think it is there used to be a sewage outflow there onto the beach and there was a large vent shaft above. Funnily enough there was seating around the vent stack. North West Water built an interceptor sewer to pump the sewage up to Fleetwood works and there are massive pumps below that concrete patch. There are two massive storm water tanks underneath the car park by the bus station, they must be 100 foot deep and the combined size of a football field.
I commissioned them.

Jim

[PhotoLady]

It's called the Comedy Carpet and that area in front of the tower is now known as Tower Festival Headland. It's where they hold the lights switch on, dancing on the carpet - Northern Soul events and lots of other stuff.
Comedy Carpet has all different lines and phrases out of old TV series such as Morecambe and Wise etc.

https://images.app.goo.gl/pYisAypa88STvYCr9

[Mrblobby]

Thanks photolady , I should have thought of asking you .

I am surprised “ smoke me a kipper i'll be back for breakfast” made it on to the carpet . Quite a recent one from red dwarf .

I really like the look of it now I know what it is .

https://youtu.be/uiTcg-OEnFM

[Jim B]

The pumping station I spoke about is underneath the promenade in that area, honest.

Jim

[PhotoLady]

And the "War of the World's" as referred to earlier are sculptures which bend and sway in the wind. They're quite fabulous to see when they're almost bent halfway in really windy days. They're the Blackpool Tulips.
Not sure if the image will display here or if you need to click:
https://images.app.goo.gl/mgxvCjVZMS4d1JccA

[Dominic]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IzIhELAS3g

I have a feeling this film doesn't really do them justice.

[Mrblobby]

On reading some more I found some of the comedy carpet was removed soon after competition !

It is one of Britain's largest pieces of public art, cost £2.6m, and celebrates the contribution to comedy by more than 1,000 writers and performers. But after just five months, the laughter has stopped for Blackpool's 'comedy carpet'.

Blackpool Council has been accused of "civic vandalism" after contractors destroyed part of the £2.6 million award-winning artwork because of fears it was too close to tram tracks. Artist Gordon Young, who spent five years of his life creating the carpet, is distraught.

[PhotoLady]

I don't know when it was finished as we saw it for the first time when we returned to UK for a family visit in November 2013 after being in Cyprus for the previous 9 years.
We booked ourselves 6 nights in a Blackpool B+B as my parents home was some milies out and on the other side of the river Wyre - about 80 minutes by bus.
It meant we had stuff to keep us occupied in the evenings as my parents weren't getting out much then because my dad's illness was starting to become debilitating.
We eventually returned permanently to the UK almost 4yrs ago in 2016.

[Mrblobby]

Someone skating on the comedy carpet this morning . Plus a spider .

[Dominic]

The lockdown days must just fly by in your house, Mr B.